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Jay-Z and Alicia Keys fired up the Yankee Stadium crowd before Game 2 of the World Series on Thursday night, performing a clean version of "Empire State of Mind" from the rapper's hit album.
The two New Yorkers were originally scheduled to perform Wednesday night but were pushed back because of rainy weather. There was some concern about some of the song's raw language but Jay-Z kept it PG for the nationally televised performance.
The rap king -- wearing a Yankees hat and jacket -- and Keys got a loud ovation when they walked through an opening in the outfield wall in left-center to the stage behind second base. Keys, in a black and hot purple outfit, played keyboard before joining Jay-Z in the center of the stage for the end of the song.
Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, who uses a snippet of "Empire State of Mind" for his at-bat music, bobbed his head during the performance. New York reliever Joba Chamberlain also was grooving to the song while the Philadelphia Phillies watched attentively from the top step of the visiting dugout.
A buzz went through the crowd when Jay-Z rapped one of the signature lines of the hit: "I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can."
There was more applause after the performance as Jay-Z and Keys walked arm in arm through the outfield to the gate. Phillies pitcher Pedro Martinez was preparing for his Game 2 start nearby but he kept long tossing as the music stars disappeared from sight.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiryjGi6wZQ]YouTube - [HD] Jay Z & Alicia Keys - Empire State Of Mind (Live At World Series 2009 Game 2 Yankee Stadium)[/ame]
The two New Yorkers were originally scheduled to perform Wednesday night but were pushed back because of rainy weather. There was some concern about some of the song's raw language but Jay-Z kept it PG for the nationally televised performance.
The rap king -- wearing a Yankees hat and jacket -- and Keys got a loud ovation when they walked through an opening in the outfield wall in left-center to the stage behind second base. Keys, in a black and hot purple outfit, played keyboard before joining Jay-Z in the center of the stage for the end of the song.
Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, who uses a snippet of "Empire State of Mind" for his at-bat music, bobbed his head during the performance. New York reliever Joba Chamberlain also was grooving to the song while the Philadelphia Phillies watched attentively from the top step of the visiting dugout.
A buzz went through the crowd when Jay-Z rapped one of the signature lines of the hit: "I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can."
There was more applause after the performance as Jay-Z and Keys walked arm in arm through the outfield to the gate. Phillies pitcher Pedro Martinez was preparing for his Game 2 start nearby but he kept long tossing as the music stars disappeared from sight.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiryjGi6wZQ]YouTube - [HD] Jay Z & Alicia Keys - Empire State Of Mind (Live At World Series 2009 Game 2 Yankee Stadium)[/ame]
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