Empire State of Mind
Jay-Z; Alicia Keys Lyrics

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

Right next to De Niro, but I'll be hood forever
I am close to De Niro, but I will always stay true to my roots

I'm the new Sinatra, and since I made it here
I am like a modern-day Sinatra, and because I achieved success in this city

I can make it anywhere, yeah, they love me everywhere
I have the ability to succeed anywhere, as I am loved and appreciated everywhere

I used to cop in Harlem, hola, my Dominicanos (dímelo)
I used to buy drugs in Harlem and greet my Dominican friends

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

Took it to my stashbox, 560 State Street
I brought it to my hidden storage spot on 560 State Street

Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons whippin' pastry
You can find me in the kitchen like Russell Simmons, skillfully preparing pastries

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

Drivin' so slow, but BK is from Texas
I drive at a slow pace, but I represent Brooklyn even in Texas

Me, I'm out that Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie
I am from Bed-Stuy, the hometown of the legendary Biggie Smalls

Now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me
Now I am a prominent figure on the Billboard charts, and I have brought my friends along for the journey

Say what up to Ty-Ty, still sippin' Mai Tais
Give a shout out to Ty-Ty, we are still enjoying our Mai Tais

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

Nigga, I be Spike'd out, I could trip a referee (come on, come on, come on)
I am dressed in designer Spike Lee gear, I have the power to influence referees

Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from
My attitude clearly shows that I am from

In New York (ayy, ah-ha) (uh, yeah)
In New York, the city where dreams are made of

Concrete jungle (yeah) where dreams are made of
A city made of concrete, where dreams can be realized

There's nothin' you can't do (yeah) (okay)
There is nothing you cannot achieve in this city

Now you're in New York (ah-ha, ah-ha, ah-ha) (uh, yeah)
Now that you're here in New York

These streets will make you feel brand new (new)
The streets of New York will give you a fresh start

Big lights will inspire you (come on) (okay)
The bright lights of the city will motivate and inspire you

Let's hear it for New York (you're welcome, OG) (uh)
Let's give a round of applause for New York, you're welcome, original gangster

New York (yeah), New York (uh) (I made you hot, nigga)
New York, the city I made famous and successful

Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game
You can find me with an OG at a Yankee game in the X section

Shit, I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can
Damn, I made the Yankee hat even more popular than the Yankee team itself

You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though
You should know that I am a true fan of the Yankees, but I am not affiliated with the Crip gang

But I got a gang of niggas walkin' with my clique though
However, I have a large group of people walking with me

Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we sellin' rock
Welcome to the diverse city where street corners are the places to sell drugs

Afrika Bambataa shit, home of the hip-hop
This is the birthplace of hip-hop, inspired by Afrika Bambaataa

Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back
Yellow taxis, gypsy taxis, and dollar taxis, call them back

For foreigners it ain't fair, they act like they forgot how to act
It is unfair for foreigners, as they seem to have forgotten how to behave

Eight million stories, out there in the naked
There are eight million stories out there, exposed and raw

City is a pity, half of y'all won't make it
The city can be pitiless, as only half of you will succeed

Me, I got a plug, Special Ed, "I Got It Made"
I have a reliable connection, like Special Ed, who sang 'I Got It Made'

If Jeezy's payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwyane Wade
If rapper Jeezy is paying LeBron James, then I am paying Dwyane Wade

Three dice Cee-lo, three-card Monte
Playing a gambling game called Cee-lo with three dice, or playing three-card Monte

Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley
Referencing the Labor Day Parade and paying tribute to the late Bob Marley

Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade (come on, come on, come on)
Long live the Statue of Liberty and 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, which is

In New York (ayy) (uh, yeah)
In New York, the city where dreams are made of

Concrete jungle (yeah) where dreams are made of
A city made of concrete, where dreams can be realized

There's nothin' you can't do (that boy good) (okay)
There is nothing you cannot achieve in this city, that boy is exceptional

Now you're in New York (uh, yeah)
Now that you're here in New York

(Welcome to the bright lights, baby)
Welcome to the vibrant city lights, baby

These streets will make you feel brand new
The streets of New York will give you a fresh start

Big lights will inspire you (okay)
The bright lights of the city will motivate and inspire you

Let's hear it for New York (uh)
Let's give a round of applause for New York

New York (yeah), New York (uh)
New York, the city I am proud to represent

Lights is blinding, girls need blinders
The city lights are blinding, causing the girls to need blinders

So they can step out of bounds quick, the sidelines is
So they can quickly step out of their comfort zone, as the sidelines are not safe

Lined with casualties, who sip the life casually
Filled with people who casually indulge in a destructive lifestyle

Then gradually become worse, don't bite the apple, Eve
Slowly getting worse, just like Eve biting the apple in the Bible's story

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

Into the winter gets cold, en vogue, with your skin out
When winter comes and it gets cold, your fashion choices are trendy, despite showing skin

City of sin, it's a pity on a whim
This city is full of sin, and it's a shame that it can have negative consequences on a whim

Good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them
Good girls turning bad is a common occurrence in this city

Mommy took a bus trip, now she got her bust out
A mother took a bus trip and now she flaunts her assets

Everybody ride her, just like a bus route
Everybody takes turns having a sexual relationship with her, just like riding a bus route

"Hail Mary" to the city, you're a virgin
A reference to the 'Hail Mary' prayer, suggesting the city is pure and untouched

And Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church end
Even Jesus cannot save you from the temptations of the city, your real life begins when you leave the church

Came here for school, graduated to the high life
Came to this city for education, but ended up living a luxurious and extravagant lifestyle

Ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight
Professional athletes and famous rappers are addicted to the attention and fame

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

The city never sleeps, better slip you an Ambien
The city is always awake, you better take a sleeping pill (Ambien) to get some rest

One hand in the air for the big city (uh)
Raise one hand in the air to salute the big city

Street lights, big dreams, all lookin' pretty (uh)
Street lights illuminate the big dreams and make everything look beautiful

No place in the world that could compare (nah)
There is no other place in the world that can compare to this city

Put your lighters in the air everybody say
Hold up your lighters in the air, everyone say

"Yeah, yeah" (come on, come on, come on)
"Yeah, yeah" (let me hear you)

"Yeah, yeah" (I'm from New York)
"Yeah, yeah" (I am from New York)

In New York (uh, yeah) (ohh)
In New York, the city where dreams are made of

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
A city made of concrete, where dreams can be realized

There's nothin' you can't do (okay)
There is nothing you cannot achieve in this city

Now you're in New York (uh, yeah)
Now that you're here in New York

These streets will make you feel brand new
The streets of New York will give you a fresh start

Big lights will inspire you (okay)
The bright lights of the city will motivate and inspire you

Let's hear it for New York (uh)
Let's give a round of applause for New York

New York (yeah), New York (uh)
New York, the city I am proud to represent