Empire State Of Mind
Jay z Alicia Keys Lyrics

Yeah, yeah, I'm out that Brooklyn, now I'm down in Tribeca
I used to live in Brooklyn, but now I live in a more prestigious neighborhood in Manhattan called Tribeca.

Right next to DeNiro, but I'll be hood forever
I live in a wealthy neighborhood and even have famous neighbors like Robert DeNiro, but I still represent the hood.

I'm the new Sinatra, and since I made it here, I can make it anywhere, yeah, they love me everywhere
Like Frank Sinatra, I am a beloved musician who came up in New York City. Success here means success anywhere, and I am loved by fans all over the world.

I used to cop in Harlem, hola, my Dominicanos (dímelo)
I used to buy drugs in Harlem and greet my Dominican dealers with 'hola' and 'dímelo'.

Right there up on Broadway, brought me back to that McDonald's, took it to my stashbox, 560 State Street
I'm reminiscing about when I used to hang out on Broadway and go to McDonald's before going to my stash of drugs at 560 State Street.

Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons whippin' pastry, cruisin' down 8th St, off-white Lexus
I'm riding around in my luxury car and making a reference to the Simmons family, who are famous for their cooking shows and pastry recipes.

Drivin' so slow, but BK is from Texas
I might be driving slowly, but I'm from the streets of Brooklyn, which are just as tough as 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
I'm from the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, where Notorious B.I.G. grew up. But now, I'm a successful musician whose name appears on the Billboard charts, and I've brought my friends from the streets with me on this journey.

Say what up to Ty-Ty, still sippin' Mai Tais, sittin' courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high five
I'm greeting my friend Ty-Ty and having a good time sipping Mai Tais while sitting in the best seats at a Knicks or Nets game.

N****, 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
I'm dressed like Spike Lee and could argue with referees at a basketball game. My attitude and demeanor make it clear that I'm from the streets of New York.

Concrete jungle (yeah) where dreams are made of, there's nothin' you can't do (yeah) (okay)
New York City is a harsh urban environment where only those with big dreams and ambitions can succeed. But if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.

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) (come on)
New York City is a magical place that can inspire and motivate you. Let's give a shoutout to this great city.

Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game, shit, I made the Yankee hat more famous then a Yankee can
I'll be at the Yankee Stadium with my OG, and I'm so famous that my wearing a Yankee hat has made it more iconic than any player who has ever worn it.

You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though, but I got a gang of n****s walkin' with my clique though
I have a lot of friends and associates who are loyal to me, but I want to make it clear that I'm not affiliated with the Crips gang, despite my love for the blue Yankee colors.

Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we sellin' rock, Afrika Bambataa shit, home of the hip-hop
New York is a melting pot of diverse cultures and people. But it's also a place where people sell drugs on the corners while hip-hop music, which originated here, plays in the background.

Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back, for foreigners it ain't fair, they act like they forgot how to act
New York's transportation system includes yellow cabs, gypsy cabs, and cheap unlicensed dollar cabs. But foreigners tend to forget their manners when they come here.

Eight million stories out there and they're naked, city is a pity, half of y'all won't make it
New York has eight million people, each with their own story, but many of them struggle and won't make it in the harsh and unforgiving city.

Me, I got a plug, Special Ed 'I Got It Made', if Jeezy's payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwyane Wade
I have well-connected friends who can help me get what I want. If Jeezy is paying LeBron James, I'll pay 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
New York is full of gambling games like Cee-lo and three-card Monte, and it celebrates traditions like the Labor Day Parade. The city is also a place of historic freedom (the Statue of Liberty) and tragedy (the World Trade Center), but it's still the king of cities.

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, put your lighters in the air everybody say 'Yeah, yeah' (come on, come on, come on), 'Yeah, yeah'
New York is a beautiful city full of bright lights and big dreams. There's no other place quite like it in the world. Let's celebrate this great city by raising our lighters and shouting 'Yeah, yeah' together.

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
The bright lights of the city can be blinding and can lead people down a dangerous path. Rich girls need to wear blinders so they don't get caught up in the wrong things. The sidelines are littered with people who got caught up in the fast life and spiraled out of control. Be careful to not make the same mistakes as Eve, who ate the forbidden apple and brought about man's downfall.

Caught up in the in-crowd, now you're in style, end of the winter gets cold, en vogue with your skin out
People can get caught up in popularity and fashion trends and lose themselves in the process. Even in winter, people are willing to expose their skin to be in style.

City of sin, it's a pity on a whim, good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them
New York is known as a city of sin, and even good girls can be lured into bad behavior. The city is full of these kinds of women.

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
A woman who took a bus trip to New York has now turned to prostitution and everyone is riding her like they would a bus. The city is a place of sin and debauchery that even the holiest people can be corrupted by. Once you leave the church, your life really begins.

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
People come to New York for school, but once they graduate, the city can seduce them with its glamorous lifestyle. Both athletes and musicians love the attention they get from being famous in New York. MDMA can give you a false sense of confidence, making you feel invincible. But the city never sleeps, so it's important to take medication to sleep when needed.

These streets will make you feel brand new, big lights will inspire you (okay), let's hear it for New York (come on), New York (yeah), New York (uh)
New York's streets can give you a sense of renewal and inspiration. The city's bright lights can motivate you to pursue your dreams. Let's continue celebrating this amazing city together.