Empire State Of Mind
Jay-Z feat. Alicia KeysC Lyrics

Yeah
Introduces the song.

Yeah I'm out that Brooklyn, now I'm down in Tribeca
Leaves Brooklyn for a more affluent neighborhood.

Right next to DeNiro, but I'll be hood forever
Despite his proximity to DeNiro, he will always remain true to his upbringing.

I'm the new Sinatra, and, since I made it here
Compares himself to Sinatra and because he has made it in New York he can make it anywhere.

I can make it anywhere, yeah, they love me everywhere
Since he made it in New York, he can make it anywhere, and everywhere he goes now they love him.

I used to cop in Harlem, all of my Dominicanos
He used to buy drugs in Harlem from Dominicans.

Right there up on Broadway, pull me back to that McDonald's
He pulls up at a McDonald's on Broadway.

Took it to my stashbox, 560 State St
He took the drugs to his stash house at 560 State St.

Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons wippin' pastry's
He is in the kitchen whipping up drugs like pastry.

Cruisin' down 8th St, off white Lexus
He drives his off-white Lexus down 8th street.

Drivin' so slow, but BK is from Texas
He is from Brooklyn, but drives slow like he is from Texas.

Me, I'm out that Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie
He is from the neighborhood of Bed-Stuy, which is also where Biggie Smalls is from.

Now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me
He now has a billboard, and his boys are with him.

Say what up to Ty-Ty, still sippin' Mai Tais
He greets his friend Ty-Ty, who is still drinking Mai Tais.

Sittin' courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high five
He sits courtside at Knicks and Nets games and receives high fives from the players.

Nigga I be Spike'd out, I could trip a referee (come on, come on, come on)
He is wearing a lot of gold chains like filmmaker Spike Lee, and he could trip a referee if he wanted to.

Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from
His attitude clearly indicates that he is from New York.

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
New York is a city where people go to pursue their dreams.

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

Now you're in New York
Acknowledges the listener's arrival in New York City.

These streets will make you feel brand new
The energy of the New York streets makes you feel renewed.

Big lights will inspire you (come on)
The bright lights of New York inspire and motivate you.

Let's hear it for New York (you're welcome, OG) (come on)
He salutes New York and its culture.

Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game
He goes to Yankee games with his friend OG.

Shit, I made the Yankee hat more famous then a Yankee can
He made the Yankee hat more popular than the Yankees themselves.

You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though
He supports the New York Yankees, but he is not associated with the Crips gang.

But I got a gang of niggas walkin' with my clique though
He has a group of friends walking with him.

Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we sellin' rock
New York is a melting pot of cultures, and drugs are sold on some street corners.

Afrika Bambataa shit, home of the hip-hop
New York is the birthplace of Hip-Hop, which was invented by Afrika Bambaataa.

Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back
Different types of cabs are available and hailing one should be quick.

For foreigners it ain't fair, they act like they forgot how to act
Foreigners may not be familiar with how to hail taxis in New York.

Eight million stories, out there in the naked
There are millions of stories to be told in the open and honest city.

City is a pity, half of y'all won't make it
Half of the people who come to the city to pursue their dreams will not succeed.

Me, I got a plug, Special Ed 'I Got It Made'
He has a connection like Special Ed does in his song 'I Got It Made'.

If Jesus payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwyane Wade
If Jesus endorsed LeBron James, he endorses Dwyane Wade.

Three dice cee-lo, three card Monte
Gangs and hustlers play these games in the city.

Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley
Bob Marley is remembered fondly at the Labor Day parade.

Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade (come on, come on, come on)
He pays tribute to the Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center.

Long live the King yo, I'm from the Empire State that's
He declares that he is from the Empire State, and salutes the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

One hand in the air for the big city
He salutes the big city with one hand in the air.

Street lights, big dreams, all lookin' pretty
The city streets, and big dreams, look beautiful.

No place in the world that could compare
New York is the best place in the world.

Put your lighters in the air everybody say
He urges everyone listening to hold up their lighters.

'Yeah, yeah' (come on, come on, come on)
He encourages the crowd to chant along with him.

In New York
Reiterates the setting of the song.

Big lights will inspire you
Repeats that the bright lights of New York inspire and motivate you.

Let's hear it for New York
Concludes the song with a cheer for New York.