Brooklyn Beats: A Soundtrack for Our Favorite Borough

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"Hello Brooklyn 2.0"

Hello Brooklyn

How you doin’?

Where you goin’?

Can I come to?

—Jay-Z feat. Lil Wayne

PHOTOS BY ROBEL KASSA/PARADIGM84

"Brooklyn"

Sometimes I feel like my only friend

Is the city I live in, is beautiful Brooklyn

—Mos Def

"Brooklyn Blues"

Now I've come home to finish

finish my Brooklyn Blues

—Barry Manilow

“Brooklyn’s Finest"

Peep the style and the way the cops sweat us

The number one question is can the Feds get us?

—Jay-Z and Notorious B.I.G.

“Brooklyn Girls”

BK girls down wit that ride or die

So I always keep one right by my side

—Charles Hamilton

“Brooklyn (Go Hard)”

I'm a Brooklyn boy

I may take some gettin' use to

—Jay-Z ft. Santogold

"Lighters Up (Welcome to Brooklyn)"

In the concrete jungle

The strong stand and rumble

The weak fold and crumble

It's the land of trouble

—Lil' Kim

"Brooklyn"

You started with nothing but throwaways,
You couldn't live with me so you moved to,
Brooklyn

—Jessie Malin

“Brooklyn”

Brooklyn

Child of rhythm riding on a moonlit star

Brooklyn

Pretty daughter born with a smile

—Donna Summer

"Dienda"

Let the harmony ring

With the promise of spring

On a Brooklyn street

—Sting

"Somewhere in Brooklyn"

Little miss perfect sitting at the train stop,

Red nike high tops listening to hip-hop

—Bruno Mars

"Brooklyn Babies"

Growin' up as a Brooklyn baby,

This is how I live my life…

—RZA

"Kickin’ 4 Brooklyn"

That’s the thing about Brooklyn

They never get enough

Of the rap and the music

And all the good stuff

—MC Lyte

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