Victory

[ Mos Def ] This is for all of you This is for all of you This is for all of you For all of you ALL of you ALL [ VERSE 1: Mos Def ] Ever since I was small I played the wall The loner type, even as a little tike While the other little kids were out at play I was home wishing for a rainy day I didn't have friends cause I barely even spoke My head was mad out on a ( ? ) float Surrounded all sides by thieves and crooks I found a little peace in stars and books My outside contact was limited Cause I was different and heads couldn't get with it I used to get mistaken for the stove But all I really ever wanted was some love Remember many ( ? ) many tears That I kept inside for so many years All the galactic intuition I learned the skill of bein self-sufficient Heads got live while I took the jay I watched the sky and let the daytime fade Go through a whole 24 hours of sorrow Lay down and do the shit all again tomorrow Keepin composure is a way ( ? ) I'm smilin in your face, all my chest is hurtin I wanna be nice but that shit ain't workin Turn off the light and draw the curtain Will I find peace, son, I'm not certain In dark, quiet places feelings go Beatin you down all hard and slow Oh-oh-oh-oh... oh [ Ces ] I'm tired of these devils [ DCQ ] Victory is not granted to the swift and mighty, you know what I'm sayin [ Ces ] That's what the devil wants It wants you to be afraid [ DCQ ] You can get hot, but can you sustain the heat? [ Ces ] That's how you lose your power [ Mos Def ] Where is the power available to you? [ DCQ ] Things that rise too quickly, fall even faster [ Ces ] Maintain, maintain, maintain [ DCQ ] Things that rise too quickly fall even faster [ Ces ] Maintain, maintain, maintain Maintain, maintain, maintain [ VERSE 2: Ces ] The night brings courage and solutions Images and dramatic conclusions I play back a hundred thousand scenes Cut the proper sneer and practice bein mean I've taken too many a loss Man, fuck patience, it's time to excercise force It's the last thing heads would expect If they won't give it to me, I'm takin my respect And I'm usin all means at hand Cause apparently muthafuckas don't understand They don't know the fury behind the meekness Mistakin my kindness for weakness Well peep this: It's a bright new day And we gon' do it this way Call me MD with revenge prognosis I'm handin out justice in powerful doses Comin out the deck with aces and jokers Flushing whoever comes closest Strictly hands over ears when you try to make amends I got my pad and pen, so who the hell needs friends? You think I'm on some shit? You're goddamn right My area of peace is like mad airtight Attempt to trespass my radius, and we gon' have to fight My heart is too heavy for you to take me light I exit sufferer status (aight?) So if you thought otherwise, I'ma let you know That when the tables turn, they movin hard and slow [ Ces ] I'm tired of these devils [ DCQ ] Victory is not granted to the swift and mighty, you know what I'm sayin [ Ces ] That's what the devil wants It wants you to be afraid [ DCQ ] You can get hot, but can you sustain the heat? [ Ces ] That's how you lose your power [ Mos Def ] Where is a power available to you? [ DCQ ] Things that rise too quickly, fall even faster [ Mos Def ] Maintain, maintain, maintain [ Ces ] Maintain Maintain, maintain, maintain [ DCQ ] Victory is not granted to the swift and mighty, you know what I'm sayin? [ Ces ] Maintain, maintain, maintain When they resist, I persist [ DCQ ] You can get hot, but can you sustain the heat? [ Ces ] When they resist, I persist [ DCQ ] Things that rise too quickly, fall even faster [ Ces ] Maintain, maintain, maintain Maintain, maintain, maintain This power is available to you