Barely two weeks after Jay-Z learned his 2011 Kanye West duet, ‘N***** in Paris,’ had soared to Diamond status at the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), he’s been informed another of his famous musical pairings may soon follow suit.
Details inside.
Taking to press Wednesday (June 28), the RIAA announced ‘Empire State of Mind‘ – Jay-Z’s 2009 tag-teamed ode to New York City with fellow GRAMMY-winning native Alicia Keys – had elevated to 9x Platinum. The measure denotes sales equivalence of 9 million units in the United States.
With just one more certification, the song will be Diamond – meaning it’s certified 10x Platinum.
For Keys, that 10x Platinum upgrade would be a career-first for any song she’s attached to. At present, the 9x Platinum badge is tied with 2007’s ‘No One‘ for highest-certified song in her catalog.
Like ‘No One,’ ‘Empire State of Mind’ topped the Billboard Hot 100 at the height of its popularity and has become a staple among fan favorites in her prized catalog.