News

Alicia Keys says Jay-Z Didn't Like Her Hook for 'Empire State of Mind' at First

By Daryl Nelson
pixel_start

Alicia Keys admitted in her book that she felt manipulated by the now-cancelled photographer Terry Richardson when he coerced her to take a nearly topless photo 20 years ago.

The singer has made another admission since that information was revealed: That Jay-Z didn't like the first time she recorded the hook for their 2009 smash "Empire State of Mind."

Keys said that she was under the weather when it was recorded then. Plus, the singer was in Los Angeles, which she said wasn't the ideal place to record a song about the five boroughs. But Keys returned to New York at a later date and recorded the hook again.  [Jump to 2:32 mark].

"He hits me back like, 'Could you sing it again?' And I was like, 'What?'" Keys told Ebro in a FaceTime interview about Jay-Z. "I was a little tiny bit embarrassed, because who wants to send a song that, you know, then they friend is like, 'Hmmm.' He didn't want to tell me that either. But it kind of was necessary."

What do you think about Keys' story?

pixel_end
Posted In: News Jay Z Alicia Keys

Discuss

News Drake Warns Adin Ross About Sexyy Red Drake Warns Adin Ross About Sexyy Red / News News Kendrick Lamar Accused Of Stealing Big Sean's Thunder After Sean Drops New Single Kendrick Lamar Accused Of Stealing Big Sean's Thunder After Sean Drops New Single / News News YNW Mellly Wonders Why Kendrick Lamar Is Dissing him YNW Mellly Wonders Why Kendrick Lamar Is Dissing him / News News Joyner Lucas Explains All He Has To Go Through To Get Eminem On The Phone Joyner Lucas Explains All He Has To Go Through To Get Eminem On The Phone / News News Diddy Spotted After The Feds Raided His Homes Diddy Spotted After The Feds Raided His Homes / News News Two Major Figures Unfollow Drake Amid Beef With Future and Kendrick Lamar Two Major Figures Unfollow Drake Amid Beef With Future and Kendrick Lamar / News