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

Yea, yea I'm out that Brooklyn, now I'm down in Tribeca
I used to live in Brooklyn but now I reside in Tribeca.

Right next to DeNiro, but I'll be hood forever
I live close to Robert DeNiro but I will always represent where I'm from.

I'm the new Sinatra, and, since I made it here
I am the modern-day version of Frank Sinatra, and since I succeeded in New York, I can succeed anywhere.

I can make it anywhere, yea, they love me everywhere
I am capable of achieving success in any place, and I am adored by people everywhere I go.

I used to cop in Harlem, all of my Dominicano's right there up on Broadway
I used to buy drugs in Harlem, and many of my Dominican friends are still there on Broadway.

Pull me back to that McDonald's, took it to my stashbox, 560 State St.
Take me back to the McDonald's where I used to keep my stash, which was located at 560 State St.

Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons wippin' pastry's
Find me in the kitchen, whipping up pastries like a Simmons (a reference to the famous Simmons family in the hip-hop industry).

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

Drivin' so slow, but BK is from Texas
I'm driving slowly, but I want people to know that even though I'm from Brooklyn, I have a connection to Texas.

Me, I'm out that Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie
I come from Bed-Stuy, which is famous for producing Biggie Smalls.

Now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me
My successes have landed me on the Billboard charts, and I have brought my friends along for the ride.

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

Sittin' courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high five
I have great seats at basketball games and the players give me high fives.

Nigga I be Spike'd out, I could trip a referee
I am wearing Spike Lee's signature gear and I have such an intense passion for the game that I might even trip a referee.

Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from
You can tell from my demeanor that I am undoubtedly from New York.

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
New York is a place where anything is possible and dreams can become a reality.

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

These streets will make you feel brand new
The energy of the streets in New York will give you a fresh perspective on life.

Big lights will inspire you
The bright lights of the city will motivate you to pursue your dreams.

Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York
Let's give a cheer for the greatest city in the world - New York.

Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game
You can find me with OG (an older gangster) at a Yankees baseball game at the Yankee Stadium (also called the X).

Shit, I made the Yankee hat more famous then a Yankee can
I have brought so much attention to the New York Yankee's baseball cap that it is now more renowned than the actual team.

You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though
I am a loyal supporter of the Yankees (whose color is blue), but I am not affiliated with the Crips gang.

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

Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we sellin' rock
New York is a diverse mix of cultures, but it is also a place where people sell drugs on every street corner.

Afrika Bambataa shit, home of the hip-hop
New York is the birthplace of hip-hop, and it is home to the legendary Afrika Bambataa.

Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back
There are plenty of taxis in New York, and if you need one, just hail it (holla back).

For foreigners it ain't for, they act like they forgot how to act
For people from other countries, New York can be overwhelming, and they often forget how to behave properly.

Eight million stories, out there in it naked
There are eight million people living in New York, and each one has a unique story to tell.

City is a pity, half of y'all won't make it
New York can be a cruel and unforgiving place, and many people will fail to succeed there.

Me, I got a plug, Special Ed "I Got It Made"
I have a connection to get anything I need, just like the rapper Special Ed's famous line "I Got It Made."

If Jesus payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwayne Wade
I will pay for Dwayne Wade's services just like Jesus Christ would pay for LeBron James' services.

Three dice cee-lo, three card monte
These are popular gambling games played on the streets of New York.

Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley
Bob Marley's music is played at the Labor Day Parade in New York, which celebrates Caribbean culture.

Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade
The Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center are two iconic landmarks of New York.

Long live the King yo, I'm from the Empire St. that's
I am paying homage to the late Notorious B.I.G. (the King), and I am from Empire St. (referring to the Empire State Building).

Lights is blinding, girls need blinders
The lights in New York can be overwhelming, and girls need to shield their eyes from the brightness.

So they can step out of bounds quick, the sidelines is
Girls should avoid getting caught up in the wrong crowd, because it can lead them astray.

Lined with casualties, who sip to life casually
The sidelines are made up of people who are casualties of life and drink constantly to numb their pain.

Then gradually become worse, don't bite the apple, Eve
These people slowly get worse over time, and they should avoid temptation (like Eve in the Bible) to prevent their downfall.

Caught up in the in-crowd, now you're in style
If you become part of the popular crowd in New York, you are considered "in style."

End of the winter gets cold, en vogue, with your skin out
When winter ends, people start dressing less conservatively and show more skin.

City of sin, it's a pity on the whim
New York is a sinful place and people often end up doing things they regret on a whim.

Good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them
The city is full of good girls who have gone bad due to the temptations of New York.

Mommy took a bus trip, now she got her bust out
A mother who took a bus trip to New York has now come out of her shell and started to enjoy herself.

Everybody ride her, just like a bus route
Everyone wants to be around the mother and ride her like a bus route - meaning they all want a piece of her.

Hail Mary to the city, you're a virgin
Pray for the city, it needs redemption like a virgin needs to be saved.

And Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church end
Even if you rely on Jesus for salvation, when church is over, you must go back to real life and face its challenges.

Came here for school, graduated to the high life
I came to New York for school but ended up living a lavish lifestyle.

Ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight
Athletes and rappers in New York are addicted to the attention and fame that comes with the limelight.

MDMA got you feelin' like a champion
The drug MDMA releases dopamine and serotonin in your brain, which makes you feel invincible like a champion.

The city never sleeps, better slip you an Ambien
New York is a city that never rests, so if you want to sleep, you better take an Ambien (a prescription sleep aid).

One hand in the air for the big city
Raise one hand in acknowledgement of the amazing city.

Street lights, big dreams, all lookin' pretty
The city is full of streetlights, big dreams, and good-looking people.

No place in the world that could compare
New York is the best city on the planet, and nowhere else can compete.

Put your lighters in the air everybody say yeah, yeah, Yea, yea
Hold up your lighters and cheer with me for New York!