Biggest New York Song/Anthem?

[Almostlity]

Which track do you think is the biggest 'NY song' ever?

I'm not from NY myself so I can't really say which is the biggest but in my personal opinion, this one's pretty high on the list;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H7dxtPXLSQ

[dead prez]

Shook Ones part II

Well it's not exactly the biggest nor is it paying tribute to NY, just that it came from NY.

So if we're talking strictly biggest, independent of quality, and having to pay tribute to NY, than probably Empire State of Mind.

[FreeSpeech]

Biggest? Empire State Of Mind, easily. It the new New York, New York. Sinatra held that spot for decades.

[Sam.]

Biggest? Empire State Of Mind, easily. It the new New York, New York. Sinatra held that spot for decades.

exactly

[°[~CHR!$~]°]

French Montana ft Mase & Jadakiss - New York Minute

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-ss1Sm331w

[Sla]

Welcome To D-Block. Naaah, clearly ESOM.

[Edge]

New york state of mind by nas is one of the greatest songs ever, ny anthem or not... in ny it also matters what part ur from. If ur from queens ur gunna mention a nas song. Staten wu tang. Brooklyn biggie or jayz. As for most popular though its unfortuneatly empire state of mind

[stillmatic]

Empire State of Mind is not a New York hip hop anthem. It's the Hollywood anthem for New York. It's like saying The Karate Kid is THE movie that personifies martial arts.

Empire State of Mind is bigger outside of NY than it is here. The reaction the song generated has so much to do with the Yankees win in the World Series after years of disappointment, the fact that the song's release coincided exactly with the Yankees run was once in a 20-30 years type of timing and luck.

What needs to be distinguished here that a New York anthem is whether New York has to be referenced profoundly in the song or not, or if it's just a song that reflects the style and culture of East Coast hip hop.

If it's the former then Nas' New York State of Mind reflects East Coast hip hop better than any song ever written. If it's the latter, then Shook Ones II reigns supreme.

[stillmatic]

Which track do you think is the biggest 'NY song' ever?

I'm not from NY myself so I can't really say which is the biggest but in my personal opinion, this one's pretty high on the list;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H7dxtPXLSQ

It's undeniable that is a great song and did get people barking in the tunnel when it was released, but the legacy of that song is a unification of many big NY players to diss 50 Cent, rather than really acknowledge NY hip hop.

I mean people like Joe and Jada can say that wasn't a diss, but there was not one person here that didn't take that as anything but a diss.

Plus that song resulted in 2 careers being destroyed.

[stillmatic]

My personal (no general NY perceptions) top 10 NY anthems (where song is about the great NYC).

1. Nas - New York State of Mind
Definition of hip hop right here, the anthem for NY hip hop forever.

2. Grandmaster Flash - The Message
Still amazes me how some people don't really understand what this song is about. The song is about the life of certain pushers in New York and the X especially.

3. Run DMC ft. Nas & Prodigy - Queens Day
My favorite song about Queens and a track where people don't realize that at the time Nas and P weren't even on good terms, but when the kings of Rock come calling, you're gonna put everything aside. Legendary artists, legendary verses. No boasting or anything here, simply paying homage to the greatest place on earth.

4. Alicia Keys ft. Nas & Rakim - Streets of New York
Probably the best lineup of artists ever on a track. An R&B goddess in Ms. Keys, the King of NY in Nas and the God MC in Rakim, with DJ Premier on the beat with the sample of the greatest NY song ever

5. Jay-Z - Brooklyn (we go hard)
One of Hov's best ever songs, and my favorite Jay-Z song not off Reasonable Doubt or Blueprint. What a song. Hypnotizing beat, great lyrics, and just that pure tunnel banging music. The second verse (especially the Jackie Robinson line) is flawless and some of Hov's best work. This was black hoodie rap, Bed-Stuy deserved this track.

6. Gangstarr - NY Strait Talk
(Snip Second verse). Dear Dirty South. True if you can make it out here, you can make it anywhere/That means a lot of rappers, they should stay away from here/Cause we still care, about the total artform/Niggaz could sell more records but they still can't flip a live forum/Plus everybody out here ain't talkin true shit either/Mad niggaz is fakin jacks, I don't like them neither.Regards, Guru. The best stand-up for NY song.

7. Jay-Z ft. Biggie - Brooklyn's Finest
Okaaaaaaaay, I'm reloaded. This is not up the very top of the list because it's not a typical NY anthem, as a song yeah it's better than almost every song so far on my list, but as a NY type anthem song, it's not as good as the ones above. Jigga as Carlito and Biggie as Frank White, what could go wrong? Gotta admit, the BK was dominant at this point.

8. Beastie Boys - An Open Letter to NYC
Yeah this wasn't Beastie Boys in their prime, and they do have better "songs" about NY than this, but this is their best typical NY rap anthem. The references in the song are obvious to a lot of NY'ers, and that's what makes it so much better. One love to the white boys.

9- 50 Cent ft. LL Cool J, Mobb Deep & Kool G Rap - Queens
Bangin' beat from Havoc which features Queens and NY legends (and Tony Yayo). If Banks was on this (as intended) instead of Yayo, it would have been higher up. Fif's ability to make tunnel banging music in the non NY hip hop era will forever be remembered in NY. LL's diss at Hov is big deal here that def got people jumpin' too.

10 - Pharoahe Monch - Queens
You don't have to do the math in....Souuuuuuthsideeeee. Dope chill Queens track. Flawless track overall, and a great NY anthem. Monch has a ridiculously flawless catalog.

[M15HKA]

NY State of Mind.

[slimfan94]

NY State of Mind. Im actually listening to Illmatic right now

[Almostlity]

NY State of Mind. Im actually listening to Illmatic right now

Lies, you'r listening to Recovery.

[Slim Fiasco]

NY State Of Mind.

[Fiftys_Advocate]

NY State Of Mind.

no doubt