Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind
Perfect weekend for this little Autumnjamn.
I already wrote about the woman on the train in Nagano who was excited to find out I lived in New York because she felt like it was her “soul city” that made her feel like she could do and be whatever/whoever she wanted. She had never felt free like that anywhere before. I agreed with her, even though it was early in my trip and I wasn’t really missing New York, yet, but it got me started on missing New York. When I got back to New York for 10 days in August, I was wondering what exactly it was that I missed. The city was hot and I was staying in the West Village where everyone seemed to be on the verge of a break up fight in the streets. I felt confined, I couldn’t think in the humidity, I could only hide in AC.
Now that I’m back and it’s Fall, and now that this song has come out, I’m remembering what I love about New York. You feel a part of something just because you live here. I can walk the streets and feel the cool breeze, and all the cars going by are playing this song, and all the big buildings have their lights on all night because people are actually working in them all night, making deals with people in Hong Kong or Tokyo. It’s a city where I can listen to live Celtic music in a bar with an older lady wrapped in a shawl sitting in a corner with her eyes closed, remembering, and then see Oliver Mtukudzi the next night and dance with Zimbabweans.
Jay-Z really released this at the perfect time - Autumn is the best season in New York City. I’m embarrassed to say it, but it’s like the first time I heard Rent. The idealized version of New York got into my head and all I wanted to do was move there. Now I’m here and after listening to this all I want to do is stay here.
