Empire State of Mind
JAY-Z/KEYS ALICIA Lyrics

Yea
Introduction to the song

Yea I'm out that Brooklyn, now I'm down in Tribeca
I used to live in Brooklyn, but now I live in Tribeca

Right next to DeNiro, but I'll be hood forever
I live near Robert DeNiro, but I'll always stay true to my roots

I'm the new Sinatra, and, since I made it here
I'm the new Frank Sinatra, and since I've succeeded in New York City,

I can make it anywhere, yea, they love me everywhere
I can succeed anywhere, and people from all over the world love me

I used to cop in Harlem, all of my Dominicano's
I used to buy drugs in Harlem from my Dominican friends

Right there up on Broadway, pull me back to that McDonald's
I used to hang out on Broadway, near McDonald's

Took it to my stashbox, 560 State St.
I took the drugs to my hiding spot at 560 State Street

Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons wippin' pastry's
You might find me in the kitchen baking like a member of the Simmons family

Cruisin' down 8th St., off white Lexus
I'm driving a Lexus down 8th St.

Drivin' so slow, but BK is from Texas
I'm driving slowly, but I'm from Brooklyn, and I'm tough

Me, I'm out that Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie
I'm from Bed-Stuy, the home of the late rapper Biggie Smalls

Now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me
I'm now a successful musician, and I brought my friends along for the ride

Say whattup to Ty-Ty, still sippin' Mai Tai's
Say hello to Ty-Ty, who is still drinking Mai Tai's

Sittin' courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high five
I'm sitting courtside at Knicks and Nets games, and the players give me high-fives

N**** I be Spike'd out, I could trip a referee
I'm dressed like Spike Lee, and I could argue with a referee

Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from
My attitude shows that I'm definitely from New York City

In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of
New York City is a tough place where people come to pursue their dreams

There's nothin' you can't do
Anything is possible in New York City

Now you're in New York
If you're here, you're part of it all

These streets will make you feel brand new
The energy of the city will make you feel renewed

The lights will inspire you
The lights of the city will inspire you

Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York
Let's give it up for New York City

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

S***, I made the Yankee hat more famous then a Yankee can
I made the Yankee hat more popular than the actual Yankees team did

You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though
I'm a big fan of the New York Yankees team, but I'm not a gang member

But I got a gang of n****s walkin' with my clique though
I have a lot of friends walking with me

Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we sellin' rock
New York City is a place where diverse cultures come together, but there are also drug dealers on the corners

Afrika Bambataa s***, home of the hip-hop
New York City is the birthplace of hip-hop, and it's also where Afrika Bambaataa is from

Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back
There are many different types of taxis in New York City, and you can hail them by yelling out

For foreigners it ain't for, they act like they forgot how to act
For people who aren't from New York City, they might not know how to behave

8 million stories, out there in it naked
There are eight million people in New York City, each with their own story

City is a pity, half of y'all won't make it
New York City can be a cruel place, and many people won't succeed here

Me, I got a plug, Special Ed "I Got It Made"
I have a source for drugs, just like Special Ed's famous song "I Got It Made"

If Jesus payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwayne Wade
If LeBron James is being paid by God, then I'm paying Dwayne Wade

Three dice cee-lo, three card monte
These are common gambling games played on the streets of New York City

Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley
The Labor Day Parade in Brooklyn is known for its Caribbean celebration, and Bob Marley is a popular figure there

Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade
The Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center are iconic symbols of New York City

Long live the King yo, I'm from the Empire St. that's
I'm from New York City, the Empire State, where the king thrives

Lights is blinding, girls need blinders
The lights of the city are bright, and girls need sunglasses to help with the glare

So they can step out of bounds quick, the sidelines is
The sidewalks can be crowded, so girls need sunglasses to help them navigate safely

Lined with casualties, who sip to life casually
The city is full of people who drink too much and end up harming themselves

Then gradually become worse, don't bite the apple, Eve
These people's situations keep getting worse, so don't give into temptation like Eve did in the Bible

Caught up in the in-crowd, now you're in style
When you fit in with the popular crowd, it's easy to become addicted

End of the winter gets cold, en vogue, with your skin out
When winter ends and it gets warm out, it's fashionable to show more skin

City of sin, it's a pity on the wind
New York City is full of sin, and it's a shame that the wind carries it around

Good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them
Even good girls can be corrupted in New York City

Mommy took a bus trip, now she got her bust out
A mother came to New York City and now she's more confident

Everybody ride her, just like a bus route
Everyone is using her, just like a bus route

Hail Mary to the city, you're a virgin
Pray for the city, which is pure and innocent

And Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church end
Even if you're a good person, once you leave the church your life really starts

Came here for school, graduated to the high life
I came to New York City for school, and now I'm living the good life

Ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight
Famous athletes and musicians become addicted to the attention they get

MDMA got you feelin' like a champion
The drug MDMA can make you feel invincible

The city never sleeps, better slip you an Ambien
New York City is always active, so if you need to sleep you might need medication

One hand in the air for the big city
Celebrate the big city with one hand in the air

Street lights, big dreams, all lookin' pretty
New York City looks beautiful at night, and it inspires dreams

No place in the world that could compare
New York City is one-of-a-kind

Put your lighters in the air
Hold up your lighters as a way of showing your love for the city

Everybody say "yeaaaa, yeaaa, yeaaa, yeaaaa"
Everyone join in and say "yeaaaa, yeaaa, yeaaa, yeaaaa"