Produced by DJ Premier
[Intro: Nas + Alicia Keys]
Nasty (yeah, yeah)
(New York, New York, New York, New York)
Ayo, black, it's time again! (yeah, yeah)
(New York, New York, New York, New York)
Yeah. Premier! (yeah, yeah)
(New York, New York, New York, New York)
(Ayo, black, it's time)
[Verse 1: Nas]
If you knew my streets
You would know all everybody talk about is who got beef
Who's snitchin', who told police
Who came home, who's still gone, who rest in peace
Now they k**in' over music money, not d**, rap replaced it
Cause thugs with no brains got no patience
New jacks I pistol whip 'em with the funky rhythm I be kickin'
Musician, inflictin' composition of pain
I'm like Saddam Hussein
Still alive lookin' at his dead children's burnt remains
I birthed the game, learnt you lames a new lesson
Your crew's soft man, ya'll need some new weapons
The P's breed warriors in skullies and timmies
Around micks, spics, n***as, and guineas
For my ghetto kings in deep thought we don't blink
But don't think we wastin our time
It's a New York state of mind
[Chorus: Alicia Keys]
New York, New York, New York, New York City, whoa ohh
New York, New York, New York, New York City, gritty
[Verse 2: Alicia Keys]
It's like a jungle out here
So much struggle out here
And my dreams steal my rest
Sleep's the cousin of d**h
Always feels like a race against father time
In the Streets of New York
(New York state of mind, New York state of mind)
All I see is street hoes
And bullet holes in our people
Only crime fills the brain
Feels like I'm goin' insane
The revolution has to start, don't waste no time
In the Streets of New York
(New York state of mind)
New York state of mind
(New York state of mind)
C'mon
[Altered Chorus: Alicia Keys]
New York, New York, New York, New York ohh
State of mind (New York City)
New York, New York, New York, New York ohh
State of crime (New York City)
New York, New York, New York, New York ohh
Big dreams (New York City)
New York, New York, New York, New York ohh
Big schemes
[Bridge: Alicia Keys]
Oh, it's like the game
Just ain't the same
Baby thugs and girls
With no shame
Can't get away (get away)
Epidemic plague (plague)
Every hood in every state
Don't have no reasons cause believin's hard to find
In the streets of New York (New York state of mind)
In the streets of New York (New York state of mind)
In the streets of New York (New York state of mind)
In the streets of New York (New York state of mind)
[Verse 3: Rakim]
I'm from the home of a million legends and trend settin'
A lot of footsteps to follow, I been steppin'
Mind stressin' tryna find direction, crime spreadin'
Time precious, I ain't have rest since 9/11
I live fast, hustle like today is my last
I get cash, the struggle's like a day on the Ave
Crack, D and raw, gats squeezin off
Manhattan streets in awe from casualties of war
The eve of the Apocalypse, evil people in politics
Every block is at risk, the metropolitan metropolis
The opposite of Liza Minnelli and Frank Sinatra
Alicia Keys, Nas and Ra the gangsta's opera
So New York City walk with me, talk gritty
It's up to us New York it's our city
Here the man come with the anthem, hands up
It's time, the thrill is back New York, let's stand up
[Chorus]
New York, New York, New York, New York City, whoa ohh
New York, New York, New York, New York City, gritty
[Rakim]
Oh yeah, crucial Keys
And your God Rakim Allah
New York City, Nasty Nas
A. Keys, yeah, c'mon