Angel angel of Harlem It was a cold and wet December day When we touched the ground at JFK Snow was melting on the ground On BLS I heard the sound Of an angel New York, like a Christmas tree Tonight this city belongs to me

Now lightning strikes in old New York It may be dark but I want to talk It might rain, it might snow Too many things I got to know If this is spring than it's time to sing Never mind the l'il birdies wing Look out, look out, old New York New York's

*Nas talking* "The light is there." See I come from Mississippi I was young and runnin' wild Ended up in New York City, where I had my first child I named the boy Nasir, all the boys call him Nas I told him as a youngster, he'll be the greatest man

That shares our fate and deserves our pity I don't want to remember it all Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on There's a room in a hotel in New York City And there's a jet black crow droning on and on and on Up above our heads droning on and on and on The

I've played every beer joint tavern From New York City out to Pasadena Every corn dog fair and rodeo And sold out every basketball arena In Afghanistan and Baghdad City too Graduate of Honky Tonk you My grandmother owned a night club On the

New York at night Empire high Its got me coming alive Baby you're like That Uptown something Girl you're like a model on a Soho street Walking on air like you own it That electric energy Something tells me you're gonna keep me going til the morning light

Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now Crimson flames tied through my ears, rollin' high and mighty traps Pounced with fire on flaming roads using ideas as my maps "We'll meet on edges, soon," said I, proud 'neath heated brow

I've played every beer joint tavern From New York City out to Pasadena Every corn dog fair and rodeo And sold out every basketball arena In Afghanistan and Baghdad City too Graduate of Honky Tonk you My grandmother owned a night club On the

New York, New York To find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap Are melting away I'll make a brand new start of it In old New York If I can make it there I'll make it anywhere Start spreading the news I'm leaving today I want to be a part of it, New

New York state of mind I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death Rappers I monkey flip em with the funky rhythm I be kicking Musician, inflicting composition Of pain I'm like Scarface sniffing cocaine Holding a M-16, see with the pen I'm extreme,