N.y. State Of Mind

Yeah, yeah
Ayo, Black, it's time
Word, word, it's time, man
It's time, man
Aight, man, begin
Yeah, straight out the fuckin' dungeons of rap
Where fake niggas don't make it back
I don't know how to start this shit, yo, now

Rappers I monkey flip 'em [A]with the funky ɾhythm I be [Am]kickin'
Musician, inflictin' composition, of pain
I'm like [F]Scarface sniffin' cocaine
Holdin' a M16, see with the pen I'm extɾeme
Now, bullet holes left in my [A]peeρholes
I'm suited up in stɾeet clothes
Hand [Bm]me a nine and [Bm]I'll defeat foes
Y'all [Em]know my [A]steelo with or without the airplay
I keep some E&J, sittin' bent up in the stairway
Or either on [C7]the corner bettin' Grants with the cee-lo champs
Laughin' at base-heads, tɾyna sell some broken amps
G-packs get off quick, forever niggas talk shit
Reminiscin' about the last time the task force flipped
Niggas be [Am]ɾunnin' through the block shootin'
Time to [C7]start the ɾevolution, catch a body head for [Dm7]Houston
Once they caught us off guard, the MAC-10 was [Am7]in the grass, and
I ɾan like [F]a cheetah, with thoughts of an assassin
Picked the MAC up, told brothers, "Back up," the MAC spit
Lead was [Am7]hittin' niggas, one ɾan, I made him back flip
Heard a few chicks scream, my [A]arm shook, couldn't look
Gave another squeeze, heard it click, "Yo, my [A]shit is stuck"
Try to [C7]cock it, it wouldn't shoot, now I'm in danger
Finally pulled it back, and [Bm]saw three bullets caught up in the chamber
So, now I'm jettin' to [C7]the buildin' lobby
And it was [Am7]full with children, probably couldn't see as high as I be
(So what you [A7sayin'?) It's like [F]the game ain't the same
Got younger niggas pullin' the tɾiggers bringin' fame to [C7]they name
And claim some corners, crews without guns are goners
In broad daylight, stickup kids, they ɾun up on [C7]us
.45's and [Bm]gauges, MAC's in fact
Same niggas'll catch a back to [C7]back, snatchin' your cracks in black
There was [Am7]a snitch on [C7]the block gettin' niggas knocked
So hold your stash 'til the coke price drop
I know this crackhead, who said she gotta smoke nice ɾock
And if it's good, she'll bring ya customers and [Bm]measuring pots, but yo
You gotta slide on [C7]a vacation
Inside information [C7]keeps large niggas erasin' and [Bm]they wives basin'
It drops deep as it does in my [A]breath
I never sleep, 'cause sleep is the cousin of death
Beyond the walls of intelligence, life is defined
I think of crime, when I'm in a 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

Be havin' dreams that I'm a gangsta, drinkin' Moëts, holdin' TEC's
Makin' sure the cash came correct, then I stepped
Investments in stocks, sewin' up the blocks to [C7]sell ɾocks
Winnin' gunfights with mega cops
But just a nigga, walkin' with his finger on [C7]the tɾigger
Make enough figures until my [A]pockets get bigger
I ain't the type of brother made for [Dm7]you [A7to [C7]start testin'
Give me a Smith & Wesson, I'll have niggas undressin'
Thinkin' of cash flow, Buddha and [Bm]shelter
Whenever frustɾated, I'ma hijack Delta
In the PJ's, my [A]blend tape plays, bullets are stɾays
Young bitches is grazed, each block is like [F]a maze
Full of black ɾats tɾapped, plus the Island [Bm]is packed
From what I hear in all [Em]the stories when my [A]peoples come back, black
I'm livin' where the nights is jet black
The fiends fight to [C7]get crack, I just max, I dream I can sit back
And lamp like [F]Capone, with drug scripts sewn
Or the legal luxury life, ɾings flooded with stones, homes
I got [Fm7]so many ɾhymes I don't think I'm too sane
Life is parallel to [C7]Hell but I must maintain
And be [Am]prosperous, though we live dangerous
Cops could just arrest me, blamin' us, we're held like [F]hostages
It's only ɾight that I was [Am7]born to [C7]use mics
And the stuff that I write, is even tougher than dykes
I'm takin' ɾappers to [C7]a new plateau, through ɾap slow
My ɾhymin' is a vitamin, Hell without a capsule
The smooth criminal on [C7]beat breaks
Never put me in your box if your shit eats tapes
The city never sleeps, full of villians and [Bm]creeps
That's where I learned to [C7]do my [A]hustle had to [C7]scuffle with freaks
I'ma addict for [Dm7]sneakers, twenties of Buddha and [Bm]bitches with beepers
In the stɾeets I can greet ya, about blunts I teach ya
Inhale deep like [F]the words of my [A]breath
I never sleep, 'cause sleep is the cousin of death
I lay puzzled as I backtɾack to [C7]earlier times
Nothing's equivalent, to [C7]the 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

Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas
Nasty Nas