Empire State of Mind

Album: The Blueprint 3 (2009)
Charted: 2 1
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  • Yeah

    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
    Took it to my stashbox, 560 State Street
    Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons whippin' pastry
    Cruisin' down 8th Street, 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 add
    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) Writer/s: Alexander Shuckburgh, Alicia Keys, Angela Hunte, Burt Keyes, Janét “Jnay” Sewell-Ulepic, Shawn Carter, Sylvian Robinson
    Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 14

  • Jamal from PhillyI like this song with Alicia keys, empire state of mind, concrete jungle where dreams are made of, great lyrics from an artist and prophet, pronouncing words, and writing letters into songs, his creative mind never sleeps, so comforting to allow others to create a song and Jay Z sample it into a hit, takes real creativity.
  • Emily from TorontoHey, I need help with some band homework, anyone know all of the different instruments that are used in this song. Also what key is it in and what key signature? Thanks
  • Alikiriza from KampalaThe first time I heard of this song felt like if the word New York wasn't there could trip jay to fix in my home town. My heart felt it that much more so where keys says it's not all that for only new Yorkers . It's a life time song where jay perfectly breaks all raps in simultaneous way. I enjoy it every time I listen to it.
  • Chris from Norman, OkRipping off Billy Joel? Give me a break. I love Billy Joel more than Zay-Z but that is ridiculous. I think even Joel would give props to Jay-Z for this artistic release.
  • Zezin from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil"if Jeezy's payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwyane Wade". In Young Jeezy's song "24-23 (Kobe-Lebron)," Jeezy uses the players' jersey numbers to articulate the price he's paying of a kilogram of cocaine.

    The chorus of that song goes, "I used to pay Kobe [24], but now I pay LeBron [23]." This means that he used to pay $24,000 for a kilo of coke, whereas now? He only pays $23,000, you see.

    So. In "Empire," Jay-Z takes this one step further, so as to show his impressive status in New York. He suggests that, while Jeezy may be paying $23,000, Jay-Z is paying a mere $3000 (expressed as Dwyane Wade's jersey number) for a kilo of cocaine.
  • Alberto from Roma, ItalyNew York... "These streets will make you feel brand new,
    the lights will inspire you"... check "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues on this website, and then let's talk about it.
  • Barry from New York, NcWhy is JZ ripping off Billy Joel? How shameless can you get. Pathetic.
  • James from Scotch Plains, Njjust like "everything is gonna be allright" to the Caribean (hope I spelled it right) this is to the city.
  • Brad from A City, KyYes, because a few months is "old" now. This generation of music is simply pathetic. And one of the few decent songs out of it, even though it's still top 10, is now considered old. People today in this country are just SO intelligent.
  • Lacey from Chicago, Ili likes this song:)
    but now its olddd
  • Lisa from Eveleth, MnLOVE THIS SONG!! i dont really care for rap, but alicia keys is sweet
  • Emma from Adelaide, Australiathis song is great as indigo said, this is not really my type of music, but the lyrics and feel of this song ar AHMAZING
  • Indigo from Adelaide, Australia(to add to previous comment, wasn't finished typing)Jay Z's verses are flawless and Alicia Keys vocals are beautiful. "cocnrete jungle where dreams are made of" they love their hometown!
  • Indigo from Adelaide, Australiayay. first comment. i don't usually like this kind of music, but this song is cool. i hope it doesn't get overplayed.
see more comments

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