The New York-born and raised musician will perform at City Hall on Thursday, June 18, following the championship parade
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys‘ anthemic single “Empire State of Mind” has been inescapable in New York City ever since the New York Knicks brought the NBA Championship home for the first time in 53 years. It’s only right, then, that Keys will be taking the stage at City Hall on Thursday, June 18, for a special performance following the championship parade.
“The city’s asking for you,” Knicks forward OG Anunoby told Keys in a FaceTime video shared to her Instagram account. “Are you pulling up?” The musician’s son popped up in the background to assure the athlete, noting, “I’ll make sure she gets there. Don’t worry.”
During the call, Keys checked in with Anunoby, who played a crucial role in securing the team’s coveted win. “I just feel like if there’s a time for you to smile, it’s right now. Like, how could I not?” Keys said. “This is my city, and the city’s on fire. There’s so much love in the city, it’s crazy. Y’all brought all that energy, everybody just united, feeling amazing. I’m super excited and we’re proud of you. We excited for you. Big, big love. We’ll see you there.”
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The City Hall ceremony honoring the Knicks’ NBA Championship will be hosted by Mayor Zohran Mamdani. A public lottery offered up 600 tickets to fans to attend the event, which begins at 12 p.m. EST tomorrow. “From packed watch parties in our parks to joyous celebrations that spilled out onto our streets, this championship belongs to New York City,” Mamdani said. “The Knicks brought together New Yorkers from every borough and every walk of life.”
The parade will precede the ceremony. Beginning at 10 a.m., players, coaches, elected officials, and other special guests will begin making their way to City Hall along Broadway.