Empire State of Mind
Jay-Z (Feat. Alicia Keys) Lyrics

Yeah
Starting off with an affirmation

Yeah, I'm out that Brooklyn, now I'm down in Tribeca
I have moved from Brooklyn to Tribeca.

Right next to DeNiro, but I'll be hood forever
Although I'm living the high life now and am even neighbors with people like DeNiro, I will always have the heart of the hood in me.

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

I can make it anywhere, yeah, they love me everywhere
I can make it anywhere in the world, and people everywhere love me.

I used to cop in Harlem, hola, my Dominicanos (dímelo)
I used to buy drugs in Harlem and was friendly with my Dominican dealers (what's up.)

Right there up on Broadway, brought me back to that McDonald's
Broadway is a familiar place where it brings me back to good old days where I went to McDonald's.

Took it to my stashbox, 560 State Street
I took the drugs to my stash spot on 560 State Street.

Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons whippin' pastry
You may catch me cooking in the kitchen just like Simmons while rapidly moving.

Cruisin' down 8th St, off-white Lexus
I'm cruising down 8th street in my off-white Lexus.

Drivin' so slow, but BK is from Texas
I'm driving slowly although BK is known for its fast-paced lifestyle. This phrase represents how Houston, Texas seems to move in a similar slow pace like Brooklyn.

Me, I'm out that Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie
I am from Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, which is where Biggie Smalls was from.

Now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me
Nowadays, I'm popular enough to be on a billboard, and I brought my friends along for the ride.

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

Sittin' courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high five
I am sitting courtside at New York Knicks and Nets basketball games and getting high fives from the players.

Nigga I be Spike'd out, I could trip a referee (come on, come on, come on)
I am wearing gear that Spike Lee would wear and could even trip up a referee.

Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from
You can tell I'm from (and proud of) New York by my attitude.

In New York (ayy, ah-ha) (uh, yeah)
I'm in New York City!

Concrete jungle (yeah) where dreams are made of
New York can be tough and chaotic, but it's also where dreams are made of and can come true.

There's nothin' you can't do (yeah) (okay)
In New York, anything is possible.

Now you're in New York (ah-ha, ah-ha, ah-ha) (uh, yeah)
Now that you're in New York, you can experience everything it has to offer.

These streets will make you feel brand new (new)
Walking around the city can make you feel refreshed and energized.

Big lights will inspire you (come on) (okay)
All the big lights of the city can inspire you to do big things as well.

Let's hear it for New York (you're welcome, OG) (come on)
Let's give it up for New York City!

New York (yeah), New York (uh) (I made you hot, nigga)
New York is where it's at, and people like me have made it even hotter.

Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game
You might see me with OG at a Yankees game at the X

Shit, I made the Yankee hat more famous then a Yankee can
My influence has made the Yankee hat more popular than it can do on its own.

You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though
I am a fan of the blue and white of the New York Yankees, but I am not a gang member.

But I got a gang of niggas walkin' with my clique though
I am surrounded by friends and supporters who are always by my side.

Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we sellin' rock
Welcome to the city where people from all different backgrounds and cultures come together. But, it's also a place where people sell drugs.

Afrika Bambataa shit, home of the hip-hop
New York City is where hip-hop was born and legends like Afrika Bambataa hail from.

Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back
All different types of taxi cabs roam the city and you can get a ride for a dollar- just shout out when you see one.

For foreigners it ain't fair, they act like they forgot how to act
For people who aren't New Yorkers, adjusting to life in the city isn't easy and they may act strange.

Eight million stories, out there in the naked
There are eight million people in the city, and there are just as many stories to be told.

City is a pity, half of y'all won't make it
The city can be tough and challenging, and not everyone can handle it or make it here.

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

If Jeezy's payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwyane Wade
If Jeezy is sponsoring LeBron James, then I'm sponsoring Dwyane Wade.

Three dice Cee-lo, three-card Monte
Popular gambling games in the city are Cee-lo and Three-Card Monte.

Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley
On Labor Day, there's a parade, and it's also a time to remember the late Bob Marley.

Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade (come on, come on, come on)
The Statue of Liberty is an iconic landmark, and we should also remember the legacy of the World Trade Center.

Long live the king yo, I'm from the Empire State that's
I hail from the Empire State and want to continue the legacy of kings and greats who came before me.

There's nothin' you can't do (that boy good) (okay)
Once again, in New York, anything is possible.

Now you're in New York (uh, yeah)
Now that you're here, embrace all that the city has to offer.

(Welcome to the bright lights, baby)
Welcome to the city with all its bright lights and excitement.

These streets will make you feel brand new
The energy of the streets can make you feel refreshed like you're starting anew.

Big lights will inspire you (okay)
All the big lights of the city can inspire you to do big things as well.

Let's hear it for New York (come on)
Once again, let's give it up for New York City!

New York (yeah), New York (uh)
New York City is simply the best.

Lights is blinding, girls need blinders
The bright lights of the city can be overwhelming and girls may need sunglasses.

So they can step out of bounds quick, the sidelines is
Sunglasses can help them step out of the spotlight and become anonymous because the sidelines are so bright.

Lined with casualties, who sip the life casually
This can be a dangerous place with people who are casually living dangerous lives.

Then gradually become worse, don't bite the apple, Eve
Things can gradually get worse over time in the city. The reference to Eve is about not accepting a poisonous offer (like biting the apple) in the city.

Caught up in the in-crowd, now you're in style
Having caught up in the the popular crowd or scene, you are now in style.

End of the winter gets cold, en vogue, with your skin out
In the winter, the cold can be brutal, but when it ends people start wearing more revealing and fashionable clothing again.

City of sin, it's a pity on a whim
New York City can be sinful, and people may make unwise decisions on a whim there.

Good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them
Even good girls in the City can turn bad due to the influence of the environment.

Mommy took a bus trip, now she got her bust out
Even mothers can turn to sex work to make ends meet in the city.

Everybody ride her, just like a bus route
Everyone takes advantage of her, like a bus route where everyone rides.

"Hail Mary" to the city, you're a virgin
The city is compared to Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is a virgin.

And Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church end
Even though you may seek redemption, it may not be possible in the city since life can be challenging and the church may not be enough to save you.

Came here for school, graduated to the high life
I came to New York for school and life has only gotten better since.

Ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight
Athletes and musicians are addicted to the fame and glory that comes with living the high life in New York City.

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

The city never sleeps, better slip you an Ambien
New York is a city that never sleeps, so you better take an Ambien to get some rest.