Watch Jay-Z, Alicia Keys Perform ‘Empire State of Mind’ at the 2024 Tony Awards

The song closes out Keys’ Broadway musical ‘Hell’s Kitchen,’ which is up for 13 Tonys this year

Jay-Z, Alicia Keys Let’s hear it for New York!

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys joined forces to perform “Empire State of Mind” live at the 2024 Tony Awards on Sunday. The track — from the rapper’s 11th studio album, 2009’s The Blueprint 3 — is also featured in the Tony-nominated musical Hell’s Kitchen, which is vying for 13 awards at this year’s ceremony. “Empire State of Mind” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks the year it was released and the following year, it won two of three Grammys for which it was nominated — Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.

“We at the Tony Awards tonight,” Keys said as she walked down a set of stairs from the stage at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. “Had to do something crazy. It’s my hometown,” she added as she walked through the audience while dancers performed on stage. Then, Jay-Z appeared on a large screen that served as a stage backdrop while he rapped from the lobby outside of the venue. Keys later joined him to perform the song together.

Alicia Keys and JAY-Z reunited to perform their 2009 Grammy-winning hit “Empire State of Mind” at the 2024 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 16, paying homage to the track that also serves as the finale in the Tony-nominated jukebox musical Hell’s Kitchen, which is based on Keys’ life.

Keys, 43, took the stage at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater in New York City to perform the song in the last portion of a medley of songs from the Hell’s Kitchen, which received 13 total nominations at the 77th Tony Awards ceremony. Keys appeared on stage at her piano to sing the song with Tony nominee Maleah Joi Moon before she introduced the song and brought audiences into the venue’s lobby, where JAY-Z, 54, rapped his iconic verses from his 2009 hit single.

“Let me see ya! We in New York City tonight! We at the Tony Awards tonight! Had to do something crazy, it’s my hometown!” Keys said before the rapper appeared on a video screen on the awards show’s stage.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

Hell’s Kitchen stars Tony nominees Shoshana Bean, Brandon Victor Dixon, Kecia Lewis and Maleah Joi Moon, the latter — a Broadway newcomer — who plays Ali, the role modeled after Keys. They share the stage with Chris Lee, Chad Carstarphen, Vanessa Ferguson, Jakeim Hart, Jackie Leon, Nyseli Vega, Lamont Walker II and Rema Webb. The ensemble includes Reid Clarke, Chloe Davis, Nico DeJesus, Timothy L. Edwards, David Guzman, Raechelle Manalo, Sarah Parker and Niki Saludez. Rounding out the company are standby Donna Vivino and understudies Desmond Sean Ellington, Badia Farha, Gianna Harris, Jade Milan, Susan Oliveras and Oscar Whitney Jr., plus swings Takia Hopson, Onyxx Noel, Aaron Nicholas Patterson and William Roberson. Directed by Michael Greif with choreography by Camille A. Brown, the show features a book by Kristoffer Diaz. All three are Tony nominated.

RELATED: 2024 Tony Awards Winners List

Cameras cut to Jay-Z, who performed his rap outside. Keys would join him outside of the venue to finish off the performance. Stars like Nicole Scherzinger and Brooke Shields were seemingly gleeful when the duo showed up in a big screen.

Did Alicia Keys win a Tony Award?

The actress picked up her first Tony as a producer of “The Outsiders,” which took home Broadway’s biggest prize for best musical.

Who performed with Alicia Keys at Tonys?

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performed their hit “Empire State of Mind” at the 2024 Tony Awards as part of a colorful and energetic number showcasing Keys’ best musical contender, Hell’s Kitchen.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Hell’s Kitchen is inspired by Keys’ childhood tales of growing up in New York City, featuring her catalogue of hits — including “No One,” “Fallen’,” “If I Ain’t Got You” and “Empire State of Mind” — making up the show’s score, alongside three new tunes she composed including the new single “Kaleidoscope.” The show is nominated for a whopping 13 Tonys this year, including best musical.

But the success, though gratifying, has been far from the most rewarding thing about the process, Keys told PEOPLE at the Tony Awards Meet the Nominees press junket last month. Instead, the Grammy-winning superstar said it’s been the diversity of people coming to see the show.

“One of the goals of Hell’s Kitchen was is to really open the door to those who have never stepped foot in a Broadway theater ever before,” she explained. “So I’m excited that when I look around — because I am in that theater often — I see so many different people in so many different walks of life. I love that so much and that’s really important.”

“This story is meant to welcome you,” Keys added. “It’s incredible to see a New York story in New York City, but no matter where you’re from, you’ll find yourself there. And there’s something really special about that. “The 77th Tony Awards are airing live on CBS and Paramount+.

Who has 4 Tony Awards?

Angela Lansbury and Gwen Verdon have each won four Tony Awards in the musical categories, more than any other actress. Ms. Lansbury won for Mame (1966), Dear World (1969), Gypsy (1975), and Sweeney Todd (1979). She earned a fifth Tony for her work in the Noël Coward play Blithe Spirit in 2009.

Stay connected with Fact and US for more such news.