Empire State of Mind Ft. Alicia Keyes
Jay-Z & Alicia Keys Lyrics

Yea
Opening exclamation

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

Right next to DeNiro, but I'll be hood forever
I'm in a fancy area by Robert DeNiro, but I'm still true to my roots

I'm the new Sinatra, and, since I made it here
I am the new Frank Sinatra, and since I became successful in New York

I can make it anywhere, yea, they love me everywhere
I can succeed anywhere because people love me

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

Right there up on Broadway, pull me back to that McDonald's
I remember when I used to go to McDonald's on Broadway

Took it to my stashbox, 560 State St.
I stored my drugs at 560 State Street

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

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

Drivin' so slow, but BK is from Texas
I'm driving slow, even though I'm from BK which is known for being more fast-paced

Me, I'm out that Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie
I'm from Bed-Stuy, which is where Biggie Smalls grew up

Now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me
I am now famous and successful, and I've taken my friends along with me

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

Sittin' courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high five
I sit in front at basketball games and get high fives from players for being famous

N**** I be Spike'd out, I could trip a referee
I'm dressed up in expensive Spike Lee clothes, and I could easily get a referee in trouble

Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from
You can tell by my attitude that I am definitely from

In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of
New York is a tough place, but it's where people go to make their dreams come true

There's nothin' you can't do
You can do anything in New York

Now you're in New York
Now that you're in New York

These streets will make you feel brand new
Being in New York will make you feel refreshed and alive

The lights will inspire you
The city lights will fill you with inspiration

Let's hear it for New York, New York,
Let's give a cheer for New York

Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game
You can find me with OG at a Yankees game

S***, I made the Yankee hat more famous then a Yankee can
I made the Yankee hat more famous than the Yankees themselves

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

But I got a gang of n****s walkin' with my clique though
I have a group of people with me

Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we sellin' rock
Welcome to America, where we sell drugs on street corners

Afrika Bambataa s***, home of the hip-hop
This is where Afrika Bambataa originated hip-hop music

Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back
Types of cabs you can find in New York; call out if you need one

For foreigners it ain't for, they act like they forgot how to act
Foreigners act out of place and forget how to behave in New York

8 million stories, out there in it naked
There are 8 million people with a story, living life in the city without hiding anything

City is a pity, half of y'all won't make it
The city can be a hard place, and many people won't succeed

Me, I got a plug, Special Ed "I Got It Made"
I have connections, and a reference to the rap song "I Got It Made" by Special Ed

If Jesus payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwayne Wade
If someone can afford to pay LeBron James, I can afford to pay Dwayne Wade

Three dice cee-lo, three card monte
Types of gambling games you can play on the street

Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley
Mention of the Labor Day Parade and paying respects to Bob Marley

Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade
Mention of the Statue of Liberty and World Trade Center, both symbols of New York

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

Lights is blinding, girls need blinders
The lights in the city can be blinding, and girls need metaphorical blinders to stay focused

So they can step out of bounds quick, the sidelines is
Girls need blinders so they don't fall out of bounds on the sidewalk

Lined with casualties, who sip to life casually
The sidewalks are filled with people who casually drink and have difficult situations

Then gradually become worse, don't bite the apple, Eve
These people gradually become worse; a reference to the story of Adam and Eve, warning against temptation

Caught up in the in-crowd, now you're in style
People get caught up in the popular crowd and become trendy

End of the winter gets cold, en vogue, with your skin out
At the end of winter, people become fashionable despite the cold weather

City of sin, it's a pity on the wind
New York is a sinful city, and it's a pity on the wind

Good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them
Nice girls turn bad, and there are many of them in the city

Mommy took a bus trip, now she got her bust out
Someone's mom took a bus trip and now she is dressing more provocatively

Everybody ride her, just like a bus route
Everybody is having sex with her, like they would ride a bus route

Hail Mary to the city, you're a virgin
A prayer to the city - you're pure and untouched

And Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church end
A reference to the idea that some people only start living after religious services

Came here for school, graduated to the high life
Someone came to New York for school and then transitioned into a lavish lifestyle

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

MDMA got you feelin' like a champion
MDMA (ecstasy) makes you feel like a champion

The city never sleeps, better slip you an Ambien
New York is always active, so you may need to take medication (Ambien) to help you sleep

One hand in the air for the big city
Raise one hand in the air for the big city

Street lights, big dreams, all lookin' pretty
The city lights are beautiful and dreams are big

No place in the world that could compare
No other place in the world can compare to New York

Put your lighters in the air
Raise your lighters in the air

Everybody say "yeaaaa, yeaaa, yeaaa, yeaaaa"
Everyone say "yeah"