Empire State of Mind
Jay-Z ft. Alicia Key Lyrics

Yeah
Expressing agreement or excitement

Yeah, I'm out that Brooklyn, now I'm down in Tribeca
I used to live in Brooklyn, now I live in Tribeca

Right next to DeNiro, but I'll be hood forever
I'm living near DeNiro, but I'll always stay true to my humble roots

I'm the new Sinatra, and since I made it here
I'm the new generation's Sinatra, and because I succeeded in New York

I can make it anywhere, yeah, they love me everywhere
I can succeed anywhere, as people everywhere love and support me

I used to cop in Harlem, hola, my Dominicanos (dímelo)
I used to buy drugs in Harlem, greeting my Dominican friends (tell me)

Right there up on Broadway, brought me back to that McDonald's
Right on Broadway, reminded me of my humble beginnings at McDonald's

Took it to my stashbox, 560 State Street
Stored my money and drugs in a secret place, at 560 State Street

Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons whippin' pastry
You'll find me in the kitchen, working hard like a chef making pastry

Cruisin' down 8th St, off-white Lexus
Driving leisurely down 8th Street in a luxurious off-white Lexus

Drivin' so slow, but BK is from Texas
Driving slowly, but representing BK (Brooklyn) all the way from Texas

Me, I'm out that Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie
As for me, I'm from Bed-Stuy, the hometown of the legendary Biggie Smalls

Now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me
Now I'm topping the Billboard charts, and I brought my friends along with me

Say what up to Ty-Ty, still sippin' Mai Tais
Greet my friend Ty-Ty, and still enjoying Mai Tais (cocktail)

Sittin' courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high five
Sitting in the best seats at basketball games, getting high fives from the Knicks and Nets players

Nigga I be Spike'd out, I could trip a referee (come on, come on, come on)
I'm dressed like Spike Lee, so influential that I could anger a referee

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

In New York (ayy, ah-ha) (uh, yeah)
Referring to being in New York City with excitement and affirmation

Concrete jungle (yeah) where dreams are made of
The city, like a concrete jungle, where dreams are realized

There's nothin' you can't do (yeah) (okay)
There's nothing you can't achieve in this city, expressing confidence

Now you're in New York (ah-ha, ah-ha, ah-ha) (uh, yeah)
Now that you're here in New York City, acknowledging the experience

These streets will make you feel brand new (new)
The streets of New York will rejuvenate and inspire you

Big lights will inspire you (come on) (okay)
The bright lights of the city will motivate and excite you

Let's hear it for New York (you're welcome, OG) (come on)
Let's give a round of applause for New York City, acknowledging its greatness

New York (yeah), New York (uh) (I made you hot, nigga)
Emphasizing New York City's importance and my influence on its prominence

Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game
Find me at the X (Stadium) with my mentor at a Yankee game

Shit, I made the Yankee hat more famous then a Yankee can
I made the Yankee hat iconic, even more famous than the Yankees themselves

You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though
I'm a loyal Yankees fan, even though I'm not affiliated with the Crips gang

But I got a gang of niggas walkin' with my clique though
I have a group of trusted friends walking with me

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

Afrika Bambataa shit, home of the hip-hop
Referring to Afrika Bambaataa, representing New York City as the birthplace of hip-hop

Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back
Different types of taxis in the city, calling for a response

For foreigners it ain't fair, they act like they forgot how to act
Foreigners in the city sometimes behave inappropriately, forgetting how to act accordingly

Eight million stories, out there in the naked
The city has eight million unique stories, exposed and vulnerable

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

Me, I got a plug, Special Ed 'I Got It Made'
As for me, I have connections and influence, just like Special Ed's song 'I Got It Made'

If Jeezy's payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwyane Wade
If Jeezy is supporting Lebron James, then I'm supporting Dwyane Wade

Three dice Cee-lo, three-card Monte
Playing the gambling games of Cee-lo and three-card Monte

Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley
Referencing the Labor Day Parade and paying respects to the late Bob Marley

Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade (come on, come on, come on)
Acknowledging the Statue of Liberty and expressing support for the World Trade Center

Long live the king yo, I'm from the Empire State that's
Paying tribute to the king and representing the Empire State, New York

In New York (ayy, ah-ha) (uh, yeah)
Referring to being in New York City with excitement and affirmation

Concrete jungle (yeah) where dreams are made of
The city, like a concrete jungle, where dreams are realized

There's nothin' you can't do (that boy good) (okay)
There's nothing you can't achieve in this city, acknowledging one's skills

Now you're in New York (uh, yeah)
Now that you're here in New York City, acknowledging the experience

These streets will make you feel brand new
The streets of New York will rejuvenate and inspire you

Big lights will inspire you (okay)
The bright lights of the city will motivate and excite you

Let's hear it for New York (come on)
Let's give a round of applause for New York City, acknowledging its greatness

New York (yeah), New York (uh)
Emphasizing New York City's importance

Lights is blinding, girls need blinders
The city lights can be overwhelming, causing girls to be oblivious

So they can step out of bounds quick, the sidelines is
They need blinders to avoid getting distracted, as the sidelines are full of danger

Lined with casualties, who sip the life casually
The sidelines are filled with people who ruin their lives by indulging casually

Then gradually become worse, don't bite the apple, Eve
They gradually deteriorate, warning against falling into temptation like Eve eating the forbidden apple

Caught up in the in-crowd, now you're in style
Getting caught up in the popular crowd, now you're trendy

End of the winter gets cold, en vogue, with your skin out
When winter ends and it gets cold, it's fashionable to have your skin exposed

City of sin, it's a pity on a whim
The city is full of sin, regrettable actions made on impulse

Good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them
Even good girls turn bad in this city, as it is filled with such individuals

Mommy took a bus trip, now she got her bust out
A mother took a bus trip, causing her to dress provocatively

Everybody ride her, just like a bus route
Everyone takes advantage of her, just like a bus route

"Hail Mary" to the city, you're a virgin
Literally comparing the city to the religious figure Mary, signifying the city's purity

And Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church end
Even Jesus can't protect you here, as life begins when you leave the church

Came here for school, graduated to the high life
Came to the city for education, but ended up living a wealthy, extravagant lifestyle

Ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight
Athletes and musicians are addicted to the fame and attention

MDMA got you feelin' like a champion (come on, come on, come on)
The drug MDMA makes you feel invincible and powerful

The city never sleeps, better slip you an Ambien
The city is always active, so you should take a sleeping pill to relax

In New York (ayy, oh) (uh, yeah)
Referring to being in New York City with excitement and affirmation

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
The city, like a concrete jungle, where dreams are realized

There's nothin' you can't do (okay)
There's nothing you can't achieve in this city, expressing confidence

Now you're in New York (uh, yeah)
Now that you're here in New York City, acknowledging the experience

These streets will make you feel brand new
The streets of New York will rejuvenate and inspire you

Big lights will inspire you (okay)
The bright lights of the city will motivate and excite you

Let's hear it for New York (come on)
Let's give a round of applause for New York City, acknowledging its greatness

New York (yeah), New York (uh)
Emphasizing New York City's importance

One hand in the air for the big city (uh)
Raising one hand in the air to show support for the big city

Street lights, big dreams, all lookin' pretty (uh)
The streets are lit up and full of big dreams, all looking beautiful

No place in the world that could compare
There's nowhere else in the world that can compare to this city

Put your lighters in the air everybody say
Raise your lighters in the air, and everyone say along

"Yeah, yeah" (come on, come on, come on)
Repeating the phrase "yeah, yeah" with enthusiasm

"Yeah, yeah"
Repeating the phrase "yeah, yeah" with enthusiasm

In New York (uh, yeah)
Referring to being in New York City with excitement and affirmation

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
The city, like a concrete jungle, where dreams are realized

There's nothin' you can't do (okay)
There's nothing you can't achieve in this city, expressing confidence

Now you're in New York (uh, yeah)
Now that you're here in New York City, acknowledging the experience

These streets will make you feel brand new
The streets of New York will rejuvenate and inspire you

Big lights will inspire you
The bright lights of the city will motivate and excite you

Let's hear it for New York (come on)
Let's give a round of applause for New York City, acknowledging its greatness

New York (yeah), New York (uh)
Emphasizing New York City's importance