Emily O`Connell

Ms. Caruso
English 1101

26 September 2011
Rhetorical Analysis
'Empire State oI Mind by Jay-z is a rap song that represents New York City. I chose to
write about this song because I am Irom New York and I am a Yankees Ian, and this song is
oIten played at their games. I think that this text is worthwhile to address because it is a good
song and a lot oI people like it, and when I look deeper into the song I see that it is extremely
inspiring and entertaining.
A purpose oI the song is to inspire the citizens oI New York and the people who are there
to visit. It inspires people when it says New York is the 'concrete jungle where dreams are
made and 'there`s nothing you can`t do, now you`re in New York.(Empire State oI Mind)
These parts oI the song are explaining how many opportunities you have in New York City. It is
a big city, and there are so many diIIerent things to do and so many successIul people there that
can help you. Many people come to New York to make their dreams come true, like actors,
singers, Iashion designers, and even athletes. These people Iound their inspiration in New York
City, and the song is trying to encourage other people to Iollow their example and come to New
York to IulIill their dreams.
Another purpose oI the song is entertainment. This purpose is well carried out because it
is a very popular song and it has been played on TV, the radio, and many other places, including
sports events like the New York Yankees and New York Knicks games. The song mentions the
Knicks in it, which makes it popular with their Ians. The line 'Sitting courtside, Knicks and Nets
give me high Iives makes it seem like the Knicks/Nets like Jay-z and the song, so their Ians will
probably like it too (Empire State oI Mind). The Ians would assume that iI their Iavorite players
like Jay-z, then they like his music, and so the Ians would probably check out his songs. It also
mentions the Yankees in the lines 'Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game, Shit I made
the Yankee hat more Iamous than a Yankee can (Empire State oI Mind, Jay-z). The Ians like
that the song represents their team, and it was even played when the Yankees won the World
Series. The song is used to entertain Yankees Ians during game breaks and aIter the game is
over.
I associate this song with how people Ieel connected to New York, iI they live there or
even iI they are just there to visit. Everyone is there Ior something diIIerent, but they are all very
important. They Ieel a special connection to New York City because it is the place where they
went to Iind their talent. The line 'Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons whipping pastry
reaches out to the cheIs, bakers, and people in the cooking industry (Empire State oI Mind).
'Right there up on Broadway is talking about Broadway and all oI the actors and theatrical
people (Empire State oI Mind). Jay-z is mentioning the models and the people in the Iashion
industry in the line 'En Vogue with your skin out (Empire State oI Mind). Another line, 'came
here Ior school, graduated to the high liIe means that people come to New York City Ior
expensive private high schools and colleges, and then they expect to graduate and Iind their place
somewhere in with the rich and Iamous (Empire State oI Mind, Jay-z). All oI these lines in the
song represent totally diIIerent careers and liIestyles, and it shows how many diIIerent types oI
people are in New York trying to pursue their dreams. There are cheIs, bakers, actors, models,
Iashion designers, students, and even wealthy people that go to New York City to search Ior
something more in their lives.
The Iact that Jay-z is the artist oI the song adds meaning to it. He is Irom New York, so
the listeners know that he is connected to New York and that he has experienced most oI the
things he sings about. He says 'tell by my attitude that I am most deIinitely Irom; in New York
(Empire State oI Mind, Jay-z). It is important to them that Jay-z has lived there and knows what
he is talking about, instead oI just making up the song based on things he has heard. It also might
inspire people to know that a very Iamous music artist grew up in the same city as them. Jay-z
himselI is living prooI oI all oI the opportunities that you can Iind in New York City and the
connection that people Ieel towards the city.
Some people might react badly to this song because they dislike New York, have never
been there, have heard bad things about it, they do not like cities, or maybe they have been to
New York to try out Ior something and they were rejected. II any oI those were the case, then
they would probably completely disagree with most parts oI the song. They might see it as
bragging or acting like New York is better than the rest oI the country, or even the rest oI the
world. The line 'No place in the world that can compare could make them see it like that,
while other people would interpret that line as saying that New York City is one oI a kind and
diIIerent Irom any other city, but not necessarily better than any (Empire State oI Mind). Also,
people who love New York but hate rap music might not like the song. They could think that it
gives people the wrong idea about New York, because they might see the city in a diIIerent way
than Jay-z does.
II you compare the song to another text; a photo oI New York City; you will deIinitely
Iind some diIIerences. Although the photo achieves its purpose in showing what the city looks
like, it does not tell you nearly as much about New York as the song does. 'Empire state oI
mind gives many examples oI the liIestyle in New York City; it describes how people Ieel when
they are there and all oI the diIIerent things that people do Ior work and Ior play. The photo,
however, does not show those things. When looking at the photo oI New York City, you can tell
that the city is beautiIul and has a lot oI bright lights. You can tell that people ride around in
taxis, and that the city 'never sleeps and is very Iast paced. You can tell that many diIIerent
things are going on in the city, but you cannot tell what those things are just by looking at a
picture. ThereIore, it is saIe to say that the song 'Empire state oI mind by Jay-z is a better
representation oI New York City than a photo oI the city is.
In the song, Jay-z compares himselI to Frank Sinatra when he says 'I`m the new Sinatra
(Empire State oI Mind). He says this because beIore 'Empire state oI mind Frank Sinatra`s song
'New York, New York was a very popular song about New York that was played at sports
events and at other events in the city. When comparing the two songs, many people would agree
that Jay-z has succeeded in becoming the new Sinatra, because his song has become just as
popular and has even replaced Frank Sinatra`s song at some events. 'Empire state oI mind is
gets into the speciIics about New York City, unlike 'New York, New York. It talks about the
diIIerent groups oI people that live there, the diIIerent careers, it mentions the sports teams, and
it even mentions the Iamous landmarks (The World Trade Center, The Empire State Building,
Statue oI Liberty). Frank Sinatra`s song does not mention any oI them, it just says how New
York is the city that never sleeps and talks about why he likes it and why he wants to be there.
Like the photo, 'New York, New York does not tell as good oI a story as this song, which
makes 'Empire State oI Mind a better representation oI New York City.
Overall, 'Empire State oI Mind is a great representation oI New York City and it is a
Iavorite song to many oI its citizens. You can look at it as just a rap song that talks about New
York City, or you can realize how many people it closely touches and how it inspires you to go
to New York to try and live out your dreams. AIter all, 'there`s nothing you can`t do, now you`re
in New York (Empire State oI Mind, Jay-z).



Work Cited
'Empire State oI Mind Jay-z
'New York, New York Frank Sinatra
Empire State oI Mind Lyrics
Yea I'm out that Brooklyn, now I'm down in TriBeCa
right next to Deniro, but I'll be hood forever
I'm the new Sinatra, and... since I made it here
I can make it anywhere, yea, they love me everywhere
I used to cop in Harlem, all of my Dominicano's
right there up on Broadway, pull me back to that McDonald's
Took it to my stashbox, 560 State St.
catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons with them Pastry's
Cruisin' down 8th St., off white Lexus
drivin' so slow, but BK is from Texas
Me, I'm out that Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie
now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me
Say what's up to Ty-Ty, still sippin' mai tai's
sittin' courtside, Knicks & Nets give me high five
Nigga I be Spike'd out, I could trip a referee
Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from....

[Chorus: Alicia Keys]
New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothin' you can't do
Now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Let's hear it for New York, New York,
New York

[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game
Shit, I made the Yankee hat more famous then a Yankee can
You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though
but I got a gang of niggas walkin' with my clique though
Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we sellin' rock
Afrika Bambataa shit, home of the hip-hop
Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back
for foreigners it ain't for, they act like they forgot how to act
8 million stories, out there in it naked
City, it's a pity, half of y'all won't make it
Me, I got a plug, Special Ed "I Got It Made"
If Jeezy's payin' LeBron, I'm payin' Dwyane Wade
Three dice cee-lo, three Card Monty
Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley
Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade
Long live the King yo, I'm from the Empire State that's

[Chorus:]

[Verse 3: Jay-Z]
Lights is blinding, girls need blinders
so they can step out of bounds quick, the sidelines is
lined with casualties, who sip to life casually
then gradually become worse, don't bite the apple eve
Caught up in the in-crowd, now you're in style
Anna Wintour gets cold, in Vogue with your skin out
City of sin, it's a pity on the wind
Good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them
Mami took a bus trip, now she got her bust out
Everybody ride her, just like a bus route
Hail Mary to the city, you're a virgin
And Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church end
Came here for school, graduated to the high life
Ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight
MDMA got you feelin' like a champion
The city never sleeps, better slip you an Ambien

[Chorus:]

[Bridge: Alicia Keys]
One hand in the air for the big city
Street lights, big dreams, all lookin' pretty
No place in the world that could compare
Put your lighters in the air
Everybody say "yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah"