The video premiere of “Empire State of Mind” is here. The video was shot entirely in the urban areas of NYC and directed by Hype Williams.

Alicia looked gorgeous, of course we have to mention that first. The montage of overlaying freeze frames, the aerial shots, and the focus on famous NYC landmarks really captured the spirit of the song. The high contrast black and white tint was a nice touch but didn’t suit the entire video. Luckily, the entire video was not black and white as the color was restored when Jay and Alicia were on the red steps. Overall, the video symbolizes New York City in a very uplifting way and further emphasizes that NYC is the “City of Dream.”