The NBA All-Star game has shown a concerted effort to honor its host city this year. Before tonight's game, Christina Aguilera started things off with a Big Apple-themed intro, performing a cover of Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York."
As the song winds down, we hear the instantly recognizable "N.Y. State of Mind" beat creep in. Enter New York's finest: Nasir Jones. At the 4:00 mark, Nas performs "N.Y. State of Mind," off the legendary Illmatic. Though barely a minute long, Nas walks off stage leaving the whole Barclay's center with goosebumps.
Aguilera finishes the show with a theatrical cover of "Empire State of Mind."