Rap NY, no lie, my side is back Ghost, so hot We're always watching out for the competition so we can be on top and make big money I mouth them before the bowtie resemble cash flow
We're talking about selling drugs and making big money What y'all know about coke pies, give 'em that low If anyone tries to mess with us, we're ready with guns blazing
The people in our neighborhood know what we're all about and we make big moneyįorty cal. Talking about drug addicts who are desperate for their next fixīlock covers know the style, triple that dough We're not messing around with our raps - this is the real deal, not some soft stuffįor them box bitten bing monsters, sniffin' that blow This is that, Riker's Island, not slipping rap flows New York is the best and it's going to be amazing, I need to be a part of it Number one, this will rock! "the city" "I gotta get in" New York City is more than just the five boroughs - it's authentic and I'm excited about it New York! It's beyond the 5 boroughs keep it real, I get ill New York City is the best of the best - it's top-notch We're talking about the one and only, New York City Overall, the song is a tribute to the city that never sleeps, full of both pride and grit, and representing the various cultural and historic landmarks of the city. Despite this, he speaks to the pride of New Yorkers, saying, "We from New York, my city never sleeps." The lyrics speak to the gritty, unrelenting nature of the city, while also paying homage to its successes and achievements. Jay-Z's verse is full of criminal imagery, from references to Riker's Island prison to drug addiction to gun violence. Jay-Z and Alicia Keys emphasize the significance of New York City by calling it "number one." They point out that the city is much more than just the five boroughs, and that its influence spreads far and wide. The song opens with the line, "the city." In New York lingo, "the city" always refers to Manhattan, the most densely populated borough in New York City. Jay-Z boasts of his lyrical prowess, describing his flow as "not slipping rap flows," and rapping about topics like drug addiction, poverty, and police brutality. The lyrics are filled with references to the city's crime, hip-hop culture, and iconic landmarks. The song 'New York' by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys is an ode to New York City, known as the cultural and financial capital of the United States. Tell him to bury my body back home in Jackson, Tennessee The city never sleeps, better slip you an Ambien Mommy took a bus trip, now she got her bust outĮverybody ride her, just like a bus routeĪnd Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church endĬame here for school, graduated to the high lifeīall players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight Good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them Into the winter gets cold, en vogue, with your skin out Then gradually become worse, don't bite the apple, EveĬaught up in the in-crowd, now you're in style Lined with casualties, who sip the life casually So they can step out of bounds quick, the sidelines is New York was killing me (in-in-in-in, in New York)
Long live the king, yo, I'm from the Empire State that's Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley If Jeezy's payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwyane Wade Me, I got a plug, Special Ed, "I Got It Made" Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla backįor foreigners it ain't fair, they act like they forgot how to actĮight million stories, out there in the nakedĬity is a pity, half of y'all won't make it Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we sellin' rock You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip thoughīut I got a gang of- walkin' with my clique though I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely fromĬatch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game Sittin' courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high five Say what up to Ty-Ty, still sippin' Mai Tais Now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me Me, I'm out that Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons whippin' pastry