Empire State of Mind
Alicia Keys Jay-Z Lyrics

Yea, yea I'm out that Brooklyn, now I'm down in Tribeca
I've moved on from Brooklyn and now reside in Tribeca.

Right next to DeNiro, but I'll be hood forever
Despite being next to the likes of DeNiro, I will always stay true to my roots.

I'm the new Sinatra, and, since I made it here
I'm the new Sinatra, and I believe that since I've made it in New York, I can make it anywhere.

I can make it anywhere, yea, they love me everywhere
Because I've made it in New York, I believe I can be successful wherever I go as people appreciate me.

I used to cop in Harlem, all of my Dominicano's right there up on Broadway
I used to buy drugs in Harlem, and I have friends there who are Dominican and hang out on Broadway.

Pull me back to that McDonald's, took it to my stashbox, 560 State St.
When I think back to my past, it reminds me of going to that McDonald's and hiding my stash in the nearby 560 State St. building.

Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons wippin' pastry's
You can find me in the kitchen baking pastries like a Simmons.

Cruisin' down 8th St., off white Lexus
I drive an off-white Lexus and often cruise down 8th St.

Drivin' so slow, but BK is from Texas
Though I drive slow, my home of Brooklyn is my pride and joy akin to Texas pride.

Me, I'm out that Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie
I'm from Bed-Stuy, which is the hometown of famous rapper, Biggie Smalls.

Now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me
Since I've reached the top of the music industry, I've brought my friends with me to enjoy the success.

Say whattup to Ty-Ty, still sippin' Mai Tai's
Say hello to my friend Ty-Ty who still enjoys sipping on Mai Tai drinks.

Sittin' courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high five
I'm often sitting courtside at basketball games, and both the Knicks and Nets players give me high fives as I'm respected.

Nigga I be Spike'd out, I could trip a referee
I wear a lot of Spike Lee gear, and I have the potential to trip a referee from the excitement.

Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from
My attitude reveals that I am most definitely from New York.

In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of
New York is a tough and competitive city, but it's where dreams can come true.

There's nothin' you can't do
In New York, the possibilities are endless.

Now you're in New York
Once you're in New York, you are part of its vibrant culture and people.

These streets will make you feel brand new
The energy of the city is invigorating and can make you feel like a new person.

Big lights will inspire you
The bright city lights can bring about inspiration and motivation.

Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York
A celebration for the great city of New York.

Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game
You might find me at Yankee Stadium with my friend OG watching a game.

Shit, I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can
Through my fame, I elevated the Yankees baseball cap to new level of popularity.

You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though
I'm a diehard fan of the Yankees, despite the blue-banded colors resembling that of the Crip gang.

But I got a gang of niggas walkin' with my clique though
Despite not being a part of any gang, I have a group of friends who are loyal to me.

Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we sellin' rock
In New York, both legal and illegal business takes place within a melting pot of diverse cultures.

Afrika Bambataa shit, home of the hip-hop
Afrika Bambataa is regarded as one of the pioneers of hip-hop, and New York is the birthplace of this music genre.

Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back
New York has different taxi variations, and you can hail a ride by shouting 'holla back.'

For foreigners it ain't for, they act like they forgot how to act
Non-locals may have difficulty adjusting to the fast pace and norms of New York City.

Eight million stories, out there in it naked
There are eight million inhabitants with their own unique stories living openly in this city.

City is a pity, half of y'all won't make it
The reality is that many people won't succeed in New York regardless of their dreams.

Me, I got a plug, Special Ed 'I Got It Made'
I have connections, and I'm reminded of the song 'I Got It Made' by Special Ed.

If Jesus payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwyane Wade
If someone is paying LeBron James a large sum of money, I would want to pay his teammate Dwyane Wade equally or more.

Three dice cee-lo, three card monte
These are two popular NYC games of chance that many people gamble on for fun or profit.

Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley
The Labor Day Parade pays tribute to the life and music of Bob Marley.

Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade
The Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center are iconic symbols of the city.

Long live the King yo, I'm from the Empire St. that's
I'm proud to say that I'm from Empire St., and may the king (myself) reign for a long time.

Lights is blinding, girls need blinders
The bright lights of the city can be overwhelming, and some people ignore certain aspects or fall into bad situations, hence the need for blinders.

So they can step out of bounds quick, the sidelines is
Some girls may end up in problematic situations and need to remove themselves quickly, like stepping out of bounds in a game.

Lined with casualties, who sip to life casually
The side streets contain people who have become victims of addiction or casual attitudes towards life.

Then gradually become worse, don't bite the apple, Eve
People may start off innocent, but the city can gradually take a toll, hence the biblical reference to avoiding temptation.

Caught up in the in-crowd, now you're in style
It's easy to get caught up in the popular crowd and conform to societal norms and fashion trends.

End of the winter gets cold, en vogue, with your skin out
People dress in stylish yet impractical clothing in the cold winter months to stay fashionable, with some still showing off their skin.

City of sin, it's a pity on a whim
New York can be a sinful city, with decisions made on a whim that may lead to regret.

Good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them
It's easy for good people to fall into bad ways in the city.

Mommy took a bus trip, now she got her bust out
Mother went on a bus trip and came back with a bust size enhancement.

Everybody ride her, just like a bus route
Everyone wants to be with her now, akin to a popular bus route.

Hail Mary to the city, you're a virgin
The city is full of opportunity, yet you're still inexperienced like a virgin.

And Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church end
You need to take responsibility for your life and make the most of it because nobody will save you, not even Jesus, once you leave the church.

Came here for school, graduated to the high life
I came to New York for school and have since graduated to the lifestyle of success and wealth.

Ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight
Athletes and musicians thrive on the attention and fame that comes with success in New York.

MDMA got you feelin' like a champion
The use of MDMA can make you feel invincible and like a champion.

The city never sleeps, better slip you an Ambien
The city is always active and can be tiring, hence take an Ambien to get some sleep.

One hand in the air for the big city
A gesture of appreciation for the great city of New York.

Street lights, big dreams, all lookin' pretty
The city's brightness and opportunities align with the ambitions of people, all appearing attractive.

No place in the world that could compare
New York is a unique city that is unmatched by any other in the world.

Put your lighters in the air everybody say yeah, yeah, yea, yea
A celebratory chant with raised lighters in appreciation of the great city of New York.