Jay-Z was surprised with the display on Thursday night, as music heavyweights, including Big Daddy Kane, Alicia Keys, Questlove, DJ Khaled and more, celebrated his career during the 50th One of the key moments of Jay-Z's set came when he performed his 2009 Alicia Keys-assisted hit "Empire State of Mind." A tribute to his hometown New York City, "Empire State of Mind" is "Empire State of Mind" is a popular hip-hop song by JAY-Z featuring Alicia Keys. Released in 2009, the song quickly became a cultural phenomenon and a celebration of New York City's unique zPMmO.