Jay-Z feat Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind Lyrics and Video

Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z feat Alicia Keys, Music Lyrics and Video

Empire State of Mind is the third single by hip hop rapper Jay-Z, from his eleventh studio album, The Blueprint 3. The song was produced by Shux and co-produced by Janet “Jnay” Sewell-Ulepic & Angela Hunte.
The record features the dynamic vocals of R&B-soul singer Alicia Keys, complimented with some choice words on life perspectives from Jay himself. Some of his best collaborative work to date with vocalists.
It’s the city’s image personified by Jay’s words, which manage to tap the core of those still wearing Timbs because, deep down, everyone wants to reach the level of opulence that Jay has… he just beat us there & seemingly left us behind. Yet, he reminds that he’s still connected to the city that never sleeps by going back & describing the life that lives there day and night.
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performed the song live at MTV Video Awards 2009.

The music video was was directed by Hype Williams and was filmed on October 1, 2009, in Harlem, Times Square and around Ground Zero of New York City.

You can listen the song here, this is the official video.

Jay-Z - Empire State of Mind featuring Alicia Keys Lyrics

[Jay-Z]
Yeah,
Yeah, Imma up at Brooklyn,
now Im down in Tribeca,
right next to DeNiro,
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,
all of my dominicanos
right there up on Broadway,
brought me back to that McDonalds,
took it to my stash spot,
Five Sixty Stage street,
catch me in the kitchen like a simmons whipping pastry,
cruising down 8th street,
off white lexus,
driving so slow but BK is from Texas,
me I’m up at Bedsty,
home of that boy Biggie,
now i live on billboard,
and i brought my boys with me,
say wat up to Ty Ty, still sipping Malta
sitting courtside Knicks and Nets give me high fives,
N-gga i be spiked out, i can trip a referee,
tell by my attitude that I most definitely from…

[Alicia Keys]
In New York,
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,
There’s nothing you can’t do,
Now you’re in New York,
these streets will make you feel brand new,
the lights will inspire you,
lets here it for New York, New York, New York

[Jay-Z]
I made you hot n-gga,
Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game,
sh-t i made the yankee hat more famous than a yankee can,
you should know I bleed Blue, but I ain’t a crip tho,
but i got a gang of n-ggas walking with my click though,
welcome to the melting pot,
corners where we selling rocks,
Afrika Bambaataa sh-t,
home of the hip hop,
yellow cap, gypsy cap, dollar cab, holla back,
for foreigners it ain’t fitted they forgot how to act,
8 million stories out there and their naked,
cities is a pity half of y’all won’t make it,
me i gotta plug Special Ed “i got it made,”
If Jesus payin LeBron, I’m paying Dwayne Wade,
3 dice Cee-lo
3 card Marley,
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]

In New York,
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,
There’s nothing you can’t do,
Now you’re in New York,
these streets will make you feel brand new,
the lights will inspire you,
lets here it for New York, New York, New York
Welcome to the bright light..

[Jay-Z]
Lights is blinding,
girls need blinders
so they can step out of bounds quick,
the side lines is blind with casualties,
who sipping life casually, then gradually become worse,
don’t bite the apple Eve,
caught up in the in crowd,
now your in-style,
and in the winter gets cold en vogue with your skin out,
the city of sin is a pity on a whim,
good girls gone bad, the cities filled with them,
Mommy took a bus trip and now she got her bust out,
everybody ride her, just like a bus route,
Hail Mary to the city your 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 feeling like a champion,
the city never sleeps better slip you a Ambien

[Chorus]

In New York,
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,
There’s nothing you can’t do,
Now you’re in New York,
these streets will make you feel brand new,
the lights will inspire you,
lets here it for New York, New York, New York

[Alicia Keys]
One hand in the air for the big city,
Street lights, big dreams all looking pretty,
no place in the World that can compare,
Put your lighters in the air, everybody say yeah
come on, come,
yeah,

[Chorus]

In New York,
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,
There’s nothing you can’t do,
Now you’re in New York,
these streets will make you feel brand new,
the lights will inspire you,
lets here it for New York, New York, New York

[End]

Song Information

Released September 8, 2009 (airplay)
Recorded 2009 (2009)
Genre Hip hop
Length 4:37
Label Roc Nation, Atlantic
Writers S. Carter, A. Shuckburgh, A. Keys, A. Hunte, J. Sewell-Ulepic
Producer Al Shux, Janet “Jnay” Sewell-Ulepic, Angela Hunte


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43 Responses to “Jay-Z feat Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind Lyrics and Video”

  1. timon Says:

    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 feeling like a champion,

    well it sucks xD

  2. dale Says:

    no man you suck this song is the shizzy

  3. murph canada Says:

    nice to see more NY songs about the gratest city anywhere hope to go
    great song

  4. jontae Says:

    i luv this song

  5. yvonne Says:

    this song is best it rocks

  6. danny jauregui Says:

    this song is the bomb jay z rocks and alicia keys lookes fine in the video

  7. eshin Says:

    Its bad that a song with such a good beat is used to defame Christ. Jesus still saves!!! Christ’s love is whole and reaches down to the core of your soul when you see the light and no there isn’t any so bright. Sins are forgiven when you old ways you’ve forsaken. Embrace the life freely given by God, through Jesus our Lord

  8. jami Says:

    ..people stop hate’n!!! the lyrics, the beat, hit the spot. u can tell a great song when u catch yourself singing it in the store out loud and everyone around you spits out the ending chorus!!!

  9. michaela x Says:

    s’an awesome song and wow that must’ve been awesome

  10. stephanie Says:

    this iz tha best song ive ever herd!!!!!!!!!!!

  11. Ricky Says:

    this song souds like new york state of mind by nas,

  12. Sad Says:

    “And Jesus can’t save you, life begins when the church ends”

    Why is that lyric in this song? Why is Jay-z so anti-christ. LISTEN TO THE LYRICS.

    WITH A “GOOD/CATCHY” BEAT COMES BAD LYRICS (specially which defame Christ e.g “run this town”).

    Please don’t be fooled by the music industry, open your eyes, open your ears.

  13. J-Z n A-K Says:

    It weird that the writer himself denies Jesus and the singer helping to publish this kind of thought! I do know that when pop starts or all kind of singers receive their AWARD, first cross their mind to thank is JESUS Lord, so what happened now? Is Jesus not good any more? Come on, I love the SONG BADLY, but the purposes got defied when you I heard Jesus is not the Savior. Question to JZ or AK, do you really that Anti-Jesus? I hope you guys are not; I do not want to be insulted. Probably I am religious, but there are millions out there thinking like me too. I really really Love yeh and cheers

  14. Canuck Says:

    “Let’s HEAR it for New York…” not ‘here’

  15. oyin Says:

    Lovely song. M in love with d song. This is another hit song

  16. lakasha Says:

    I thing someone needs to wash his mouth out with soap, vinegar, & peroxide!!!!!!!!

  17. Gina Says:

    I think that if you can’t use Jesus’ name in a good term than you should not use it. Singing a song out loud does not mean the song is stating things that are offensive to others, it just goes to prove that listening or doing things over and over becomes a habit. Let a parrot listen to it a few times it will sing it out loud 2!!!

  18. ash Says:

    well maybe it’s not jay who’s denying Jesus but New York’s lifestyle overall? actually i’m pretty sure that’s what he means..

  19. Melissa Says:

    Her song is inspiring. After what new yorkers have been through we need a theme song! New York Rocks!

  20. jennifer Says:

    THE SONG ROCKS- KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK-JAY-Z AND ALICIA KEYS. FROM A DIE-HARD FAN

  21. dee Says:

    i think the part where “Jesus can’t save you” refers to the sinners in the city… but that’s just me. That’s how i understood the lyrics… “life starts when the church ends”, well i’ve my own interpretation too. that you get to start doing stuff after going to church. that you start acting on it, do the right things.. isn’t that LIFE? what you get to do? again, that’s just me ^^

  22. flettestone Says:

    Great melody on the hook. but only melody and beat. that’w why you sing it in the mall. that why you have to be careful what you listen to. but Comin from “Hovah”, he would have to be against Christ seeing as he thinks he is God. think about it. if jesus paying lebron i’m Dwayne Wade. As if he could compete.

  23. Sparkling Lady C Says:

    Alicia Keys Rocks it. That woman can blow!!! Jay Z great collab. lyrics are right on.

  24. luvsmymusic Says:

    they don’t need to be saying nothing bout jesus unless its giving him thanks.. luved the beat… the chorus.. the jesus part ruined it for me.. and Jesus can save cuz he saved me!!…

  25. whiteboyinla Says:

    Even middle aged white boys from LA love this song. “…these lights will inspire you…” REALLY!

  26. Jewel Says:

    Why are Christians always the first to judge people? Its that kind of stuff that pushed me away from being a Christian and going to church. No one has the right to judge people for what they do or say except God, so leave it up to him.. I think it’s a great song!!

  27. STEK Says:

    for the lyrics, it’s “State street” Not “stage street” I used to used that street as a short cut to get lunch, plus it’s sippin’ “mai tais” not “maltas”.

  28. vuvu Says:

    I am hooked on this song!It is great

  29. AT-C Says:

    First of all, I listen to the version with Alicia Keys alone, however, I know she has to know his lyrics as well. In saying that, I hope that she doesn’t think the way he does. I’ve read several comments on what they think Jay-Z means, but it is what it is. He’s saying exactly what he means. Leave Jesus out of it. Go back to some of his other songs and see if you can interpret those negative comments too about Jesus. The melody is beautiful, but let’s not get desensitized to what people are saying no matter WHO it is saying them.

  30. Marcie Says:

    Music to me is one of the things that keeps me going…. but when I hear a really good song with an awesome beat that bashes Jesus and his saving power, I am REALLY disappointed. I do believe that Jesus saves lives because I myself have witnessed and experienced his saving power. And no, Christians aren’t always the first to judge people. They are the first to take a STAND and don’t COMPROMISE!!! We all choose our paths…

  31. anais Says:

    cette chanson elle est génial !!! ya pas mieux !

  32. Mario Kraeft Says:

    Great hymn for New York, fits also for BERLIN.

  33. MAURICIO MONTOYA Says:

    GOD THIS IS THE SONG FOR THIS COUPLE….. YOU TAKE THE THE SKY WITH ONE HAND WITH IT GOD BLESS YOU ALICIA AND JAY Z …… COMO DIRIA EL VIEJO JUANES UNA CHIMBA PAPA…….

  34. Fergia Says:

    nice beat, nice lyrics till the point JESUS the SAVIOUR of all is insulted. Can’t stand it!!!

  35. solomon Says:

    ”I’M SO PROUD OF U ALICIA” JAY-z Ur the beeeeeeest one of the WORLD. GOOOOOOD JOB ALICIA&JAY Z!!##)))).

  36. silensar Says:

    this song kills. je kiffe trop tout est quasi reussie dans le truc

  37. Miley Cyrus Says:

    This song is cool i jam with my friend mandy to it!

  38. Austin Eyituoyor Says:

    One of the Hottest Beat I have heard in recent years and Thanks to JAY-Z and Alicia Key. This song is mind blowing and forget about the Jesus Line in the song, JAY-Z is not Anti-Jesus, I definitely believe he means something else than the initial interpretation.

  39. meee Says:

    i used to love this song until i heard the Lyrics jesus cant save u
    life starts when church ends! how could u insult jesus like jesus can save you cuz u r here and at the end of the day jz will have to give thnxs to the lord for this oppurtunity and look now he is a millionair and NO christians are NOT JUDGEMENTAL we just respect and love our lord

  40. marika Says:

    when he says “Jesus can’t save you life starts when the church ends” it doesnt mean there is no god or they dont believe in god. it means that everything that makes you feel good is against any religion. so its all about partying and going crazy in new york city and thats what it means. LOVE THE SONG!!!!!!

  41. THE ANTI -ROCK Says:

    let me state that Jay-Z [former favorite of mine] is a mason . they have a belife system based on the devil promise of knowlege and power he got it but at what cost. PEOPLE PLEASE LOOK ALL THIS UP DONT BELIVE ME OR ANYONE ELSE READ IT YOUR SELF [GOOGLE]. dont be taken in by stardom of anyone. A LINE MUST BE DRAWN. DONT YOU KNOW HIP HOP IS THE NEW ROCK……PLEASE PRAY!!!!!!!IN JESUS NAME I WRITE THESES WORDS

  42. G Says:

    ‘And Anna Wintour gets cold, in Vogue with your skin out’ Talking about the girls who are selling out to wear fashion. Anna Wintour is the editor of Vogue Magazine and huge in NYC. This is what Jay-Z says

  43. taricha Says:

    i love Alicia and Jay-Z my brother is from NYC

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