Credit: Alamy

In 2009, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys collaborated on the hit track number-one hit ‘Empire State Of Mind’, which was released as the third single of the former’s The Blueprint 3. That said, 15 years later, the two have teamed up again for a surprise performance at the 2024 Tony Awards.

Alicia Keys composed and wrote the songs of Hell’s Kitchen, a Broadway musical that was nominated for 13 awards and this year’s Tony’s. The ceremony for the 2024 Tonys was held at the David H Koch Theater in Manhattan. 

During the award show, Keys began singing the 2009 anthem, then exclaimed, “[I] had to do something crazy! It’s my home town!” Suddenly, while she was walking in the audience, Jay-Z appeared on the big screen as he was standing on a set of stairs in the theatre lobby.

Keys then joined him, and the two began performing the 15-year-old smash hit. The cast of Hell’s Kitchen performed some of the songs from the play. However, before the ceremony, Keys told the media outlet Entertainment Tonight that they would be “bringing all of their passion and fire” to the award show.

The R’n’B artist actually teased her reunion with the Brooklyn legend on social media before the show sharing a photo of two microphones, one with her initials written in gold and the other with the letter “J”.

Hell’s Kitchen, according to its official synopsis, is “an unforgettable new show loosely based on Alicia Keys’ personal experiences, featuring both newly created music and many of her soulful, iconic songs.”

It continues, “In a cramped apartment hanging off the side of Times Square, 17-year-old Ali is desperate to get her piece of the New York dream. Ali’s mother is just as determined to protect her daughter from the same mistakes she made.

Concluding, “When Ali falls for a talented young drummer, both mother and daughter must face hard truths about race, defiance, and growing up. Ali feels trapped until the sound of a neighbour playing the piano opens the door to an unexpected friendship and a radically different future.”