(feat. Nas, Rakim)



[Nas (Alicia Keys)]

Nasty, yeah, yeah (New York, New York)

Hey yo black it's time again, yeah, yeah

(New York, New York)

Come here, yeah, yeah

(New York, New York)

Hey yo black it's time



"yeah, yeah, hey yo black it's time" [continues throughout song]



[Nas]

If you knew my streets

You would know all everybody talk about is who got beef

Who snitchin, who told police

Who came home, who still gone, who restin 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 and flatten 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 P's breed Warriorz in skullies and timmies

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



[Chorus #1: Alicia Keys]

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

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



[Alicia Keys]

It's like a jungle out here

So much struggle out here

And my dreams steal my rest

Sleep's still 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)



[Alicia Keys]

All I see is street hoes

And bullet holes in our people

Only crime fills the brain

Feels like I'm going 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)

C'mon



[Chorus #2: 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



[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

Every hood in every state

Don't have no reasons cause believin's hard to find



[Break: Alicia Keys]

In the streets of New York (New York state of mind) [x4]

["New York state of mind" is also repeated in background]



[Rakim]

I'm from the home of a million legends and trend settin

A lot of footsteps to follow, I've been steppin

Mind stressin tryin to find direction, crime shreddin

Time precious, I ain't have rest since 9/11

I live fast, hustle like today's 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 Minelli 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: w/ ad libs]



[Rakim: talking behind Chorus]

Oh yeah, crucial Keys

And your God Rakim Allah

New York City, Nasty Nas

A. Keys, yeah, c'mo