Newport’s remake of Empire State Of Mind has been a Youtube hit, although Jay-Z and Alicia Keys probably don’t need to watch their backs just yet.
A Welsh duo created the Empire State of Mind spoof as a tribute to less-glamorous-than-New-York Newport and the video has spread across the internet, with Lily Allen Tweeting: “Amazing”.
The Newport YouTube classic was directed by London’s MJ Delaney and stars Alex Warren as Jay-Z and Terema Wainwright as Alicia Keys. Delaney said:
“We came up with the idea as we were singing along with Jay-Z and trying different words in place of New York – Newport was by far the funniest.
“My mother’s Welsh and she put me in touch with another relative who lives in Newport and she came up with some great ideas for the lyrics.
“We wanted to make something people from Newport would be proud of and we have had some really positive feedback.”
The Empire State of Mind remake features such immortal lines as:
“In Newport, concrete jumble nothing in order, not far from the border. When you’re in Newport.
“Chips, cheese and curry makes you feel brand new, washed down with a Special Brew. Repeat the word Newport, Newport, Newport.”
And: “On the dance floor raving, pack of 16 Benson, someone fighting bouncers – turns out it’s Gavin Henson.”
Watch Newport (Ymerodtaeth State of Mind) here:
And here’s Jay’Z and Alicia Keys’ original Empire State of Mind
