Chris Greenwood (best known as Manafest) is a rapper from Toronto Ontario C… Read Full Bio ↴Chris Greenwood (best known as Manafest) is a rapper from Toronto Ontario Canada.

He is also a skater, which led to his career in hip hop; after an accident in 1998, he took time to focus on rap and was noticed by Trevor McNevan of Ontario-based band Thousand Foot Krutch. This led to his signing to an internationally distributed label, BEC Recordings, and debut release Epiphany, which was made primarily of West Coast hip hop with several rapcore outings in the vein of Limp Bizkit.

He released two independent albums, Mislead Youth (2001) and My Own Thing (2003), prior to Epiphany in 2005. He has toured in Canada, the United States and Ireland to date.

His second album, Glory, emphasized rap-rock elements with more Linkin Park-esque nu metal, and included more authentic hip hop stylings.

Central themes of Manafest's music include nonconformity, hip hop culture, and walking with God.

Manafest says in regards to Glory that: "I wanted to allow all of my influences show on Glory. Musically, I wanted to blend the appeal of Linkin Park, Sum 41, and The Beastie Boys. Vocally, I wanted to merge that with popular hip hop à la Eminem and Kanye West. But beyond musical influence, I wanted to reflect on the issues around me in the most positive way possible. And whether I am talking about the loss of loved ones and abuse, or breakdancing and skate culture, it's all for the glory of heaven. In the end, my prayer is that people would not simply bob their heads to this, but feel a very real sense of healing from the words. However, this record is not all serious. Some of my favorite tracks are the most lighthearted ones."

Dreams
Manafest Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Dreams are still alive
They don't ever die
Close your eyes and imagine it right now
We got to keep dreaming we giving life meaning
Staying clear of the lies

I wasn't suppose to be here, compose and flow here
Perform for your ears saying ah yeah's

My dream was to skate, Cali calling my name
Who'd a thought my foot would break, me limping in pain?
I ate my own pride, when I started to rhyme
Mamma told me ye got to grow up can't skate all your life
Picture me history is shaping me sifting me,
Changing me to a man, Xing out all my plans
Not what I wanted my dreams was so different
I deal with what I'm giving not trying to be him or him

Dreams are still alive
They don't ever die
Close your eyes and imagine it right now
We got to keep dreaming we giving life meaning
Staying clear of the lies

I used to fantasize a lot about what I don't got
Chick on my arm even a necklace with a cross
I didn't have money, No dad and only mommy
To raise two kids, even my toes looked funny
I thought I missed out when really I'm on clouds
I did my work while all my friends went out
I didn't party much I think I touched drugs once
My buddies all laughing at me about that Christ Jesus stuff
Now if you seen us how the cards of switched hands
They sleep at their parents while I'm living in first class
Every night I'd always pray to God for tomorrow
Who'd thought I'd be married lying next to a model
Crazy how I elevated everyday celebrating
Dreams do come true exercise patience

Life is kind a bitter ain't it, it's full a pain and changes
Parking tickets that tick us off and leave you tainted
Heart pumping, your thinking of jumping
Devils hunting don't do it cousin
You don't know what is forth coming
Brighter days a higher raise
Light the fire play the game
Regroup or hide ye face
That's why I'm authentic that's why ye need effort
Credit is deserved, I re-worked my world
If everything worked out the way I first wanted
I'd a married the wrong chick and I'd been stuck think
Life's embarrassed ye, laughed and stared at ye
In the end it only builds up your character

You know what I'm saying man, everybody's got an opinion in this industry
You got to just do what you know, don't let know one tell you nothing, hold on to your dreams and feel it go for it

Overall Meaning

Manafest’s song "Dreams" is about the importance of having dreams and pursuing them in the face of obstacles and setbacks. The chorus “Dreams are still alive, They don’t ever die, Close your eyes and imagine it right now, We got to keep dreaming we giving life meaning, Staying clear of the lies” highlights the message of the song, encouraging people to keep dreaming and not give up on their goals even when things get tough.

The first verse is about Manafest’s personal journey and how his dream of becoming a professional skateboarder was dashed when he broke his foot. He had to eat his pride and find a different path in life, which led him to music. The line “Picture me history is shaping me sifting me, Changing me to a man, Xing out all my plans” shows how life can take unexpected turns and shape us in ways we may not have planned.

In the second verse, Manafest talks about how he used to fantasize about material possessions he didn’t have, but in reality, he was on a better path. He worked hard while his friends partied and eventually he achieved success. The line “Dreams do come true exercise patience” emphasizes the importance of patience and perseverance in achieving one’s dreams.

Overall, the song is a motivational anthem for anyone who is striving to achieve their goals despite setbacks and obstacles.

Line by Line Meaning

Dreams are still alive
Dreams never die and still exist in everyone.

They don't ever die
The possibility of achieving our dreams is constant and unchanging.

Close your eyes and imagine it right now
Visualize and focus on your dreams at this moment.

We got to keep dreaming we giving life meaning
Dreams are essential in giving our lives purpose.

Staying clear of the lies
Avoid the falsehoods and misconceptions that may hinder us from our dreams.

I wasn't suppose to be here, compose and flow here
The singer did not expect to be in the music industry, writing lyrics and performing songs.

Perform for your ears saying ah yeah's
Rap for the audience and see their positive reactions.

My dream was to skate, Cali calling my name
The artist originally aspired to be a professional skateboarder and was attracted to California's skateboarding scene.

Who'd a thought my foot would break, me limping in pain?
The artist's foot injury disrupted his original dream of becoming a skateboarder.

I ate my own pride, when I started to rhyme
The artist had to let go of his pride and ego to pursue a career in rap.

Mamma told me ye got to grow up can't skate all your life
The singer's mother urged him to mature and move on from skateboarding.

Picture me history is shaping me sifting me,
The artist reflects on how his past experiences have played a role in shaping his life.

Changing me to a man, Xing out all my plans
The singer's life experiences have reshaped his original plans and ideas of what he wanted to do with his life.

Not what I wanted my dreams was so different
The singer realizes his current life path is not what he originally wanted, and his dreams have changed.

I deal with what I'm giving not trying to be him or him
The singer accepts his current circumstances and focuses on his own journey, rather than trying to be like anyone else.

I used to fantasize a lot about what I don't got
The artist used to have a lot of materialistic desires and wanted things he didn't have.

Chick on my arm even a necklace with a cross
The artist wanted a girlfriend and a necklace with a cross as a symbol of status.

No dad and only mommy to raise two kids, even my toes looked funny
The singer had a tough upbringing with a single mother and various physical insecurities.

I thought I missed out when really I'm on clouds
The singer thought he missed out on certain experiences, but in reality, he is happy with his current life.

I did my work while all my friends went out
The artist worked hard towards his goals while his friends were out partying.

I didn't party much I think I touched drugs once
The artist did not participate in partying often and only experimented with drugs once.

My buddies all laughing at me about that Christ Jesus stuff
The artist's friends made fun of his belief in Christianity.

Now if you seen us how the cards of switched hands
The singer's life has changed drastically since his youth and things are different now.

They sleep at their parents while I'm living in first class
While the artist's friends may still be dependent on their parents, the artist is living luxuriously.

Every night I'd always pray to God for tomorrow
The singer is religious and prays to God every night for the future.

Who'd thought I'd be married lying next to a model
The singer achieved his dream of marrying someone who he deems beautiful and successful.

Crazy how I elevated everyday celebrating
The singer is proud of how far he has come and celebrates his achievements.

Dreams do come true exercise patience
Dreams can become a reality, but it takes time and patience to get there.

Life is kind a bitter ain't it, it's full a pain and changes
Life can be difficult and painful with unexpected changes.

Parking tickets that tick us off and leave you tainted
Small things like parking tickets can be frustrating and affect one's mood.

Heart pumping, your thinking of jumping
The singer may feel overwhelmed and overwhelmed to the point of wanting to give up.

Devils hunting don't do it cousin
The devil or negative thoughts may be tempting, but the artist suggests not giving in to them.

You don't know what is forth coming
The future is uncertain and unpredictable.

Brighter days a higher raise
The future may hold better and more prosperous days.

Light the fire play the game
Stay motivated and pursue your goals.

Regroup or hide ye face
Take a break or step back if necessary.

That's why I'm authentic that's why ye need effort
The singer values authenticity and putting in hard work towards one's goals.

Credit is deserved, I re-worked my world
The singer deserves credit for doing the work to change and improve his life.

If everything worked out the way I first wanted
The singer acknowledges that if his life went according to his original plan, things may have not turned out as well.

I'd a married the wrong chick and I'd been stuck think
If things went differently, the artist may have married the wrong person and felt trapped.

Life's embarrassed ye, laughed and stared at ye
Life may make one feel embarrassed, laughed at, or judged.

In the end it only builds up your character
Challenging experiences can ultimately help shape and improve one's character.

You know what I'm saying man, everybody's got an opinion in this industry
The music industry is full of varying opinions and perspectives.

You got to just do what you know, don't let know one tell you nothing, hold on to your dreams and feel it go for it
Stick to what you believe and what you know, don't let others' opinions stop you from following your dreams.

Contributed by Oliver M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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TRACKS