Global star Alicia Keys has added another RIAA award to her collection. Her featured appearance on Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” is now certified 9x multi-platinum with over nine million equivalent units sold.
The song, produced by Shux and featured on Jay-Z’s Blueprint III album, is almost at diamond status. It’s now one million units away from achieving this level, which is awarded to albums and singles that reach ten million units sold.
Another contender for this title is “No One” from Keys’ third album, As I Am, which achieved 9x multi-platinum status in February.
“Empire State of Mind” was released as the second single from Blueprint III. It soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, spending five weeks atop the popular singles chart.
It held the top position on several other Billboard charts, including the Hot Rap Songs, Rap Airplay and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
The New York anthem went on to collect several accolades, including Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 53rd Grammy Awards in 2011.
On Spotify, “Empire State of Mind” has amassed over 773.5 million streams.
It is important to mention that Keys released a different version of “Empire State of Mind” for her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom, released in 2009.
This recent certification tallies Keys’ fifth RIAA award this year. She was previously presented with multi-platinum plaques for other hit singles, with “Girl on Fire” deemed 7x multi-platinum and “My Boo” with Usher 5x multi-platinum.
Keys has had a very successful year, achieving two No. 1 hits: “Come For Me” featuring Lucky Daye and Khalid, and “Trillions” with Brent Faiyaz.
These tracks were chart-toppers on both R&B radio and Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart. They can also be found on KEYS II, the deluxe version of Keys’ 2021 double album KEYS.
Keys recently launched her Keys to the Summer Tour this week at FLA Live Arena in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The tour will continue across North America and will showcase Keys in a 360-degree “in-round production setup.”
In a June interview with ABC’s Good Morning America, Keys teased that fans can expect her to perform new material and rarities.
“I’m putting songs that I don’t often get to sing in this show. So it’s about to be all-round good vibes, good energy,” Keys stated to Lara Spencer.
Stream “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys below.
