DJ Premier - N.Y. State of Mind, Pt. III lyrics

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, learned you lames a new lesson Your crew's soft man, y'all need some new weapons The P's breed warriors in skullies and Timbys Around micks, spics, n***as, and guineas From my ghetto kings in deep thought, we don't blink But don't think we waistin' our time It's a New York state of mind [Chorus: Alicia Keys] New York, New York, New York, New York City, whoah 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 Street 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 believing'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, so stand up [Chorus + outro/coda: Alicia Keys + Rakim] New York, New York, New York, New York City, whoa ohh (Uh. Yeah.) New York, New York, New York, New York City, gritty (Crucial Keys. Ya God, Rakim Allah) New York, New York, New York, New York City, whoa ohh (New York City. Nasty Nas) New York, New York, New York, New York City, gritty (A. Keys. Yeah, c'mon)