Dante Terrell Smith (born December 11, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York, United S… Read Full Bio ↴Dante Terrell Smith (born December 11, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York, United States), now known by the stage name Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def), is a Grammy Award-nominated rapper and actor. He now works under the nom de plum Yasiin Bey, and has performed under the aliases Mighty Mos Def, The Freaky Night Watchman, Boogie Man, Black Dante and Pretty Flaco. He began rapping in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics in 1994, and then formed the duo Black Star with Talib Kweli in 1998. As a solo artist he has released the albums Black on Both Sides in 1999, The New Danger in 2004, True Magic in 2006 and The Ecstatic in 2009. Initially recognized for his musical output, Mos Def's screen work since the early 2000s has established him as one of only a handful of rappers who have garnered critical approval for their acting work.
Rap career:
Mos Def began his performing career on the television show The Cosby Mysteries in 1994. In 1994, Mos also began his music career, forming the short-lived group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD) with his younger brother DCQ and his younger sister Ces. Despite being signed to Payday Records, the group only released two singles and the group's debut album, Manifest Destiny, did not see the light of day until 2004 when released through Illson Media. In 1996 he emerged as a solo artist, working with De La Soul and Da Bush Babees before releasing his own first single, "Universal Magnetic" which was a huge underground hit. After signing with Rawkus Records, he and Talib Kweli released a full length album under the band name Black Star, entitled Black Star. It was released in 1998, with Hi-Tek producing most of the tracks. Mos Def released his solo debut, Black on Both Sides, in 1999. Filled with tracks raving about his hometown, Brooklyn and his love for Hip-Hop, Black on Both Sides also deals with racial profiling of Black men in America, with the track Mr Nigga. Mos Def was also featured on Rawkus' influential The Lyricist Lounge and Soundbombing series compilations. After the collapse of Rawkus, Def along with Kweli signed on to Interscope/Geffen Records, who released his second album The New Danger in 2004. In early 2005 Mos Def was rumored to join Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella record label, but this was later denied by the artist himself claiming "Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella would never allow me to release songs I plan on putting out there. I ain't down with that commercial non-sense. I'm about to deal with the fake with my next album, from George Bush to 50 Cent." But, after making that comment, Mos Def was featured rapping on a SUV commercial, endorsing the GMC Denali. Mos Def is projected to release his last solo album on Geffen Records, The Undeniable Free Flaco in early 2006. His 4th studio album The Ecstatic was released June 9, 2009 on Downtown Records. It serves as Mos Def's second highest charting album to date. Upon its release, The Ecstatic received general acclaim from most music critics, and it earned Mos Def a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album. Rolling Stone magazine named it the seventeenth best album of 2009.
Impact on hip-hop
The artistic boundaries of hip-hop and rap music had been redefined by artists such as Brand Nubian, De La Soul, and Public Enemy, whose music was more thematically sophisticated and socially conscious than that of their predecessors. By the early 1990s however, this brand of rap had been eclipsed in popularity by gangsta rap. Socially aware rap music (alternative hip hop) has experienced something of a renaissance in the late 1990s and now the 2000s, in part due to artists such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, The Roots and others. "Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are … Blackstar" Mos Def's collaboration with Talib Kweli was released during the aftermath of the deaths of 2pac and The Notorious B.I.G. sparking a rebirth of "aware" and "intelligent" hip-hop. Def's music often references his Islamic faith and his contention that black artists receive little credit for their role in the birth of rock and roll music.
On Mos Def's 2004 album The New Danger, the rapper took his penchant for experimentation to a new level. Most of the songs were more hip-hop flavored stylings of Blues and Rock, with few actual raps thrown in. This threw off fans who were expecting another full-blown rap album. The New Danger also featured the controversial song "The Rape Over", a parody of Jay-Z's The Blueprint hit "The Takeover":
old white men is runnin this rap shit
corporate forces runnin this rap shit
some tall israeli is runnin this rap shit
we poke out our asses for a chance to cash in
cocaine, is runnin this rap shit
'dro, 'yac and e-pills is runnin this rap shit...
mtv is runnin this rap shit
viacom is runnin this rap shit
aol and time warner runnin this rap shit...
quasi-homosexuals is runnin this rap shit
The lyrics would seem to have chafed with higher-placed executives, who made Mos take the song off of later releases of the album, supposedly for "sample clearance issues".
In September 2005, Mos Def released the single "Katrina Clap" (utilizing the instrumental for Juvenile's "Nolia Clap"), a critical reaction to the lack of response by the Bush administration to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. He probably chose the "Nolia Clap" instrumental because the rapper Juvenile hails from New Orleans, and the song was a hit in the New Orleans area before the hurricane.
Mos Def also collaborated with Kanye West on West's track named "two words" and appeared in the music video.
Acting career
The first years of the 2000s have established Mos Def as a notable actor. His performances in Brown Sugar, Monster's Ball, and the HBO made-for-TV film Something The Lord Made have been particularly acclaimed by critics. Having been nominated for several awards, Mos finally broke through, winning Best Actor, Independent Movie at the 2005 Black Reel Awards for his portrayal of Sgt. Lucas in The Woodsman. He also landed the role of Ford Prefect in the long-awaited 2005 movie adaption of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Notably, in 2002 he played the role of Booth in Suzan-Lori Parks' Topdog/Underdog, a Tony-nominated and Pulitzer-winning Broadway play. He has also been a musical guest and participated in many skits on Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show.
In 2004, he hosted the MOBO awards in London, after the original presenter, Pharrell Williams pulled out at the last minute.
He has been the host of the award-winning spoken word show Def Poetry Jam since its inception. The show's sixth season aired in February 2007.
Discography
* 1998 Black Star (released with Talib Kweli under the name Black Star) Priority Records
* 1999 Black on Both Sides Rawkus Records
* 2004 The New Danger Geffen
o nominated for Best Urban/Alternative
Performance, 47th Annual Grammy Awards
* 2006 True Magic
* 2009 THE Ecstatic Downtown Records
* 2010 Mos Dub
Selected Filmography
* Cadillac Records (2009)
* Be Kind Rewind (2008)
* Talladega Nights (2006) (a quick cameo)
* Dreamgirls (2006)
* Bobby (2006)
* The Brazilian Job (2006) (pre-production)
* 16 Blocks (2006)
* The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005).
* Lackawanna Blues (2005)
* Something the Lord Made (2004)
o nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, 56th Annual Emmy Awards
o nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television, 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards
* Chapelle Show (? year) - Black Delegation Rep for Racial Draft
* The Woodsman (2004)
* The Italian Job (2003)
* Brown Sugar (2002)
* Civil Brand (2002)
* Showtime (2002)
* Monster's Ball (2001)
* Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001)
* Bamboozled (2000)
* Where's Marlowe? (1998)
In September 2011, Mos Def announced that he planned to use the name Yasiin Bey instead of Mos Def beginning in 2012.
http://www.myspace.com/mosdef
Rap career:
Mos Def began his performing career on the television show The Cosby Mysteries in 1994. In 1994, Mos also began his music career, forming the short-lived group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD) with his younger brother DCQ and his younger sister Ces. Despite being signed to Payday Records, the group only released two singles and the group's debut album, Manifest Destiny, did not see the light of day until 2004 when released through Illson Media. In 1996 he emerged as a solo artist, working with De La Soul and Da Bush Babees before releasing his own first single, "Universal Magnetic" which was a huge underground hit. After signing with Rawkus Records, he and Talib Kweli released a full length album under the band name Black Star, entitled Black Star. It was released in 1998, with Hi-Tek producing most of the tracks. Mos Def released his solo debut, Black on Both Sides, in 1999. Filled with tracks raving about his hometown, Brooklyn and his love for Hip-Hop, Black on Both Sides also deals with racial profiling of Black men in America, with the track Mr Nigga. Mos Def was also featured on Rawkus' influential The Lyricist Lounge and Soundbombing series compilations. After the collapse of Rawkus, Def along with Kweli signed on to Interscope/Geffen Records, who released his second album The New Danger in 2004. In early 2005 Mos Def was rumored to join Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella record label, but this was later denied by the artist himself claiming "Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella would never allow me to release songs I plan on putting out there. I ain't down with that commercial non-sense. I'm about to deal with the fake with my next album, from George Bush to 50 Cent." But, after making that comment, Mos Def was featured rapping on a SUV commercial, endorsing the GMC Denali. Mos Def is projected to release his last solo album on Geffen Records, The Undeniable Free Flaco in early 2006. His 4th studio album The Ecstatic was released June 9, 2009 on Downtown Records. It serves as Mos Def's second highest charting album to date. Upon its release, The Ecstatic received general acclaim from most music critics, and it earned Mos Def a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album. Rolling Stone magazine named it the seventeenth best album of 2009.
Impact on hip-hop
The artistic boundaries of hip-hop and rap music had been redefined by artists such as Brand Nubian, De La Soul, and Public Enemy, whose music was more thematically sophisticated and socially conscious than that of their predecessors. By the early 1990s however, this brand of rap had been eclipsed in popularity by gangsta rap. Socially aware rap music (alternative hip hop) has experienced something of a renaissance in the late 1990s and now the 2000s, in part due to artists such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, The Roots and others. "Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are … Blackstar" Mos Def's collaboration with Talib Kweli was released during the aftermath of the deaths of 2pac and The Notorious B.I.G. sparking a rebirth of "aware" and "intelligent" hip-hop. Def's music often references his Islamic faith and his contention that black artists receive little credit for their role in the birth of rock and roll music.
On Mos Def's 2004 album The New Danger, the rapper took his penchant for experimentation to a new level. Most of the songs were more hip-hop flavored stylings of Blues and Rock, with few actual raps thrown in. This threw off fans who were expecting another full-blown rap album. The New Danger also featured the controversial song "The Rape Over", a parody of Jay-Z's The Blueprint hit "The Takeover":
old white men is runnin this rap shit
corporate forces runnin this rap shit
some tall israeli is runnin this rap shit
we poke out our asses for a chance to cash in
cocaine, is runnin this rap shit
'dro, 'yac and e-pills is runnin this rap shit...
mtv is runnin this rap shit
viacom is runnin this rap shit
aol and time warner runnin this rap shit...
quasi-homosexuals is runnin this rap shit
The lyrics would seem to have chafed with higher-placed executives, who made Mos take the song off of later releases of the album, supposedly for "sample clearance issues".
In September 2005, Mos Def released the single "Katrina Clap" (utilizing the instrumental for Juvenile's "Nolia Clap"), a critical reaction to the lack of response by the Bush administration to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. He probably chose the "Nolia Clap" instrumental because the rapper Juvenile hails from New Orleans, and the song was a hit in the New Orleans area before the hurricane.
Mos Def also collaborated with Kanye West on West's track named "two words" and appeared in the music video.
Acting career
The first years of the 2000s have established Mos Def as a notable actor. His performances in Brown Sugar, Monster's Ball, and the HBO made-for-TV film Something The Lord Made have been particularly acclaimed by critics. Having been nominated for several awards, Mos finally broke through, winning Best Actor, Independent Movie at the 2005 Black Reel Awards for his portrayal of Sgt. Lucas in The Woodsman. He also landed the role of Ford Prefect in the long-awaited 2005 movie adaption of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Notably, in 2002 he played the role of Booth in Suzan-Lori Parks' Topdog/Underdog, a Tony-nominated and Pulitzer-winning Broadway play. He has also been a musical guest and participated in many skits on Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show.
In 2004, he hosted the MOBO awards in London, after the original presenter, Pharrell Williams pulled out at the last minute.
He has been the host of the award-winning spoken word show Def Poetry Jam since its inception. The show's sixth season aired in February 2007.
Discography
* 1998 Black Star (released with Talib Kweli under the name Black Star) Priority Records
* 1999 Black on Both Sides Rawkus Records
* 2004 The New Danger Geffen
o nominated for Best Urban/Alternative
Performance, 47th Annual Grammy Awards
* 2006 True Magic
* 2009 THE Ecstatic Downtown Records
* 2010 Mos Dub
Selected Filmography
* Cadillac Records (2009)
* Be Kind Rewind (2008)
* Talladega Nights (2006) (a quick cameo)
* Dreamgirls (2006)
* Bobby (2006)
* The Brazilian Job (2006) (pre-production)
* 16 Blocks (2006)
* The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005).
* Lackawanna Blues (2005)
* Something the Lord Made (2004)
o nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, 56th Annual Emmy Awards
o nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television, 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards
* Chapelle Show (? year) - Black Delegation Rep for Racial Draft
* The Woodsman (2004)
* The Italian Job (2003)
* Brown Sugar (2002)
* Civil Brand (2002)
* Showtime (2002)
* Monster's Ball (2001)
* Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001)
* Bamboozled (2000)
* Where's Marlowe? (1998)
In September 2011, Mos Def announced that he planned to use the name Yasiin Bey instead of Mos Def beginning in 2012.
http://www.myspace.com/mosdef
Manifest Destiny
Mos Def Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[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]
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 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]
The lyrics of Mos Def's song Manifest Destiny showcase the ability of the artist to blend different styles and deliver a powerful message. The song features three different verses, each delivered by a different rapper. It starts with Ces, who talks about his identity while praising his culture, wearing "nappy heads, the braids, and afros" and "Kicks Adidas, jeans Girbaud". He proudly introduces himself, stating his name in initials "Ces," while also labeling himself as "super blessed."
The second verse by Mos Def is a fast-paced, politically charged speech that deals with social issues. He starts by using contrasts to put forth a message that whatever is not good is wrong. He then talks about choosing sides and not settling for half-measures, urging people to live right. Mos Def acknowledges that people make mistakes, but he promises that he will not be stopped in his path. Finally, the last verse by DCQ talks about the importance of speaking the truth and taking action.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm just here to let you all know
I am making a declaration to inform everyone
I got the flow and the locks that grow
I possess skill and natural hair growth
Kicks Adidas, jeans Girbaud
I wear Adidas shoes and Girbaud jeans
Styles manifest from Key West to Budapest
My style is evident from Key West to Budapest
Murky mixture, what's goin on?
Unclear mix, what's happening?
Put on the weight cause it's more than a pound
Step up your game because it is more than easy
So check it out
Take a look at this
And if it ain't red, then it must be blue
If it isn't one thing, it has to be its opposite
And if it ain't false, then it must be true
If it's not a lie, then it must be a fact
And if it ain't day, then it must be night
If it's not daytime, then it must be nighttime
And if it ain't left, then it must be right
If something is not to the left, then it must be to the right
Lay around on the middle ground, kid, you could die
Sit on the fence and you could end up in trouble
You wanna be hardcore, try livin right
If you want to be tough, try doing the right thing
Many times I stumble off the righteous path
I often make mistakes and veer off the morally correct road
Self-actualize and realize, do what you got to do
Fulfill your potential and recognize your abilities, take action
If you can see it, you can be it, manifest, it's up to you
If you can visualize it, you can make it happen, it is your responsibility
Nowadays heads be makin me mad
People nowadays infuriate me
Screamin word is bond, but what's your word worth?
Claiming that your word is bond, but what is the value of your word?
Peace to all those who represent the culture
Greetings to those who embody the culture
To the kings and the queens of the universe
Addressing those who rule the world
Aiyo, we gotta shine the light, aight?
We have to illuminate the path, right?
Contributed by Kaelyn R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Coloramma
[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?
Bobby Digital
Met dcq and got a signed copy of this cd! Truly blessed , “ if you wanna be hardcore try livin right !” Mos kick in knowledge on these young heads and they don’t got the patience to decipher they just like that mumble shit these days . One love
Coloramma
[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?
👑YeshuaTheOnlyWay👑
Damn been looking for this for years🔥🔥🔥
Jack Gillespie
Flinging a positive message in hip hop is so rare these days. You need to go back for the good shit.
Alex Charles
Wish they still made hip hop like this
ahrens07
Mos Def killin it
DnL
Underrated!
Jahred Lee
Peace to Daimond D!
blA aka BruceLovestheAlmighty
I haven't heard that song since way back back back back in the days on the radio show. I've been trying to find that song since back then and I haven't been able to I thought it was a group called The brooklynites I finally found the song turns out Mos Def was in it
Duke Wolf
Classic🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙