"The City Is Mine" is the third single from rapper Jay-Z's second album In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. It features vocals from Blackstreet and production from Blackstreet member Teddy Riley. Riley samples "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else" by The Jones Girls for the song's beat, while Blackstreet interpolates "You Belong to the City" by Glenn Frey and Jack Tempchin for the song's chorus. In addition, a young Chad Hugo plays saxophone on this song. The first verse is dedicated to the memory of his friend, The Notorious B.I.G..
"The City Is Mine" was a little commercial success reaching #52 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #38 on the UK Singles Chart. It was panned by critics for its commercial nature and poor interpolation of Glenn Frey and Jack Tempchin's "You Belong to the City.". Allmusic's John Bush considers the beat to be the "most commercial" beat on In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 and the interpolation to be "unfortunate." Steve Juon of RapReviews.com describes that track as "some cotton candy sugary rap FLUFF" and its interpolation as a mistake, but still considers the lyrics to be "vintage Jigga."
The City may refer to:
The City is a 1994 Malayalam action film. Directed by I.V. Sasi, this film had a strong cast including Suresh Gopi, Urvashi, Lalu Alex, Ratheesh, Ahana and Anandaraj. The City is a police officer's fight against drug mafia and the dangerous trauma that he had to undergo. Despite a huge budget, this film was a big flop at the box office.
The first season of The City premiered on December 29, 2008 and concluded on March 16, 2009. It followed Whitney Port's move to New York City after leaving Los Angeles as she followed her dream job. Instead of ordering a complete 2nd season for The City MTV ordered 10 extra episodes to Season 1. Therefore, the so-called Season 2, is in fact Season 1, Part 2 which began on September 29, 2009 and thus forth concluding the entire first season on December 1, 2009. On December 1, 2009, on The Hills/The City Aftershow, Port confirmed there will be a second season coming soon.
In Part 1, Whitney Port of 'The Hills' moves from her hometown of Los Angeles, California to Manhattan. The first half follows her, best friend Erin, and boyfriend Jay while Port tackles her new job at global design house, Diane Von Furstenberg. Jays roommate, Adam, struggles in a relationship with his on/off girlfriend, Allie. Olivia, New York socialite, and Whitney's co-worker, deals with her cousin Nevan, who's living off of her for a while. Erin deals with an old boyfriend coming into her life, and Samantha "Sammy", is by her friends side through all the drama. Meanwhile the fashion world takes them all by storm daily in the fierce streets of New York. In the second half of season 1, newly single Port goes back to working for Kelly Cutrone while her friend/former co-worker, Olivia Palermo, is working at ELLE Magazine now. Whitney's old friend, Roxy, moves in with her and gets a job at People's Revolution, while Olivia has met her match, Erin K., at her new job. The second half focused more on the fashion world drama, instead of relationship drama. The road to Whitney's official launch of her clothing line "Whitney Eve" release was the main plot in this half of the season. The ratings went down some in the second half, but the series was picked up for a full second season run in December 2009.
Blackstreet
Miscellaneous
The City Is Mine
Jay-Z feat. BLACKstreet
Chorus:
BLACKstreet
You belong to the city
You belong to the night
In the middle of darkness
He's a man of the night
What the deal playboy just rest your soul
I be holding it down yo still love the dough
Got these ladies on the cock now you know how we go
Got the whole world unlocked now you know how we flow
Don't worry about Brooklyn I continue to flame
The whole world with amnesia you won't forget your name
You held it down long enough
Let me take those reigns
And just like the spirit of commision remains
Niggas cross the T's and dots the I's
Now that I got too popular to cop them pies
I'm taking this rap shit serious ****
Jay shits like cake mix watch me rise
Bay 6 in the basement waste it
Asking my dogs for a advice when he can't say shit
My hatred is for you just give me a sign
And I let the world know that the city is mine
Chorus
Y'all want to know how I flow just seeking you fine
I'm like a brain in a voicebox I speak my mind
About to redefine rap mommy, either I'm
The illest nigga doing it or these niggas is losing it
I read an article that said I was growing and shit
But every time I look, I'm moving units and quick
So I'm going to hit y'all with these last two and split
I leave niggas with nothing but my influences
**** I ain't mad yeah bite my shit
So half of what I sell because it's not quite my shit
I'm the type to buy a rodey and just ice my shit
On the spot what coming back twice the shit
I realize that a floss game still intact
A horse game you lame dudes can't feel that
Like the first dude'll cop the 850 and 89
And drove it up to 55th, the city is mine
Chorus
I snatch your girl 'cause your arm ain't strong enough
'Cause y'all don't stay in the studio long enough
I make hits while y'all stay hating and take bricks
Had it locked 'til I came in the club
Take 6 had your chick 'cause you swore she was innocent
Got her a Chinese manicure head down by Dominicans
All for what
So I could be in a dark corner
All in the butt at the bar alchoholing her up
I represent the lifestyle of those who third screen
Buck 50 in *** 13
Jay-Z, Roc-A-Fella, yo know the name
I ain't a player, get it right I'm controlling the game
From now until they blow holes in my frame
I'm going to stand firm, holding my aim, feel that?
I'm the focal point like Biggie in his prime
On the low though - Shhhhh!
The city is mine
Chorus (2x)
You belong
You belong
In the middle of darkness