[Jay-Z] Turn the motherfucking music up [Cam'Ron] Just Blaze, man. You owe me nigga [Jay-Z] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Welcome to the Empire State. Home of the World Trade. Birthplace of Michael Jordan. Home of Biggie Smalls. Roc-A-Fella headquarters. Ladies and gentlemen, Killa Cam, Young Hov is definitely in the building Brooklyn, Harlem World (Welcome to New York City, welcome to New York City) Stand the fuck up!
[Jay-Z] I'm a B.K. brawler Marcy projects hallway loiterer Pure coke copper, get your order up I bring 'em to Baltimore in the Ford Explorer It's gonna cost you more if I gotta get 'em to Florida Rucker game attender With the Bent parked on the sidewalk with the temp plates on the fender I ain't hard to find you catch me fronting center At the Knick game, big chain and all my splendor Next to Spike and the pen left to write I own Madison Square, catch me at the fight But damn once again if you pan left at the ice If you the man that write checks with the hand that don't write I go off the head when I'm rambling on the mic And I go off the feds when I'm scrambling at night And if it's off the set I brought hammers to the fight But we from New York City, right Cam? ([Cam:] Yeah, damn right)
[Chorus (Juelz Santana):] It's the home of 9-11, the place of the lost towers We still banging, we never lost power, tell 'em Welcome to New York City, welcome to New York City You all fucking with BK's banger and Harlem's own gangster Now that's danger there's nothing left to shape up Welcome to New York City, welcome to New York City
[Cam'Ron] Yo, there's a war going on outside, no man is safe from It don't matter if you three feet or eight-one You'll get eight from me, nine and straight blown Wig split, melon cracked, all that on day one Carry eight guns, two in the trunk Two in the waist, two in the ankle, two to just spank you You can jam with them jammers, blam with them blammers It's hot here, ask Mase he ran to Atlanta You think we know what life do, make wanna mold the cycle Drinkers they so delightful, blinging with so much ice In front of sparks, body of Castellano Block away watched by Gotti and Gravano It's la Cosa Nostra, someone close approach you They'll toast your gopher, bread loaf with shofer Old coke they raise up and snort, blayze up your fort Jay puff shine, cases was caught Midnight pick fights, they love a victim Watch him fore he watch you, Killa
[Chorus (Juelz Santana)] It's the home of 9-11, the place of the lost towers We still banging, we never lost power, tell 'em Welcome to New York City, welcome to New York City You all fucking with BK's banger and Harlem's own gangster Now that's danger there's nothing left to shape up Welcome to New York City, welcome to New York City [Cam'Ron] I'm from 101, west to Hunt 40th, this shit is live Fifth-floor, 56, you know the zip, district five You're on 22nd, you from two-one That's on Lennox, 7th ave was news one
[Jay-Z] Coverage I synethestry Got rise from defending me 'cause New York'll miss me if I'm locked in the penitentiary The judge said "Is this that thug, from the kit kat club?" But I got enough chips stacked up to make a bitch to pack up
[Cam'Ron] Killa, I pinch that button, I grip that snub to hit that thug Lay up in a pitch black tug, You looking at rich black thugs to get that love And we won't stop till I get back blood Holla at 'em Hov
[Jay-Z] I'm from Flushing, Marcy, Nostrand, Myrtle and Park Niggas'll drive by in the day, murder you in the dark That's why the Johnny gun I'm holding Wet niggas up like the johnny-pump is open Homie, I p