S. Samuel
Jay-Z's hit Blueprint III record, "Empire State of Mind," will officially become the new theme song for the 142nd running of the Belmont Stakes horse racing event, replacing Frank Sinatra's famed classic "New York".
Reports of the new achievement were released online today (June 4).
Guess Jay-Z wasn’t just talking smack when he boasts in the rap portion of “Empire State of Mind” that he’s “the new Frank Sinatra.” A racing official said the new anthem for the Big Apple is the “quintessential 21st century theme song for New York City.” Sinatra’s song itself bumped “Sidewalks of New York” back in 1997. (WFIE News)
“Empire State of Mind” will debut during tomorrow’s race.
Since 1997, Frank Sinatra’s “New York New York” has been the theme song at the Belmont Stakes. But now, officials from the New York Racing Association say the cut will be replaced by Jay-Z’s “Empire State Of Mind” during their 142nd running this Saturday. According to the AP, reps say the track is the “quintessential 21st century theme song for New York City.” The song will be performed by teen singer, Jasmine Villegas. Hip-hop wins by a nose! (Rap Radar)
Sinatra’s famed classic had been used for over a decade at the Belmont Stakes racing events.
“New York, New York,” (or, as it’s actually called, “Theme From ‘New York, New York,’ “) is most closely associated with Sinatra, though it was actually written for — and first recorded by — Liza Minnelli for the 1977 Martin Scorsese film of the same name. Sinatra recorded it for his 1980 album Trilogy: Past, Present And Future, and it became the last of his many signature numbers. (MTV)
The annual event has taken place each year since 1867.
The Belmont Stakes is anAmerican Grade I stakes thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The race is the third and final leg of theTriple Crown, following five weeks after the Kentucky Derby, and three weeks after the Preakness Stakes. (Wikipedia)
Check out Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” down below:
