Peak
55
Weeks
1
Score
117
Chart Year
2010
This is a soulfully soaring solo sequel to Jay-Z and Alicia Keys hometown anthem, "Empire State of Mind." Jay-Z was originally scheduled to contribute a new verse to the remake but the rapper does not appear on the final version. Keys told The Sun November 13, 2009: "It's just exciting to be able to put together a song about the city I was born and raised in and then to be able to make it an anthem the world can feel. I just love the energy that's behind it." When this debuted at #55 on the Hot 100 chart dated January 2, 2010, it marked the first chart appearance of a sequel to a #1 since Usher followed "Love In This Club" with "Love in This Club Part II" (#18) in 2008.
Yea Yea I'm out that Brooklyn, now I'm 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, yea, they love me everywhere I used to cop in Harlem, all of my Dominicano's Right there up on Broadway, pull me back to that McDonald's Took it to my stashbox, 560 State St. Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons wippin' pastry's Cruisin' down 8th St., 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 whattup to Ty-Ty, still sippin' Mai Tai's Sittin' courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high five N**** I be Spike'd out, I could trip a referee Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from [Chorus] In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of There's nothin' you can't do Now you're in New York These streets will make you feel brand new The lights will inspire you Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game S***, I made the Yankee hat more famous then a Yankee can You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though But I got a gang of n****s walkin' with my clique though Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we sellin' rock Afrika Bambataa s***, home of the hip-hop Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back For foreigners it ain't for, they act like they forgot how to act 8 million stories, out there in it naked City is a pity, half of y'all won't make it Me, I got a plug, Special Ed "I Got It Made" If Jesus payin' Lebron, I'm payin' Dwayne 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 St. that's [Chorus] Lights is blinding, girls need blinders So they can step out of bounds quick, the sidelines is Lined with casualties, who sip to life casually Then gradually become worse, don't bite the apple, Eve Caught up in the in-crowd, now you're in style End of the winter gets cold, en vogue, with your skin out City of sin, it's a pity on the wind Good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them Mommy 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 end 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 an Ambien [Chorus] 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 "yeaaaa, yeaaa, yeaaa, yeaaaa" [Chorus]
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 2, 2010 | 55 | 71 |