Empire State of Mind
Jay-Z Ft. Alica Keys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, I'm out that Brooklyn, now I'm down in Tribeca
Right next to De Niro, but I'll be hood forever
I'm the new Sinatra, and since I made it here
I can make it anywhere, yeah, they love me everywhere
I used to cop in Harlem, hola, my Dominicanos (dímelo)
Right there up on Broadway, brought me back to that McDonald's
Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons whippin' pastry
Cruisin' down 8th St, off-white Lexus
Drivin' so slow, but BK is from Texas
Me, I'm out that Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie
Now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me
Say what up to Ty-Ty, still sippin' Mai Tais
Sittin' courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high five
Nigga, I be Spike'd out, I could trip a referee (come on, come on, come on)
Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from
In New York (ayy, ah-ha) (uh, yeah)
Concrete jungle (yeah) where dreams are made of
There's nothin' you can't do (yeah) (okay)
Now you're in New York (ah-ha, ah-ha, ah-ha) (uh, yeah)
These streets will make you feel brand new (new)
Big lights will inspire you (come on) (okay)
Let's hear it for New York (you're welcome, OG) (uh)
New York (yeah), New York (uh) (I made you hot, nigga)
Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game
Shit, I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can
You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though
But I got a gang of niggas walkin' with my clique though
Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we sellin' rock
Afrika Bambataa shit, home of the hip-hop
Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back
For foreigners it ain't fair, they act like they forgot how to act
Eight million stories, out there in the naked
City is a pity, half of y'all won't make it
Me, I got a plug, Special Ed, "I Got It Made"
If Jeezy's payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwyane Wade
Three dice Cee-lo, three-card Monte
Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley
Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade (come on, come on, come on)
Long live the king, yo, I'm from the Empire State that's
In New York (ayy) (uh, yeah)
Concrete jungle (yeah) where dreams are made of
There's nothin' you can't do (that boy good) (okay)
Now you're in New York (uh, yeah)
(Welcome to the bright lights, baby)
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you (okay)
Let's hear it for New York (uh)
New York (yeah), New York (uh)
Lights is blinding, girls need blinders
So they can step out of bounds quick, the sidelines is
Lined with casualties, who sip the life casually
Then gradually become worse, don't bite the apple, Eve
Caught up in the in-crowd, now you're in style
Into the winter gets cold, en vogue, with your skin out
City of sin, it's a pity on a whim
Good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them
Mommy took a bus trip, now she got her bust out
Everybody ride her, just like a bus route
"Hail Mary" to the city, you're a virgin
And Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church end
Came here for school, graduated to the high life
Ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight
MDMA got you feelin' like a champion (come on, come on, come on)
The city never sleeps, better slip you an Ambien
In New York (ayy, oh) (uh, yeah)
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothin' you can't do (okay)
Now you're in New York (uh, yeah)
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you (okay)
Let's hear it for New York (uh)
New York (yeah), New York (uh)
One hand in the air for the big city (uh)
Street lights, big dreams, all lookin' pretty (uh)
No place in the world that could compare (nah)
Put your lighters in the air everybody say
"Yeah, yeah" (come on, come on, come on)
"Yeah, yeah" (I'm from New York)
In New York (uh, yeah) (ohh)
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothin' you can't do (okay)
Now you're in New York (uh, yeah)
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you (okay)
Let's hear it for New York (uh)
New York (yeah), New York (uh)
The lyrics of Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind" reflect his love for New York City, where he feels he can accomplish anything. The song's verses describe specific locations throughout the city, as well as the attitudes and lifestyles of its inhabitants. The opening lines reference Jay-Z's transition from Brooklyn to the more upscale neighborhood of Tribeca, next to Robert DeNiro. Though his surroundings may have changed, Jay-Z asserts that he will always remain true to his hood without losing his newfound success.
The chorus of the song celebrates the opportunities and potential for success that New York City offers to all. The city is described as a "concrete jungle where dreams are made of," where anyone can achieve greatness, regardless of their background or circumstances. The final verse describes the pitfalls amidst the city's frenetic energy, including the temptation to be lost in the in-crowd, and the danger of moral decay.
Overall, "Empire State of Mind" is a love letter to the city that made Jay-Z the artist he is today. It's a reminder of the limitless potential that can be achieved with hard work and determination, while also acknowledging the challenges and risks that come with living in such a dynamic metropolis.
Line by Line Meaning
Yea, yea I'm out that Brooklyn, now I'm down in Tribeca
I used to live in Brooklyn but now I am in Tribeca.
Right next to DeNiro, but I'll be hood forever
I am now living next to Robert DeNiro but I will always remain true to my hood.
I'm the new Sinatra, and, since I made it here
People now consider me the modern-day Frank Sinatra, especially since I have achieved success in New York.
I can make it anywhere, yea, they love me everywhere
Because of my success in New York, I can pretty much make it anywhere, and people love me 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 I have many Dominican friends on Broadway.
Pull me back to that McDonald's, took it to my stashbox, 560 State St.
I remember going to that McDonald's and storing my drugs in my stashbox located on 560 State Street.
Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons wippin' pastry's
Sometimes you can find me in the kitchen just like Simmons whipping pastries.
Cruisin' down 8th St., off white Lexus
I am driving down 8th Street in my off-white Lexus.
Drivin' so slow, but BK is from Texas
Even though I'm driving slowly, I am still a true Brooklynite, even if I'm in Texas.
Me, I'm out that Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie
I come from Bedford-Stuyvesant, which was the home of the late rapper The Notorious B.I.G.
Now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me
I am now featured on the Billboard charts and I have brought my friends with me on this journey.
Say whattup to Ty-Ty, still sippin' Mai Tai's
Give my friend Ty-Ty a shoutout, he is still drinking Mai Tais.
Sittin' courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high five
I am sitting courtside at basketball games and the Knicks and Nets players give me high fives.
Nigga I be Spike'd out, I could trip a referee
I am dressed like Spike Lee and could provoke a referee into giving me or my team an unfair advantage.
Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from
People can tell by my attitude that I am from New York.
In New York, Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
New York is a concrete jungle where people come to achieve their dreams.
There's nothin' you can't do
In New York, the possibilities are endless.
Now you're in New York
You are now in New York.
These streets will make you feel brand new
The energy of these streets will make you feel like a new person.
Big lights will inspire you
The bright lights of the city will inspire you.
Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York
Let's celebrate New York City!
Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game
Catch me at the X lounge with OG at a Yankees game.
Shit, I made the Yankee hat more famous then a Yankee can
I've made the Yankees hat more popular than the team itself.
You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though
I support the Yankees (who wear 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 lot of friends walking with my group.
Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we sellin' rock
Welcome to the city's melting pot where drug dealers stand on the corners selling their products.
Afrika Bambataa shit, home of the hip-hop
This is where Afrika Bambataa's music and hip-hop culture was created.
Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back
You can find all kinds of cabs, just holla back.
For foreigners it ain't for, they act like they forgot how to act
Some tourists do not know how to behave and seem to forget their manners.
Eight million stories, out there in it naked
The city has eight million stories and many involve stripping oneself of material possessions to survive.
City is a pity, half of y'all won't make it
The city can be cruel and many will not make it here.
Me, I got a plug, Special Ed "I Got It Made"
I have a supplier and can get whatever I need, just like how Special Ed had success with his song "I Got It Made".
If Jesus payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwayne Wade
If Jesus was paying LeBron James, then I would pay Dwayne Wade.
Three dice cee-lo, three card monte
We are playing street gambling games like cee-lo and three card monte.
Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley
We are celebrating the Labor Day Parade while paying tribute to the late Bob Marley.
Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade
We are admiring the Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center (before it was destroyed).
Long live the King yo, I'm from the Empire St. that's
Long live the king, I am from the Empire State.
One hand in the air for the big city
I am raising one hand to honor the big city.
Street lights, big dreams, all lookin' pretty
The street lights of the city shine on big dreams that look beautiful.
No place in the world that could compare
There is no other place in the world that can compare to New York City.
Put your lighters in the air everybody say yeah, yeah, Yea, yea
Everyone put your lighters in the air and chant "yeah, yeah, yea, yea" to show your support for the city.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Alexander William Shuckburgh, Alicia J Augello-Cook, Shawn C Carter, Angela Hunte, Bert Keyes, Sylvia Robinson, Janette Sewell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@theharshtruthoutthere
@@susanarsoniadou To every soul OUT THERE:
All prayers from Righteous SOULS aka Born again Christians, have power. Sinners prayers GOD hears not. Unless we REPENT and born again and LIVE HOLY, GOD hears none of our prayers. Prayers have power, but these must come from Changed hearts.
Proverbs 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
Psalms 119:155 “Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.”
(Many souls(unsaved souls), believe falsely and pray in vain).
Mankind is filled with UNSAVED SOULS (WICKED SINNERS).
That`s why there`s a calling to REPENTANCE and to BORN AGAIN:
Luke 5:32
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
John 3:7
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
@kingbeef396
This song makes me feel like anything is possible.
@lyr1c180
In New York☝️
@sheepdavis
It's not
@nicholedoten6506
Less chance of 86n in the land of opportunity
@extrm161
https://youtu.be/o1D2q_YAxwQ
Only for real hip hop head's 👆
@nievescamacholara2549
@@palabrasb otsrwei nuevo yo ok
@wx_av3937
Whos listening in 2024 ?? 😂🗣️
@Your_fav_vr_guy
Me
@eddiesguitar7831
heyyy
@user-ds7rd8yq7d
Me