Absolut Vodka, sponsor of Jay-Z‘s 9/11 “Answer the Call” Memorial Concert at Madison Square Garden last year, commissioned director Danny Clinch to put together a behind-the-scenes, intimate look at some of Jigga’s life, times and recent music.
The documentary short clocks in at about 15 minutes, and delivers an introspective Jay-Z, discussing his musical background, and most interestingly, and fitting for us, the magical mystique of New York City, performing at The Garden, and about the Big Apple as subject matter. As he says about his recent hit, “Empire State of Mind”, “I think the reason people outside of New York connect to a record like that is because of the inspiration outside of these windows. I mean, it’s ‘Big City’… You can make it here, you can make it anywhere. It’s the belief that you can make it in this world.”
NY-Z features interviews with John Mayer, a Jay-Z appearance on Ed Lover’s morning show on Power 105.1, rehearsal footage, and plenty of Jay-Z soundbites.