(It's survival in the city) Yeah New York, New York
(When you live from day to day) Live in New York, New York
(City streets don't have much pity) In New York, New York
(When you drown that's where you'll stay) New York nigga, uh

I grew up on the New York crime side
Movin' up like The Jeffersons, up in that highrise
Brownsville to Red Hook, I link with Ike, guys
Call us gangstas, but we more like wiseguys
Before rap, I was hittin' that block hard
Serving crack to the fiends, they was hittin' that rock hard
Young nigga, that was coppin' from Uptown
Everything got shut down when your boy touched down
You can die real quick out here
Smokin' a lotta piff and drinkin' a lot of beer (word man)
Drug spots gettin' raided by the dirty cops
You either gettin' it poppin, or you gettin' popped
Blinded by the facts, I make you see the truth
I can go back to the hood when I leave the booth
And I grind out until I'ma old man (Yessir)
You only get one shot, you never get a second chance (Knah mean)

(It's survival in the city)
In New York, New York
(When you live from day to day)
Where we from, that's right, New York, New York
(City streets don't have much pity)
Born and raised in New York, New York nigga
(When you drown that's where you'll stay)
Yo, yo, ay yo