Alicia Keys and the cast of “Hell’s Kitchen” perform on stage during the Tony Awards on June 16.
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While Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ performance of “Empire State of Mind” at Sunday’s Tony Awards was one of the ceremony’s loudest moments, it also sparked rumblings that their performance was pre-recorded.
According to the sources, and Report via New York times, their clip, which was shown on stage via a video screen, was actually pre-recorded. Their performance came at the end of a medley of songs from hell’s kitchen, Performed live on stage at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater.
Keys is a producer of the musical and also provided the show’s score, which includes pre-existing songs such as “Empire State of Mind” and “Fallin’,” as well as new material.
After the cast performed on stage, Keys was brought out to play the piano, where she began playing and singing “Empire State of Mind.” She then ran into the audience, and Jay-Z appeared on stage via a video screen, which showed him on a set of stairs, singing the lyrics to the song. The video then showed Keys joining him on the stairs and continuing to perform with him.
Spokesman Hell’s Kitchen Neither Jay-Z’s spokesperson had a comment on why the clip was pre-recorded.
Jay-Z’s label Roc Nation is also a producer of the musical. Hell’s Kitchen She won two Tony Awards on Sunday, with Best Actress in a Musical going to Melih Joy Moon and Best Actress in a Musical to Kesia Lewis.
