My evergreen playlist track for today is Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys.
Two of my greatest musical icons from both sides of the musical 'fabric.'
Video source.
The song which was and still is a success, was released in 2009 from Jay-Z's 11th studio album, The Blueprint 3.
The thing about good music is that, it just gets you in the best way possible.
The song was originally written by Angela Hunte and Janet Sewell-Ulepic as a tribute to their hometown, New York City.
Mary J Blige was favored to be featured but Alicia Keys was chosen by Jay-Z after he heard her excellent piano loop of the song.
One thing about the song you will notice from the start to the finish is that, it is a tribute to the great city of New York and how it has so many awesome landmarks and individuals.
The video is just cool as it showed various landmarks and scenes that are the city's greatest and also the names and pictures of some outstanding individuals the city has ever produced.
Sing with the lyrics.
Intro: JAY-Z]
Yeah
[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
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
Right there up on Broadway, brought me back to that McDonald's
Took it to my stash spot, 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 fives
Nigga, I be spiked out, I could trip a referee
Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from…
[Chorus: Alicia Keys & Jay-Z]
In New York (ayy, aha) (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 (aha, aha, aha) (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) (come on)
New York (yeah), New York (uh) (I made you hot, nigga)
[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
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 meltin' pot, corners where we sellin' rocks
Afrika Bambaataa 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, it's a pity half of y'all won't make it
Me? I gotta 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
Long live the king, yo – I'm from the Empire State, that's…
[Chorus: Alicia Keys & Jay-Z]
In New York (ayy) (uh, yeah)
Concrete jungle 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 light, baby)
These streets will make you feel brand-new
Big lights will inspire you (okay)
Let's hear it for New York (come on)
New York (yeah), New York (uh)
[Verse 3: Jay-Z]
Lights is blinding, girls need blinders
So they can step out of bounds quick, the side lines 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
And when winter gets cold, en vogue with your skin out
The city of sin is a pity on a whim
Good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them
Mami 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 ends
Came here for school, graduated to the high life
Ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight
MDMA got you feelin' like a champion
The city never sleeps, better slip you a Ambien
[Chorus: Alicia Keys & Jay-Z]
In New York (ayy, ah) (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 (come on)
New York (yeah), New York (uh)
[Bridge: Alicia Keys]
One hand in the air for the big city
Street lights, big dreams, all lookin' pretty
No place in the world that could compare
Put your lighters in the air, everybody say, "Yeah" (come on)
(Come on) Yeah (come on)
[Chorus: Alicia Keys]
In New York (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 (come on)
New York (yeah), New York (uh)- Source.
My favorite lines
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