N.Y. State of Mind, Pt. III (Streets of New York) Nas (Ft. Alicia Keys & Rakim)

[Intro: Nas + Alicia Keys]
Nasty ("Yeah, yeah")
(New York, New York, New York, New York)
Ayo, Black, it's time—again! ("Yeah, yeah")
(New York, New York, New York, New York)
Yeah—Premier! ("Yeah, yeah")
(New York, New York, New York, New York)
("Ayo, Black, it's time")

[Verse 1: Nas]
If you knew my streets—
—you would know, all everybody talk about is who got beef
Who's snitchin', who told police
Who came home, who's still gone, who rest 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, inflictin' composition of pain
I'm like Saddam Hussein
—still alive, lookin' at his dead children's burnt remains
I birthed the game, learned you lames a new lesson
Your crew's soft, man, y'all need some new weapons
The Ps breed warriors in skullies and Timbies
Around micks, spics, niggas, and guineas
From 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