Streets of New York - Alicia Keys ft. Rakim, Nas

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)

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 killin' over music money, not drugs, 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 burnt the game, learnt you lames a new lesson

Your crew's soft man, ya'll need some new weapons

The Ps breed warriors in skullies and Timbies

Around micks, spics, niggas, 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

New York, New York, New York, New York City, whoa, ohh

New York, New York, New York, New York City, gritty

It's like a jungle out here

So much struggle out here

And my dreams steal my rest

Sleep's the cousin of death

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

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

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)

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

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)

Produced by DJ Premier