Manifest Destiny [2004]

[ Ces ]
You are about to enter
the manifestation of a family cipher
The Urban Thermo Dynamics
is about to hit you right about now

[ VERSE 1: Ces ]
I'm just here to let you all know
I got the flow and the locks that grow
I love the nappy heads, the braids and afros
Kicks Adidas, jeans Girbaud
This is how we go and this is how we do
This how we be, we are the big U
You don't know me and I don't know you
But if you wanna set it, do what you gotta do
I keep my flow with the one and two
That equals three, first letter C
Second letter e, last joint s
Styles manifest from Key West to Budapest
Nevertheless don't need no S on my chest
"Yo, why Ces?" Cause I'm superblessed
Save all the stress 'fore I clean up the mess
And if it ain't no, then it must be yes
And if it's the bomb, then it must be Ces
And if it's the bomb, then it must be Ces
I got the exposure to keep my composure
I'm meetin quotas from Minnesota to Dakota
Takin no shit from the rap promoter
Cause if they ever try to, they shit is over
Murky mixture, what's goin on?
I leave the party bumpin till the break of dawn
Break of dawn, break ya down
Yo Mister [Name], I like that sound
Put on the weight cause it's more than a pound
So if you want some of what I have
Meet me on [Name] or Fulton Ave
Or Albee Square, a hop from the D
Manifest Destiny, it must be (What?)
Manifest Destiny, it must be (What?)
So check it out

[ VERSE 3: Mos Def ]
Well if it ain't red, then it must be blue
And if it ain't false, then it must be true
And if it ain't day, then it must be night
And if it ain't left, then it must be right
And if it ain't ( ? ) then it must be hype
And if it ain't loose, then it must be tight
And if it ain't off, then it must be on
If it ain't here, then it must be gone
If the shit ain't proper, then it must be wrong
Whatever don't fit does not belong
Sunrise to sunset, that's dawn to dusk
The big U, a name that you can trust
The big U, a name that you can trust
The big U, a name that you can trust
Lay around on the middle ground, kid, you could die
It's game time, son, you better choose yo side
Half-measure will no abide
If you ain't all the way live, then step aside
The deep Medina Green is where I reside
And it's about time that this Brooklynite
Took the mic and made the world get hype
You wanna be hardcore, try livin right
Man, niggas be puttin up a hell of a fight
Many times I stumble off the righteous path
But ( ? ) on my ass
But I promise on high plains I take the rocks
I got the ( ? ), I will not be stopped
I gotta manifest des', what ock, you think not?
The verbal juggernauts will make a party lick shot
I tread a road more narrow than a ( ? )
Comin from the bottom, so I'm risin to the top
What, and you don't stop

[ CHORUS: Ces, DCQ ]
Self-actualize and realize, do what you got to do
If you can see it, you can be it, manifest, it's up to you
Everbody self-actualize and realize, do what you got to do
If you can see it, you can be it
If your mind can go there, then why can't you?
If your mind can go there, then why can't you?
If your mind can go there, then why can't you?

[ VERSE 3: DCQ ]
Nowadays heads be makin me mad
Talk a good game but they legs is bad
Yappin at the mouth with the wish I had
Hops, do yourself a favor and get off your ass
You ( ? ) in between
Runnin round town sellin dreams and beans
Screamin word is bond, but what's your word worth?
Before you indict yourself, fool, think first
And if it's my word, then it must be bond
And if it's my word, then it must be bond
And if it's my word, then it must be bond
And the word is, the big U got it goin on
Cause in the ( ? ) we takin down vultures
Peace to all those who represent the culture
To the kings and the queens of the universe
Aiyo, we gotta shine the light, aight?
Aiyo, we gotta shine the light, aight?
Aiyo, we gotta shine the light, aight?

[ CHORUS ]

[ INTRO: Mos Def ]
Baba-baba-baba-baba-baba, you been so good to me
When I was a little boy you were the only one I wanted to be
To be like pa duke and ma duke
How much I love the both of you
I know all the strain we been through
But it's of no consequence cause we're comin through

[ VERSE 1: Mos Def ]
Check it
I first studied my kung fu in the Brakalak
In the center of ( ? )
This had to be about ten years back
Before I ever even heard of a 24 track
Talkin about you was an MC was not the move
Cause if you said you had skill, well then you had to show and prove
And if there ever was a party, son yo, I would set it
And tell the DJ run the beat from (Ultra-magnetic)
I grab the mic and then I leave the party buzzin
Tellin all the honeys I was Slick Rick's cousin
When they knew I wasn't, but I had no shame
Pa, you know the name, the Mos always had game
Back in the day of the Rap Attack
When brothers knew how to act, before glocks and crack
And Vandy see was doin radio shows
And 'crossover' meant that you wore your mom's clothes
When Sweet G was talkin about the games that people play
I used to sit back and say: yeah indeed, someday
And as I grew older my kung fu grew better
Instead of shootin the humbles I was shootin ( ? )
And now my time has come
And now hip-hop's an industry polluted by bums
Posin with guns, they're puffin mad blunts
Aiyo, brothers just started rhymin last month
They gettin fat deals on any major label
When they only seen other people hold the mic cable
Five years ago when we was dancin house
When the DJ played hip-hop, then you walked out
But now you're hard, talkin about you paid mad dues
I used to see your ass abused wearin platform shoes
I ain't confused, who you think you're foolin with that get-up?
You ain't genuine, so don't waste your time
Riffin over here cause there ain't no chance
That you could break the sound, son, you ain't that advanced
Times are gettin critical across the land
Don't provide the be -boy, introduce the be -man - understand?
The M-o-s D is who I am, now check it out, y'all

[ CHORUS ]
My kung fu is the style you haven't mastered

[ VERSE 2: DCQ ]
At the age of 18 made a little money
And I needed some advice on how to live my life
Was goin through strife, people couldn't understand
That I was comin into my own, becomin a man
I had to have a plan cause I know what I'm here for
So I can't waste time, y'all
Gotta be on the ball and represent for my peeps
(Where?) In the streets!
I make beats and kick facts over fat tracks
It's all of that from the Brakalak
Goin through problems as a adolescent
A lot of troubles and turmoils, there was persistence
And I know that I stutter
But it don't matter cause I'm a bad -
I flip a verse either backwards, sideways
I rocks my [edited] from here, Mondays, Fridays
Saturdays and I get a weekend off
My [edited] ain't soft
(Well, excuse me, baby)
You paid your dues cause I'm the boss
So mother[edited] Bruce Springsteen and Diana Ross
Because they know what the time is
I rock [edited] for the fly kids, be -men, bouncin bass bombastics
Kick it drastic, you get tossed like an ash, kid
Youknowmsayin?

[ CHORUS ]

[ VERSE 3: Ces ]
Well, I'm sleek and I freak a beat
For you and your peeps to bump inside your jeeps
Your Acura, Honda or whatever
Bump it in the Benzi and get your head together
Strollin down the F.D.R.
Playin the microphone star
Deep in your car
With the thump-diddy-thump-da-thump-da-thump-thump
Pop up the trunk and let the bass bump
If you ain't got a ride, well, that's alright
Let the you keep you company on your hike
Trekin down the ave with your headphones on
Take em off for a sec, you still feel gone
You're pressin rewind, many, many times
I must rock the mic cause it's only right
Comin right up off of Eastern ground
This is how you get down, I hope you like the sound
Thermo offering number one
There's more in store, there's more to come
We far from done, no, the show ain't over
So when we comin through, don't say I never told ya
That

[ CHORUS ]

[ 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 want to 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