Alicia Keys and Jay-Z recently reunited to perform their iconic song “Empire State of Mind” at the 77th Tony Awards. Their segment, which was prerecorded, was presented to the audience via a video screen at the event held on Sunday, June 16, at the Lincoln Theater in New York City.
The duo’s performance featured a rendition of the song “Hell’s Kitchen,” culminating with a live performance by the musical’s cast on stage.
During the performance, Alicia Keys energized the crowd by asking, “Are we in New York City tonight? Are we at the Tony Awards tonight?” She then enthusiastically addressed the audience from the stage, saying, “Had to do something crazy. It’s my hometown.”
Jay-Z also added to the excitement by declaring, “Brooklyn. New York City in the Tonys tonight,” as he closed out the performance.
After the cast’s live performance, Alicia Keys made her way into the audience, while Jay-Z continued to engage viewers through the video screen. His rapping captured the attention of stars like Nicole Scherzinger and Brooke Shields. The performance ended to a standing ovation from artists such as Angelina Jolie, Anthony Ramos, and Ashley Jini Park, who showed their appreciation for the performance.
Alicia Keys had teased this performance on her X handle on June 15, building anticipation among fans.
1 Dream. 1 Song. 1 Billion streams 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
Thank you! We love you. What’s next….👀🤫 pic.twitter.com/r1wftG2IA7
— Alicia Keys (@aliciakeys) June 15, 2024
“Hell’s Kitchen” received two awards at the Tony event that Sunday. Maleah Joi Moon won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, while Kecia Lewis was honored with the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
The jukebox musical, featuring music and lyrics by Alicia Keys, is loosely inspired by her upbringing in Manhattan during the 1990s. It originally premiered at The Public Theater in October 2023 before making its Broadway debut at the Shubert Theatre on April 20, 2024.
