JAY-Z just keeps hitting those high notes! His collaboration with Alicia Keys on “Empire State of Mind” has officially earned him a third diamond plaque. This track, a love letter to New York, has now moved the equivalent of 10 million units in the U.S., according to the RIAA.
For Alicia Keys, this occasion marks her first-ever diamond plaque. What a way to celebrate one billion streams on the same song, which she joyfully shared last month on Instagram with a post that read: “1 Dream. 1 Song. 1 Billion streams 🙏🙏🙏. Thank you! We love you. What’s next…👀🤫.”
JAY-Z’s diamond streak continues. He picked up his second diamond plaque just last year with Kanye West for “N-ggas In Paris,” and another one with Rihanna for “Umbrella.” “N-ggas In Paris” had been sitting at 9x-platinum since 2022 until it finally crossed the diamond threshold in 2023, over a decade after its release in 2011.
“Empire State of Mind” first dropped in 2009 as part of JAY-Z’s album, The Blueprint 3. It’s been a fan favorite ever since. The RIAA even chimed in on Twitter, congratulating the dynamic duo with: “Congratulations @sc @aliciakeys on this truly well deserved RIAA Diamond certification for #EmpireStateOfMind 💎🗽 @RocNation.”
Alicia and JAY-Z’s collaboration has hit high notes before. At the 2024 Tony Awards, Alicia performed “Empire State of Mind” with a unique twist: starting solo and then surprising the audience by bringing JAY-Z on stage. The performance was electric, leaving fans buzzing.
But not everyone’s experience with the song has been as glittering. Remember Lil Mama’s infamous VMAs crash in 2009? She recently opened up about how the incident deeply affected her. “In the beginning, I was hurt,” she admitted during an interview. She shared how backlash from the stunt took a toll on her mental health, but she’s working on moving forward.
JAY-Z and Alicia Keys continue to make waves with their legendary hit, “Empire State of Mind.” Their collaboration not only earned a third diamond plaque for JAY-Z but also became a defining moment in both their careers. As they celebrate this milestone, fans can’t help but wonder what iconic moments they’ll create next.
