Empire State of Mind
JAY Z/ALICIA KEYS Lyrics

Yeah
Expressing excitement and anticipation.

Yeah I'm out that Brooklyn, now I'm down in Tribeca
I have moved out of Brooklyn and now reside in Tribeca.

Right next to DeNiro, but I'll be hood forever
I am in close proximity to DeNiro, but I remain true to my roots.

I'm the new Sinatra, and, since I made it here
I am the modern-day Sinatra following my success in New York.

I can make it anywhere, yeah, they love me everywhere
Having been successful in New York, I know I can succeed anywhere; I have widespread admiration.

I used to cop in Harlem, all of my Dominicanos
I used to make purchases in Harlem with my Dominican friends.

Right there up on Broadway, pull me back to that McDonald's
On Broadway, I would always stop at McDonald's.

Took it to my stashbox, 560 State St
I went to my stashbox located at 560 State St.

Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons wippin' pastry's
I am in the kitchen cooking pastries like a Simmons.

Cruisin' down 8th St, off white Lexus
I am driving an off-white Lexus down 8th St.

Drivin' so slow, but BK is from Texas
I may be driving slowly, but representing Brooklyn is akin to representing Texas.

Me, I'm out that Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie
I'm from Bed-Stuy, the same neighborhood as Biggie.

Now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me
I live on the Billboard charts, and I have brought my friends along with me.

Say what up to Ty-Ty, still sippin' Mai Tais
Greetings to Ty-Ty, who is drinking a Mai Tai.

Sittin' courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high five
I sit courtside at Knicks and Nets games and am greeted with high fives.

Nigga I be Spike'd out, I could trip a referee (come on, come on, come on)
I am heavily accessorized and could accidentally trip a referee.

Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from
My demeanor makes it clear that I am from New York.

In New York (ayy, ah-ha) (uh, yeah)
I am in New York.

Concrete jungle (yeah) where dreams are made of
New York is the concrete jungle where dreams can be achieved.

There's nothin' you can't do (yeah) (okay)
There is nothing you cannot accomplish in New York.

Now you're in New York (ah-ha, ah-ha, ah-ha) (uh, yeah)
You are now in New York.

These streets will make you feel brand new (new)
The streets can rejuvenate you and give you a fresh outlook.

Big lights will inspire you (come on) (okay)
The bright lights of New York can inspire you.

Let's hear it for New York (you're welcome, OG) (come on)
Let's hear it for the great city of New York.

New York (yeah), New York (uh) (I made you hot)
New York, the city I am from and helped make famous.

Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game
I am at the X with OG watching a Yankee game.

Shit, I made the Yankee hat more famous then a Yankee can
My influence and popularity have made the Yankee hat even more famous than the Yankees themselves.

You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though
I support the Yankees, but I am not a member of the Crips gang.

But I got a gang of niggas walkin' with my clique though
I have a group of people who are with me.

Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we sellin' rock
Welcome to the melting pot that is New York, where we sell drugs on street corners.

Afrika Bambataa shit, home of the hip-hop
We are about that Afrika Bambataa lifestyle, representing the birthplace of hip-hop.

Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back
We hail any cab that will take us.

For foreigners it ain't fair, they act like they forgot how to act
Foreigners often don't know how to act in some parts of New York.

Eight million stories, out there in the naked
There are countless stories in this place, laid bare and ready to be told.

City is a pity, half of y'all won't make it
The city can be harsh and unyielding, and most people won't succeed here.

Me, I got a plug, Special Ed "I Got It Made"
I have a connection to Special Ed's song "I Got It Made".

If Jesus payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwyane Wade
If Jesus were to pay LeBron James, I'll pay Dwyane Wade.

Three dice cee-lo, three card Monte
We play cee-lo with three dice and three card Monte.

Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley
We celebrate Labor Day with a parade and remember Bob Marley, who has passed away.

Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade (come on, come on, come on)
The Statue of Liberty stands tall, and long live the World Trade Center.

Long live the King yo, I'm from the Empire State that's
Long live the king, I am from the Empire State.

There's nothin' you can't do (that boy good) (okay)
You can accomplish anything in New York.

Now you're in New York (uh, yeah)
Welcome to New York.

(Welcome to the bright lights, baby)
Welcome to the bright lights of the city.

These streets will make you feel brand new
The city's streets can give you a renewed perspective on life.

Big lights will inspire you (okay)
The city's bright lights can inspire you to greatness.

Let's hear it for New York (come on)
Let's hear it for the great city of New York.

New York (yeah), New York (uh)
New York, the city that never sleeps.

Lights is blinding, girls need blinders
The lights can be blinding, sometimes requiring one to wear blinders.

So they can step out of bounds quick, the sidelines is
So they can quickly step off the sidelines when necessary.

Lined with casualties, who sip the life casually
The sidelines have many people who have lost their way and are taking life too casually.

Then gradually become worse, don't bite the apple, Eve
People on the sidelines often take life for granted and gradually become worse; like Eve, they should avoid temptation.

Caught up in the in-crowd, now you're in style
Having been caught up in the in-crowd, they now have become stylish themselves.

End of the winter gets cold, en vogue, with your skin out
In winter, one must withstand the cold with the fashionable trend of having bare skin.

City of sin, it's a pity on the whim
New York is the city of sin that can be pitiful without warning.

Good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them
The city has many examples of good girls turning bad.

Mommy took a bus trip, now she got her bust out
My mom took a bus trip and her assets are now out on display.

Everybody ride her, just like a bus route
Everyone is taking advantage of her, like they would a common bus route.

"Hail Mary" to the city, you're a virgin
We say a prayer for the city like Hail Mary, but the city is still innocent and vulnerable.

And Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church end
Even Jesus can't save the city; life begins after leaving the church.

Came here for school, graduated to the high life
I came to New York for school, then graduated to the high life.

Ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight
Basketball players and rappers are addicted to the limelight.

MDMA got you feelin' like a champion (come on, come on, come on)
MDMA can make you feel like a champion.

The city never sleeps, better slip you an Ambien
New York, the city that never sleeps, requires you to take an Ambien to rest.

One hand in the air for the big city
One hand raised in celebration of the big city.

Street lights, big dreams, all lookin' pretty
New York at night, streetlights and big dreams are all looking pretty.

No place in the world that could compare
There is no other place in the world that compares to New York.

Put your lighters in the air everybody say
Celebrate with lighters in the air and give a shout-out.

"Yeah, yeah" (come on, come on, come on)
Expressions of agreement and celebration

"Yeah, yeah"
Further expressions of agreement and celebration

In New York (uh, yeah)
Celebrating New York City

Big lights will inspire you
The bright lights of New York can inspire greatness

New York (yeah), New York (uh)
Celebrating New York City