New York
2Pac & The Notorious B.I.G Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I stay dressed in slick gear
Peace to my homies in the gangsta lean
I see you when I get there
And it's a fact I keep a gat in my arm reach
I charm freaks and bomb geeks
From here to Palm Beach
I'm puttin rappers in the wheelchair
Cause I be hangin in Harlem and
My shit is for real here
If you battle L you picked the wrong head
I smash mics like cornbread
You can't kill me I was born dead
And I'm known to pull steel
Trigs and kill pigs i run with ill kids and
Real nigs who peel wigs
My rap's steady slammin
I keep a heavy cannon
It's a new sherriff in town
And it ain't Reggie Hammond 2Pac:
Now shit's constantly hot, on my block
It never fails to be gunshots
Can't explain a mother's pain
When her son drops
Black male slipping in hail
When will we prevail
Fearing jail but crack sales
Got me living well
And the system's suicidal with
This Thug's Life
Staying strapped forever trapped in
This drug life
God help me, cause I'm starving
Can't get a job
So I resort to violent robberies
My life is hard
Can't sleep cause all the dirt
Make my heart hurt
Put in work and shed tears for my dead peers
Mislead from childhood where I went astray
Till this day I still pray for a better way
Can't help but feel hopeless and heartbroke
From the start I felt the
Racism cause I'm dark
Couldn't quit the bullshit make me represent
Hit the bar and played the star
Everywhere I went
In my heart, I felt alone out here on my own
I close my eyes and picture home
Aiyyo, you betta flee Hobbes
Or get your head flown three blocks
L keep rapper's hearts pumpin like Reeboks
And every year I gain clout
And my name sprouts
Some brothers'd still be vergins if
The crack never came out
I got the wild style
Always been a foul child
My guns go boom boom, and yo' guns go wow pow
I'm known to have a hottie open
I keep the shottie smokin
Front and get half the bones
In your body broken
And when it comes to gettin
Nookie I'm not a rookie
I got girls that make that chick
Toni Braxton look like Whoopie
I run with sturdy clicks I'm
Never hittin dirty chicks
Got thirty-five bodies
Buddy don't make it thirty-six
I know how it feel to wake up fucked up
Pockets broke as hell, another rock to sell
People look at you like youse the user
Selling drugs to all the losers
Mad buddha abuser but they don't know about
Your stress-filled day
Baby on the way mad bills to pay
That's why you drink Tanqueray
So you can reminisce
And wish, you wasn't livin so devilish
Ssshit i remember I was just like you
Smokin blunts with my crew, flippin over 62's
Cause G-E-D, wasn't B-IG
I got P-A-ID, that's why my moms hate me
She was forced to kick me out, no doubt
Then I figured out nicks went
For twenty down South
Packed up my tools for my raw power move
Glock nineteen for casket and flower moves
For chumps tryin to stop my flow
And what they don't know will
Show on the autopsy
Went to see Papi, to cop me a brick
Asked for some consignment and he
Wasn't tryin to hear it
Smoking mad Newports cause I'm due in court
For an assault, that I caught, in Bridgeport
New York
Catch me if you can like the Gingerbread Man
You better have your gat in hand, cause man
Jadakiss: Uh, I learnt the game
I know what I want and I'm in it
The time is now, it's gonna be up in a minute
You look a in the eye
You could tell if he tinted
These fake rappers gettin by with
These hell of a gimmicks
They act like it's all love
Only love is your money
So when it's over, are you a thug or a dummy
I'm neither, but I been hot so long
It feels like I got a lifetime fever
And I ain't gotta spit
I could cough and still eat ya
And f rap I make mills of reefer
I'm a man first, tired of punchin z
So I'mma shoot z cuz my hands hurt
And God is great, guard ya space
One hand wash the other, both wash the face
And I head crack so much, it's hard to ace
38 revolver flow, it's hard to trace, what!
Nigga I can see the coke in your nose
This ain't a movie
Even he got his head blown on the globe
And I was just about to find God
But now that Mase is back
I think I'd much rather find a menage
And everybody talkin crazy how
They're AK spit
But we know this investigatin
And they ain't spray shit
Not me, I'm the truth homie
Got the industry shook like
"Naw nigga, Joe gonna let em loose on me"
True Story, I'm bringin the T back
Even Roy Jones was forced to "Lean Back"
My nigga Dre said grind cook
Now we killin them hard niggas
Who said I must of found Pun's rhyme book
Got bitches on top of the Phantom
And the pinky got bling
Like the ring around Saturn
Cook coke, crack, niggas fiend for that
And you already know the x is
Where the team be at
In this verse from the song "New York" by 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G., the artists describe what it means to be a true New Yorker. The lyrics mention specific cultural and culinary references that are unique to the city, such as "sipping quarter waters" (a cheap fruit-flavored drink sold in bodegas), arguing with the guys from the corner store, eating BBQs, and not messing with expensive steak restaurant Ruth's Chris. The verse also emphasizes the importance of representing one's borough and embracing the city's diverse neighborhoods, such as Harlem and Coney Island. The artists praise the toughness and street smarts of New York girls, like being able to fight and navigating the subway system.
One interesting fact about this song is that it was never officially released by either 2Pac or The Notorious B.I.G. The original recording of the two rappers freestyling over the instrumental track from Carl Thomas's "I Wish" was bootlegged and circulated widely among fans. The song eventually gained official recognition when it was included on the 2005 posthumous album "Duets: The Final Chapter" by The Notorious B.I.G. Another notable feature of the track is that it showcases a rare collaboration between 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G., two of the most influential and controversial rappers of the 1990s who were often portrayed in the media as rivals.
Here are the chords for the instrumental track used in "New York," which is "I Wish" by Carl Thomas:
Intro: C Am Dm G
Verse: C Am Dm G (x2)
Pre-Chorus: F G
Chorus: C G Am F
Line by Line Meaning
Look you so New York you be sipping quarter waters or
You are so New York that you drink quarter waters or
Wanna argue with Ock from the corner store
You even want to argue with the people at the corner store
And you don't play with your chicken fried rice
You take your chicken fried rice seriously and don't mess around with it
Or your bacon egg and cheese Arizona on the side
You order your bacon egg and cheese sandwich with Arizona Iced Tea on the side
You so New York you don't care what the move is
You embody New York so much that it doesn't matter what the plan is
You eating BBQs you ain't messing with Ruth Chris
You prefer eating at BBQs over fancy restaurants like Ruth Chris
It ain't Dave East then you bumping to new kiss
If it's not Dave East, then you're listening to new Kiss songs
You hate all the Zombies that be bugging on two-fifth
You can't stand the Zombies bothering people on 2-5th street
You hate the deuce and you always lit
You are always energized, even though you hate the 2 train line
Yo mama don't care what the moment is just keep it the holiest
Your mother doesn't care about the situation, she wants you to stay true to yourself
Word to my Tims she could fight she a problem
Your Tims (Timberland boots) can take a hit, you're a force to be reckoned with
Scarf on braids did by the africans in Harlem
You wear a scarf on your braided hair, done by the African hairdressers in Harlem
You so New York you come alive in the late night
You thrive in the late-night atmosphere of New York
And we could watch Paid in full on a date night
On a date night, you might watch the movie 'Paid In Full'
Or we could hit Magic Johnson just to floss
You could also show off by going to the Magic Johnson Theater
But we hopping on the train stand clear of the closing doors
However, you still take the train and are careful during the closing of the doors
Girl You so New York
You embody New York City, girl
The Home of Biggie and Jay
New York City is the home of Biggie and Jay-Z
B K spread love thats the Brooklyn Way
Brooklyn spreads love, that's the Brooklyn way
Nothing but love in the Bronx
There is nothing but love in the Bronx
The birthplace of hip hop you got it going on
The birthplace of hip hop, you have the culture in you
You from Queens or Staten Island
You are either from Queens or Staten Island
Cash rule everything ya know ya be wilding
Cash rules everything in New York, and you know that you have to act wild sometimes
Oh you repping from Harlem world thats word
You represent Harlem world, that's the truth
Everybody love a New York girl
Everyone loves a girl from New York City
Look You so New York you Kennedy Fried Chicken
You are so New York that you eat at Kennedy Fried Chicken
Or getting on the block and see that the fries missing
You notice if the fries are missing when you go to the block
You so New York you like chopped cheese
You enjoy eating chopped cheese, a popular dish in New York City
Got Constructs on you feet could you stop please
You wear Timbs on your feet, and you can't stop showing them off
Look You so New York when everybody is a hater
Even when everyone else is negative, you embrace your New York attitude
You on top of your bread like the cat in the bodega
You are careful with your money, just like the cat that sits on the bread in the bodega
Or when you hop out the Uber to the party
When you get out of an Uber at a party
In the Camry but feeling like Bardi in the Rari
Even when you're driving a Camry, you feel glamorous like Cardi B in her Ferrari
You so New York you showtime at the Apollo
You're so New York that you would perform on Showtime at the Apollo
Eating Italiano right at Vapiano's
You would eat Italian food at Vapiano's
Huh So Stop fronting and get right with the Guyza
Stop pretending and get it together with the guys
I see the moves you used to get light on the plaza
I recognize the dance moves you used to do on the plaza
You like Mase in the nineties
You enjoy listening to Mase's music from the '90s
Shiny suits on with your face all grimy
You wear shiny suits, even when your face is sweaty and grimy
Matta fact you showtime on the D
In fact, you perform on Showtime on the D train line
So we out to Coney Island to spend time on the beach
Therefore, we'll go out to Coney Island to spend time on the beach
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mztrdro
To me, this one of Pac's rawest, realest verse ever. Spitting facts minutes before it became real life facts, too real. He laid this verse with DJ Ron G just couple hours before the Quads set up.
Also, Big was def in his feelings even after Pac has passed, apparently the beef didn't die with him, check his verse it's about "Hail Mary" , along with other verses in his last album Life After Death right after Pac's passing n the nail in his own coffin.
@kodeshian1
Diggin the JDM representation on these mixes
@ARMYEEUU
2pac East Harlem Manhattan all day 🗽🌃 R.I.P
@joeygana8864
PAC IS ON FIRE, GOAT!!!
@sakelarisvansteelant3377
Notorious!🔥
@hrantgrigoryan36
2021 stil listening to these legends ❤️
@tomaskristupaitis4056
JOINT+TUPAC =BOMB 😎🙂
@fomo24..7
It's like a reunion of rappers in 2020.....shame some of the best ones that walked this earth are no longer with us.
@MrDrezzy007
Clearly Pac and Biggie were on a league of their own.
@stuartmacrow6790
Sick song by 2pac sick one