The Winner
Coolio Lyrics

It's time to take it to its full potential
It's time to realize your full potential and achieve your goals

Beat that
Do better than what you've done before

and drop some game on the instrumental
Tell some powerful truths in your message

and it's essential that you're listenin' close
It's important to listen carefully and learn well

I'm gonna tell your folk that the L.O.C. is smoke
I will tell people that the L.O.C. (Life of Crime) is meaningless

first things first since your date of birth
From the moment you were born, your worth was uncertain

you've been kinda confused about what your life is worth
You've not been certain about the value of your life

50 million times your weight in gold
Your life is incredibly valuable

you gotta take control
You need to take responsibility for your own life

'cause fools don't let it be owned
Fools don't take ownership of their own lives

you can do anything that you wanna do
You can achieve anything you set your mind to

all you gotta do is put your brain into it
All you need to do is apply yourself

take your time and educate your mind
Take the time to learn and grow intellectually

in the long run I'm sure you'll find
Eventually, you will see

that if you walk the walk you can talk the talk
If you live your beliefs, you will become more convincing

but don't wait too long 'cause life is short
Don't procrastinate, life is brief

and remember, no matter what they tellin' you
Don't listen to what other people say

if you try, you can be a winner too
If you put in the effort, you can succeed as well

Everybody rise men and women boys and girls
Everyone should take action

each one teach one but we can't save the world
Even though we can each teach others, we can't save everyone

all in one day you could take it play by play
You can take things step by step, day by day

and once you're on the path don't you ever go astray
Once you are on the right path, don't deviate from it

you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink
You can give someone opportunities, but you can't force them to take advantage of it

you can give a man some wisdom but you can't make him man think
You can give someone advice, but you can't force them to think for themselves

a stitch in time says nine
Preventing a small problem from getting bigger is smart

the early bird gets the worm
Those who act quickly get rewards

but all you can think about is gettin' an essential number
All you can think about is getting a high grade or score

if knowledge is power and power is knowledge, then
If knowledge is power, and power is knowledge,

how so many Indians be graduating from colleges
Why are so many Indians graduating from college then?

better to be silent and be thought a fool
It's better to keep quiet and avoid looking foolish

than to speak and remove all doubt
Than to speak and confirm everyone's doubts about you

know what I'm talkin' about
Do you understand what I am saying?

when opportunity knocks you better let him in and sit him on down
Don't miss out on good opportunities

and try to be his friend
Try to establish a relationship with opportunity

in order to be a veteran first you got to be a beginner
Everyone starts somewhere, even if it's at the beginning

but if you keep on pushin' you can be a winner
But if you stay motivated, you will succeed

Red yellow black white or brown
It doesn't matter anyone's ethnicity

if everybody mind their business we can all get down
If everyone focuses on their own problems, things will be better for everyone

it all starts at home
It begins with your personal life

'cause once they're grown they're gone
Once children grow up, they leave home

and once they on their own
Once they are independent

you gotta leave 'em alone
You need to let them handle their own lives

be a leader but if you can't be a leader
Be a follower if you can't lead

make sure your leader is a damn good teacher
If you choose to follow, make sure you choose a good person to learn from

and imagine if you was a car and life was a race
Imagine yourself and life as a race car

if somebody was holdin' your back then you would have to give 'em some space
If someone is holding you back, you need to distance yourself

put the pedal to the metal and match out low
Push yourself to go as fast as you can

but make sure you stay in your lane
Stay focused on your own life

and go stroke for stroke
Go at the same pace as those around you

we don't need no penalties or eliminations
We don't need punishments or exclusions

or disqualifications
Or being disqualified

what we need is penetrations
What we need is to get results

I know you heard this before but sometimes life is what you make it
You've heard this before, but life is your creation

ain't the one that's known for fakin' or perpetratin'
I'm real and honest

if Albert was a' Einstein and Phillis was a Diller
If someone else can be successful, so can you

and Michael Jackson was a thriller
If someone else can be exceptional, so can you

then you can be a winner
Then you can also be successful

Keep on pushin'
Keep working hard

movin' on up
Moving up in life

everybody we're movin' on up
Everyone is moving up in life

you're a winner
You are successful

Everybody rise men and women boys and girls
Everyone should take action

take your place in this world!
Take your place in society

Don't you let nobody stop you, no no!
Don't let anyone stop you from pursuing your goals

You got your ways
You have your own methods

I don't mind leavin' here to show the world we have no fear.
I don't mind leaving this place to show that we are not afraid

'cause we're movin' on up
We are moving up in life

Lord have mercy we're movin' on up
We are moving up in society with God's help

we're truth from the biblic lines
We are following the truth of the Bible

we're gonn' move on up
We are going to continue moving up in life

Keep on pushin'
Keep working hard

Lord, you're a winner
You are successful

Movin' on up!
Moving up in life