Yo Preem, play me that Billy Joel joint Some folks like to get away Take a holiday from the neighborhood Hop a flight to Miami Beach or to Hollywood But I'm taking a Greyhound On the Hudson River line I'm in a New York state of mind Steel toe, construct walk, Nike shorts at night at court Stress, it cut your life shot I'm from egg rolls and duck sauce Where the feds rolled on To say less Plenty talent, the kids stay blessed Gamble and make bets Throw on some DMX, his words, they live in all of us Some get deported, some die young, but it's all a rush On part two, I left you with two of my friends And now our goals is that our sons don't end in juvenile pen's Rikers should be closed, NBC the beacon Wear ice if you real, or they rob you upon your piece and If you was locked down for a while, it's a different place now They buildin' hotels where once was the Devil's playground Michelin stars, cool, but the streets is cookin' that beef stew That chopped cheese too, screw face how we smiled They want us gone, but that's fine 'Cause we really outside, for now and all time That New York state of mind Some folks like to get away (part three, three times for NYC) take a holiday from the neighborhood Hop a flight to Miami Beach or to Hollywood (what a city) but I'm taking a Greyhound (Knicks, Mets, Yanks, Jets, Nets, Giants, Islanders, Rangers) on the Hudson River line I'm in a New York state of mind (the world) and we got thick Jumpin' out, hitting pull ups and dips on scaffoldings Potholes still be hard in our whips Never ending night life, supermodel events, some art galleries I can name some clubs that no longer exist The Limelight, the Tunnel, and the Palladium All night we stayed in 'em fly, wavin' the sky View was made in N, Y, and wouldn't trade it till the day that you die The most hated and I think we know why, now Rappers we know as legends drift and float to Heaven Some are living, and present, they are miss '87 And Queens was a teen, then kid with a chain Holdin' a pen and wrote pain, we'll never see this again, so I let Ring replace the peepholes I'm suited in boutique clothes, we're just inclined to defeat foes The five boroughs where real life is defined, y'all know the time, when I'm in the New York state of mind Some folks like to get away (Opposition tease walk in The Garden, mockingly rockin' Timbs and a Nas tee) take a holiday from the neighborhood Hop a flight to Miami Beach or to Hollywood (They only trollin' and that's fine, 'cause we outside for the third time, that New York State of Mind) but I'm taking a Greyhound On the Hudson River line (Wipe your feet when you step in my house, though, hahahaha) I'm in a New York state of mind (let 'em know, yeah) New York State of Mind New York State of Mind New York State of Mind New York State of Mind New York State of Mind New York State of Mind New York State of Mind