Empire State Of Mind
Jay‐Z feat. Alicia Keys Lyrics

Yeah
Expressing agreement or affirmation

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

Right next to De Niro, but I'll be hood forever
Although I'm now surrounded by famous people like De Niro, I'll always remain true to my roots

I'm the new Sinatra, and since I made it here
I'm like the modern-day Frank Sinatra, and because I achieved success in New York

I can make it anywhere, yeah, they love me everywhere
I have the confidence to succeed anywhere because I'm loved and respected by people everywhere

I used to cop in Harlem, hola, my Dominicanos (dímelo)
In the past, I used to buy drugs in Harlem, greeting my Dominican friends

Right there up on Broadway, brought me back to that McDonald's
Being on Broadway reminded me of my humble beginnings, going back to eating at McDonald's

Took it to my stashbox, 560 State Street
I took the drugs to my hidden storage place at 560 State Street

Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons whippin' pastry
You can find me in the kitchen, maneuvering and preparing drugs

Cruisin' down 8th St, off-white Lexus
Driving down 8th Street in my off-white Lexus

Drivin' so slow, but BK is from Texas
Driving slowly, but representing Brooklyn even though I'm from Texas

Me, I'm out that Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie
I'm from Bedford-Stuyvesant, the neighborhood where the renowned Biggie Smalls grew up

Now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me
Now my name is on the Billboard charts, and I've brought my friends along for the ride

Say what up to Ty-Ty, still sippin' Mai Tais
Send my greetings to Ty-Ty, as we still enjoy sipping on Mai Tais

Sittin' courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high five
Sitting in the best seats at basketball games, receiving high fives from players of both the Knicks and Nets

Nigga, I be Spike'd out, I could trip a referee (come on, come on, come on)
I'm heavily adorned with Spike Lee's fashion brand and I have the power to unsettle or provoke a referee

Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from
You can easily recognize my demeanor and behavior, which clearly indicate that I'm from

In New York (ayy, ah-ha) (uh yeah)
Referring to the experience of being in New York and expressing affirmation and excitement

Concrete jungle (yeah) where dreams are made of
Referring to New York City as a place where ambitions and aspirations can come true

There's nothin' you can't do (yeah) (okay)
Emphasizing the limitless possibilities and opportunities available in New York

Now you're in New York (ah-ha, ah-ha, ah-ha) (uh, yeah)
Highlighting the fact that now the person is in New York, discovering all it has to offer

These streets will make you feel brand new (new)
The energy and atmosphere of the city will give you a fresh, invigorating feeling

Big lights will inspire you (come on) (okay)
The bright lights of the city will ignite inspiration within you

Let's hear it for New York (you're welcome, OG) (uh)
Let's give a round of applause for New York, acknowledging its greatness and influence

New York (yeah), New York (uh) (I made you hot, nigga)
Referencing the fame and success brought to New York, indicating the singer's impact on the city

Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game
Meet me at Yankee Stadium with my mentor during a baseball game

Shit, I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can
I've made the Yankee hat a popular fashion statement, surpassing the fame of the baseball team itself

You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though
I'm devoted to the Yankees, represented by their blue team colors, but I am not affiliated with the Crips gang

But I got a gang of niggas walkin' with my clique though
However, I have a group of loyal individuals associated with me

Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we sellin' rock
Welcome to the diverse place where different cultures blend, but also where we sell drugs on street corners

Afrika Bambataa shit, home of the hip-hop
Referencing Afrika Bambaataa, a pioneer of hip-hop, to signify that New York is the birthplace of the genre

Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back
Different types of taxis in the city, including the unofficial unlicensed gypsy cabs, where you can call for a ride

For foreigners it ain't fair, they act like they forgot how to act
Foreigners sometimes behave inappropriately or rudely, as if they have forgotten social norms

Eight million stories, out there in the naked
There are millions of stories and experiences in the open streets and public spaces

City is a pity, half of y'all won't make it
The city can be a harsh reality, and a large portion of the population will fail to attain their dreams

Me, I got a plug, Special Ed, 'I Got It Made'
I have a connection for drugs, just like the rapper Special Ed describes in his song 'I Got It Made'

If Jeezy's payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwyane Wade
If the rapper Young Jeezy is paying LeBron James, then I'm paying Dwyane Wade, highlighting their financial success

Three dice Cee-lo, three-card Monte
Playing the gambling game Cee-lo with three dice, or the popular street gambling game three-card Monte

Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley
Referencing the celebration of Labor Day and paying respects to the late musician Bob Marley

Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade (come on, come on, come on)
Acknowledging the Statue of Liberty and expressing wishes for the continued existence of the World Trade Center

Long live the king, yo, I'm from the Empire State that's
Long live the king; I'm proudly representing the Empire State, which is New York

Lights is blinding, girls need blinders
The lights are overwhelmingly bright, and girls require blinders to shield themselves from distractions

So they can step out of bounds quick, the sidelines is
The girls need blinders to prevent them from wandering off the path and facing potential troubles

Lined with casualties, who sip the life casually
The sidelines are filled with individuals who casually indulge in a dangerous or self-destructive lifestyle

Then gradually become worse, don't bite the apple, Eve
These people slowly deteriorate over time; they shouldn't succumb to temptation like Eve did in the biblical story

Caught up in the in-crowd, now you're in style
Catching the attention of the popular group, now you are considered fashionable

Into the winter gets cold, en vogue, with your skin out
As winter arrives and it gets cold, you remain fashionable and expose your skin despite the low temperatures

City of sin, it's a pity on a whim
The city is known for its sinful behavior, and it's unfortunate how easily people succumb to temptations

Good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them
Even good, innocent girls are influenced by the city and turn towards destructive behavior

Mommy took a bus trip, now she got her bust out
A mother took a bus trip to the city, and now she has achieved fame and success

Everybody ride her, just like a bus route
Everyone wants a piece of her, just like the busy route of a bus

"Hail Mary" to the city, you're a virgin
Offering a tribute or praise to the city, considering it to be pure and untouched

And Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church end
Jesus cannot rescue you; life only begins once you leave the confines of the church

Came here for school, graduated to the high life
I initially came to New York for education, but I subsequently transitioned to a luxurious and glamorous lifestyle

Ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight
Both professional athletes and famous rappers are compelled by the desire for attention and fame

MDMA got you feelin' like a champion (come on, come on, come on)
The drug MDMA makes you feel invincible, powerful, and successful

The city never sleeps, better slip you an Ambien
New York City is constantly bustling and active, so you might need to take a sleep aid like Ambien to rest

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
New York City is a challenging environment filled with opportunities where dreams and aspirations can be realized

Let's hear it for New York (uh)
Let's cheer and applaud for the greatness of New York

One hand in the air for the big city (uh)
Showing one hand raised in support and admiration of the grand city

Street lights, big dreams, all lookin' pretty (uh)
The lights of the streets and the aspirations of its residents make everything appear beautiful

No place in the world that could compare (nah)
There is no other place in the world that can rival or compare to New York

Put your lighters in the air everybody say
Hold your lighters up in the air as a symbol of unity, and everyone should say

"Yeah, yeah" (come on, come on, come on)
Exclaiming agreement or excitement

"Yeah, yeah" (I'm from New York)
Reiterating agreement and emphasizing that the artist is from New York

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
Describing New York City as a place where dreams and ambitions can be fulfilled

Let's hear it for New York (uh)
Let's show our appreciation and recognition for New York

New York (yeah), New York (uh)
Repeating the name of the city to assert its significance and impact