[nas]
uhh
yo, yo-yo, yand'all
whattup? whattup
itand's time man (word, itand's time?)
straight up, itand's time man
aight, set that shit off
(set it off then nigga, set it off)
Broken glass in the hallway, bloodstained floors
neighbors, look at every bag you bring through your doors
lock the top lock, momma shoulda cuffed me to the radiator
why not? it mightand've saved later from my block
n.y. cops, hookers crawlin off the stroll, coughin
stitches in they head, stinkin and i dread thinkin they be snitchin
but who else, could it be, shook at these, unmarked vans
parked in the dark -- narcand's, whereand's your heart?
hustlers starve; they bust a u-e i jog
to my building -- come out later wearin camouflage
see the sergeant and the captain -- strangle men
niggaz gaspin for air; til they move no more and just stare
with dead eyes -- tired of riots, shit is quiet
simple-minded fools infiltrate grimy crews
overcrowded cribs, uncles home from bids, sisterand's pregnant
fatherand's on drugs, moms is smokin, beds is piss-infested
had eight partners growin up, eight turned to seven
seven turned to six niggaz, got two in heaven
six of us, holdin it, now itand's five rollin thick
the sixth oneand's parole flipped; five niggaz, went to foand' quick
when he went o.t., college life, converted into gangbangin
four niggaz still hangin, years passed and slang changin
three of us now, fourth nigga ainand't around
we all thought he was real -- he did the snake shit
fake shit -- beat his ass down, yo his mouth
couldand've got us all wasted, what a fuckin clown
all i got left in the end is two of my best friends
and we all goin out, to the death for these ends, what?
New york, new york (andquot;new york state of mindandquot; -andgt; rakim)
new york, new york (andquot;new york state of mindandquot; -andgt; rakim)
*repeat while nas is talking*
you heard about it, you see about it
you read about it, itand's in your papers
itand's in your daily news (andquot;get money!andquot;)
new york chronicles, every day
the crime rate, the murder rate
the money rate, the paper chase, youknowhatimean?
new york state of mind baby, check it out
[nas]
iand'm at the, gamblin spot, my hands on a knot
new york yankee cap cover my eyes, stand in one spot
i take a nigga dough, send him home, to a shoebox
you lost that nigga i put your dollar in the jukebox
hear my favorite song, all these niggaz sing along
all the ciggarette smokeand's cloggin my lungs, hoodrats flashin they tongue
young thugs blastin they gun, we got reputations
bitches and niggaz both on parole or probation
shit is sick, niggaz got gats, army fatigues
i got my eyes glued on, whoever walk in the lead
cause i ainand't playin, niggazand'll run up in here and shoot up this shit
stick yoand' ass up, niggazand'll find the loot in your kicks
bunch of triple-cross niggaz, just new york niggaz
lift you off your feet when they was just talkin with you
some of these dudes the feds be on em, you knew em for years
be the type when you walk in a pub, they offer you beers
that ainand't gangsta, niggaz is up north with tatted tears
your nameand's on the affadavit, you ratted kid
faggot-ass niggaz that be scared to do they bids
fuck you, we run you out of n.y, you canand't live
got your quiet niggaz, that relocated down south
comin back to floss, then you got the jealous loudmouths
all of a sudden we got crips and bloods, d.t.and's
runnin round quick to split your mug, itand's ea-sy to score
but itand's hard to get the shit off
niggaz fightin over hundred sales, jump in the car and drive off
when the fiend come around the block, happy as hell
niggaz, mad cause they ainand't get a piece of that sale
cutthroat connivers, universal, ghetto survivors
go to any hood thatand's live and make it liver
a lot of niggaz scheamin, some real, some niggaz frontin
but iand'm a big dreamer, so watch me come up with somethin
New york, new york
new york, new york
