Empire State Of Mind
Summer Hit Superstars Lyrics

Yeah, yeah, I'ma up at Brooklyn, now I'm down in Tribeca
I used to live in Brooklyn but now I live in the wealthier neighborhood of Tribeca.

Right next to De Niro, but I'll be hood forever
I'm so cool that I live next door to De Niro, but I will never forget my roots.

I'm the new Sinatra, and since I made it here
I see myself as a modern-day Sinatra and since I succeeded in New York City, I can succeed anywhere.

I can make it anywhere, yeah, they love me everywhere
I am so beloved in New York City that I am sure I could be successful anywhere else, too.

I used to cop in Harlem, all of my Dominicanos
I used to buy drugs in Harlem from my Dominican drug dealer.

Right there up on Broadway, brought me back to that McDonald's
I remember the good old days when I used to eat at McDonald's on Broadway.

Took it to my stash spot, 560 State Street
I would keep my drugs at 560 State Street.

Catch me in the Kitchen like a Simmons whipping pastry
I love to cook and create in the kitchen like Russell Simmons does with music.

Cruising down 8th Street, off-white Lexus
I am riding around in my off-white Lexus on 8th Street.

Driving so slow, but BK is from Texas
Even though I am driving slowly, I feel like I can claim Brooklyn as my own like someone from Texas could.

Me, I'm up at Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie
I live in Bedford-Stuyvesant, which is where Biggie Smalls is from.

Now I live on Billboards, and I brought my boys with me
I am so famous that I am now on billboards and I have brought my friends with me to enjoy the success.

Say what up to Ty Ty, still sipping mai tai
I am giving a shout out to my friend Ty Ty and we are drinking tropical mai tais together.

Sitting courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high fives
I am sitting in the best seats at a basketball game and both teams are giving me high fives.

Nigga, I be spiked out, I can trip a referee
I am blinged out so much that I could trip up a referee in basketball.

Tell by my attitude that I most definitely from
You can tell from my confident attitude that I am definitely from New York City.

In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made, oh
New York City is like a jungle made of concrete where dreams can come true.

There's nothing you can't do, now you're in New York
Once you are in New York City, there is nothing you cannot achieve.

These streets will make you feel brand new
The energy and vibe of the streets of New York City can invigorate and inspire you.

Big lights will inspire you, let's hear it for New York
The bright lights of the big city can be very inspiring, so let's celebrate New York City.

New York, New York
New York City has so much to offer, so let's celebrate it.

(I made you hot, nigga)
I am so famous and influential that I even made New York City hot.

Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game
You might see me at Yankee Stadium with my OG (original gangster) buddies.

Sh*t, I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can
I am so famous and cool that even the Yankee hat seems more famous when I am wearing it.

You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though
I am a fan of the New York Yankees (who wear blue), but I am not affiliated with the Crips gang, who also wear blue.

But I got a gang of n*ggas walking with my clique, though
Even though I am not in a gang, I have a lot of friends walking with me.

Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we selling rock
New York City is like a melting pot with diverse cultures and people, but there are also drug dealers on the corners.

Afrika Bambaataa sh*t, home of the hip hop
New York City is the birthplace and home of hip hop music, with artists like Afrika Bambaataa.

Yellow Cab, Gypsy Cab, Dollar Cab, holla back
There are many types of taxis in New York City and you can just shout out to hail one.

For foreigners that ain't fifty, act like they forgot how to act
When tourists come to New York City who are not used to the fast pace, they often seem lost and forget how to act.

Eight million stories out there, and they're naked
There are many people and stories in New York City, and some are revealing themselves in a vulnerable way.

Cities is a pity, half of y'all won't make it
The city can be tough and many people will not succeed here.

Me, I gotta plug, Special Ed 'I Got It Made'
I have a connection (a plug) and I am reminded of the rapper Special Ed's song 'I Got It Made.'

If Jeezy paying LeBron, I'm paying Dwyane Wade
If the rapper Young Jeezy is paying LeBron James, I will pay Dwyane Wade (two basketball players).

Three dice, Cee-lo, three-card Monte
These are popular gambling games played in the streets of New York City.

Labor Day Parade, rest in peace, Bob Marley
The Labor Day Parade in Brooklyn is a huge celebration and tribute to the late reggae legend Bob Marley.

Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade
I am paying homage to two iconic symbols of New York City.

Long live the king, yo, I'm from the Empire State that's
I am representing New York City, the Empire State, and paying tribute to the late rapper Notorious B.I.G. (the king of New York).

Lights is blinding, girls need blinders
The city lights can be too bright and overwhelming for some, so girls sometimes need blinders to stay focused.

So they can step out of bounds quick
Without blinders, girls might get lost and step out of bounds quickly.

The sidelines is blind with casualties
The sidelines (of life) are full of people who have been hurt and lost due to the fast pace of New York City.

Who sipping life casually, then gradually become worse
Some people in the city are just sipping life instead of taking it seriously, and they end up getting worse over time.

Don't bite the apple, Eve, caught up in the in crowd
Referring to the story of Adam and Eve in the Bible, warning about the temptation of fitting into the popular crowd in the city.

Now you're in style, end of the winter gets cold
Once you are in style and accepted in New York City, you must also prepare for the harsh winter weather.

En vogue with your skin out, the city of sin is a pity on a whim
People like to be in fashion and show off their skin in New York City, but this city of sin can be a pity for those who make bad choices.

Good girls gone bad, the cities filled with them
Even good girls sometimes fall prey to the temptations of the city and become bad.

Mommy took a bus trip, now she got her bust out
A reference to a middle-aged woman who took a bus trip to the city and now has her boobs out to try to fit in with the younger crowd.

Everybody ride her just like a bus route
Everyone is taking advantage and using this woman, like she is just another public transportation route.

Hail Mary to the city, you're a virgin
A reference to the Christian prayer 'Hail Mary,' and how the city is like a virgin if you are seeing it for the first time.

And Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church ends
Even Jesus can't save you from the harsh realities of the city, and life really begins when you leave the church behind.

Came here for school, graduated to the high life
I came to the city for school and then started living the high life of fame and fortune.

Ball players, rap stars addicted to the limelight
Athletes and rappers in the city become addicted to the fame and attention of the limelight.

MDMA got you feeling like a champion
The drug MDMA can make you feel like a champion in the city.

The city never sleeps, better slip you an Ambien
The city is always awake and active, so you might need a sleeping pill like Ambien to help you rest.

In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of
Repeating the earlier statement that New York City is like a jungle made of concrete where dreams can come true.

One hand in the air for the big city
Raising one hand in celebration of the big city and all its opportunities.

Street lights, big dreams all looking pretty
The city's streetlights add to the atmosphere of big dreams and everything looks pretty and shiny.

No place in the world that can compare
Saying that New York City is truly one of a kind and there is no other place like it.

Put your lighters in the air, everybody say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Encouraging everyone to celebrate the city by raising their lighters in the air and shouting 'yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!'.

(Come on, come on)
Encouraging everyone to join in and come to New York City to experience it for themselves.