Victory
Puff Daddy & Notorious BIG Lyrics

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One, one two
Check me out right here, yo

Yo, the sun don't shine forever (you can turn the track up a little bit for me)
But as long as it's here then we might as well shine together (all up in my ears)
Better now than never, business before pleasure (the mic is loud, but the music isn't loud)
P. Diddy and the Fam, who you know do it better?

Yeah right, no matter what, we air tight (yeah)
So when you hear somethin' make sure you hear it right
Don't make a ass outta yourself, by assumin' (yeah, not the mid is low now, turn the mics up some more)
Our music keeps you movin' what are you provin'? (Turn that shit all the way up, yeah)
You know that I'm two levels above you, baby (music's getting louder)
Hug me baby, I'm a make you love me baby (this shit hot)
Talkin' crazy, ain't gon' get you nothin' but choked (uh-huh)
And that jealousy is only gon' leave you broke (uh-huh uh-huh)
So the only thing left now is God for these cats (it's going the fuck down now)
And B.I.G. you know you too hard for these cats
I'm a win cause I'm too smart for these cats
While they makin' up facts (uh) you rakin' up plaques

In The Commission, you ask for permission to hit 'em
He don't like me, hit him while wifey was with him
You heard of us, the murderous, most shady
Been on the low lately, the feds hate me
The son of Satan, they say my killing's too blatant
You hesitatin' I'm in your mama crib waitin'
Duct tapin' your fam' destiny
lays in my hands, gat lays in my waist
Francis, M to the iz-H phenomenal
Gun rest under your vest by the abdominal
Rhyme a few bars so I can buy a few cars
And I kick a few flows so I can pimp a few hoes
Excellence is my presence, never tense
Never hesitant, leave a nigga bent real quick
Real sick, brawl nights, I perform like Mike
Anyone, Tyson, Jordan, Jackson
Action, pack guns, ridiculous
And I'm, quick to bust, if my ends you touch
Kids or girl you touch, in this world I clutch
Two auto-matos, used to call me fatso
Now you call me Castro, my rap flow's
Militant, y'all faggots ain't killin' shit
Oops Crystal keep spillin' shit, you overdid it, homes
You in the danger zone, you shouldn't be alone
Hold hands and say it like me
The most shady, Frankie baby, fantastic
Graphic, tryna make dough, like Jurassic
Park did quick to spark kids who start shit
See me, only me
The Under-boss of this holocaust
Truly yours, Frank White

We got the real live shit from front to back
To my people in the world, where the fuck you at?
Where my niggas is at?
Where my niggas is at?
Where the fuck my bitches at?
Where my bitches is at?

We got the real live shit from front to back
To my people in the world, where the fuck you at?
Where my niggas is at?
Where my niggas is at?
Where the fuck my bitches at?
Where my bitches is at?

Put your money on the table and get your math on
Break it down, split it up, get your laugh on
See you later Dog, I'ma get my stash on
There's a bed full of money that I get my ass on
I never lose the passion to go Platinum
Said I'd live it up 'til all the cash gone
Ain't that funny, only use plastic, craft it
To make classics, hotter than acid
P-D, rollin on your tape or CD
The girl-boy killa, no team illa
The Fam-o, ammo, is every channel
We been hot for a long time burnin' like a candle
What you can do is check your distribution
My songs bump in Houston like Scarface produced 'em
You ain't gotta like me, you just mad
'Cause I tell it how it is, and you tell it how it might be

We got the shit, Mac tight, brass knuckles and flashlights
The heaters in the two-seaters, with two miras
Senoritas, kiss rings when you meet us
P. Diddy run the city, show no pity
I'm the witty one, Frank's the crook from the Brook'
Matty broke the neck of your coke connect
No respect squeeze off 'til all y'all diminish
Shootouts for twenty minutes, until we finish
Venice took the loot, escaped, in the Coupe
Break bread, with the 'Kiss, Peniro, Sheek Luc'
Black Rob joined the Mob, it ain't no replacin' him
Niggas step up, with just macin''em
Placin' 'em in funerals, criminals turned aroused
The Brick City, nobody come off like P. Diddy
Business wise, I play men
Hide money on the Island Cayman, y'all just betray men
You screamin', I position, competition
Another day in the life, of the commission (commission)

We got the real live shit from front to back
To my niggas in the world, where the fuck you at?
Where my niggas is at?
Where my niggas is at?
Where the fuck my bitches at?
Where my bitches is at?

We got the real live shit from front to back (ayo, can y'all hear me out there?)
To my niggas in the world, where the fuck you at? (Ayo, turn me up, nobody can hear me out there)
Where my niggas is at?
Where my niggas is at?
Where the fuck my bitches at?
Where my bitches is at?

We got the real live shit from front to back (that's good, it's all fucked up now, right?)
To my niggas in the world, where the fuck you at?
Where my niggas is at?
Where my niggas is at? (Y'all know it's all fucked up now, right?)
Where the fuck my bitches at?
Where my bitches is at?

We got the real live shit from front to back (what the fuck I'ma do now?)
To my niggas in the world, where the fuck you at? (What I'ma do now?)
Where my niggas is at?
Where my niggas is at? (Can y'all hear me out there?)
Where the fuck my bitches at?
Where my bitches is at?

We got the real live shit (can y'all hear me out there?)
Fuck y'all niggas wanna do?

It's all fucked up now
What I'm a do now, huh?

What I'm a do now?
It's all fucked up now

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Puff Daddy and The Notorious BIG's song "Victory" deal with themes of power, fame, and success. Puff Daddy begins the song by acknowledging that everything in life is temporary, including success, but that while it lasts, it is worth enjoying together. He then asserts that his crew, the Fam, is the best in the business.

The Notorious BIG then takes over the track, painting himself as the "son of Satan," and boasting about his talent as a killer in the rap game. He describes the murder of a rival while their wife was present, and makes numerous threats directed towards other rappers who try to compete with him. He asserts that his power and influence are unmatched, and that he is always two steps ahead of his competition.

The final section of the song sees all of the artists coming together to assert their dominance and to call out other rappers who are trying to take them down. The lyrics are aggressive, confrontational, and confident, meant to assert their power and authority in the rap world. The song's overall message is that those who are strong and smart can achieve success, but that those who try to compete with them will ultimately fall.

Line by Line Meaning

One, one two
Listen closely, pay attention

Check me out right here, yo
Take a moment to focus on what I'm about to say

Yo, the sun don't shine forever
Success and good times don't last forever

But as long as it's here then we might as well shine together
Since we have success now, let's enjoy it together

Better now than never, business before pleasure
It's better to do business and work hard now before indulging in pleasure

P. Diddy and the Fam, who you know do it better?
Nobody does it better than P. Diddy and his crew

Yeah right, no matter what, we air tight
We are united and impenetrable, no matter what comes our way

So when you hear somethin' make sure you hear it right
When you hear information, ensure that you understand it accurately

Don't make a ass outta yourself, by assumin'
Avoid looking foolish by making assumptions

Our music keeps you movin' what are you provin'?
Our music is intended to make you dance, what are you trying to prove?

You know that I'm two levels above you, baby
I am far superior to you in terms of skill and success

Hug me baby, I'm a make you love me baby
Embrace me and I will make you fall in love with me

Talkin' crazy, ain't gon' get you nothin' but choked
Speaking in a foolish or disrespectful manner will only lead to trouble

And that jealousy is only gon' leave you broke
Being jealous will only lead to financial and emotional ruin

So the only thing left now is God for these cats
The only hope for these individuals is to turn to God

And B.I.G. you know you too hard for these cats
B.I.G., you are too tough and talented for these individuals

I'm a win cause I'm too smart for these cats
I will succeed because I am intellectually superior to these individuals

While they makin' up facts you rakin' up plaques
While they create false stories, you are earning numerous platinum records

In The Commission, you ask for permission to hit 'em
In our organized group, we seek approval to take action against our enemies

He don't like me, hit him while wifey was with him
If someone dislikes me, I will attack them while their partner is present

You heard of us, the murderous, most shady
You are aware of our notorious and notorious actions

Been on the low lately, the feds hate me
I have been keeping a low profile recently to avoid attention from law enforcement

The son of Satan, they say my killing's too blatant
I am referred to as evil, and critics say my violent actions are too obvious

You hesitatin' I'm in your mama crib waitin'
While you hesitate, I am waiting in your mother's house to carry out my plans

Duct tapin' your fam' destiny lays in my hands
I am restraining your entire family, and their fate is now controlled by me

Gat lays in my waist
I have a gun concealed at my waist

Francis, M to the iz-H phenomenal
My name is Francis, I am referred to as the incredible M to the iz-H

Gun rest under your vest by the abdominal
I keep a gun holstered under my vest near your abdominal area

Rhyme a few bars so I can buy a few cars
Let me rap a few lines so I can afford to purchase multiple cars

And I kick a few flows so I can pimp a few hoes
I rap a few verses to attract and exploit multiple women

Excellence is my presence, never tense
I exude excellence and confidence, never showing signs of anxiety

Never hesitant, leave a nigga bent real quick
I never hesitate, and I can easily defeat and disorient someone

Real sick, brawl nights, I perform like Mike
I am extremely talented, and my performances are comparable to those of boxing champion Mike Tyson

Anyone, Tyson, Jordan, Jackson
I can outperform and outshine anyone, including Tyson, Jordan, and Jackson

Action, pack guns, ridiculous
I take action and carry powerful guns, it's absurd

And I'm, quick to bust, if my ends you touch
I am quick to use violence if you threaten my financial interests

Kids or girl you touch, in this world I clutch
If you harm my children or girlfriend, I will retaliate and exert control over your life

Two auto-matos, used to call me fatso
I have two automatic weapons, and I was once mocked for being overweight

Now you call me Castro, my rap flow's
Now people refer to me as Castro because I am powerful, and my rap style

Militant, y'all faggots ain't killin' shit
I am militant, and none of you weak individuals can compete

Oops Crystal keep spillin' shit, you overdid it, homes
Oops, Crystal (referring to the alcohol) keeps causing problems, you went overboard, my friend

You in the danger zone, you shouldn't be alone
You are in a risky or threatening situation, you should not be alone

Hold hands and say it like me
Unite and express yourself in the same impactful way I do

The most shady, Frankie baby, fantastic
I am the most notorious and shady, Frankie is my nickname, and I am fantastic

Graphic, tryna make dough, like Jurassic
I am explicit and raw, trying to make money, similar to the success of the Jurassic Park franchise

Park did quick to spark kids who start shit
I am quick to engage in violence with those who start trouble

See me, only me
See only me, I demand your attention

The Under-boss of this holocaust
I am the leader of this destructive and chaotic situation

Truly yours, Frank White
Sincerely yours, Frank White (referencing Puff Daddy's alter ego)

Put your money on the table and get your math on
Place your money in front of you and calculate how much you have

Break it down, split it up, get your laugh on
Analyze the money, divide it among others, have a joyful time

See you later Dog, I'ma get my stash on
Goodbye, my friend, I will go secure my hidden money

There's a bed full of money that I get my ass on
I have a significant amount of money that I can sit on comfortably

I never lose the passion to go Platinum
I always maintain the desire to achieve platinum-level success

Said I'd live it up 'til all the cash gone
I promised to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle until I run out of money

Ain't that funny, only use plastic, craft it
Isn't it ironic that I only use credit cards and manipulate them

To make classics, hotter than acid
To create timeless music that is more popular than a powerful drug like acid

P-D, rollin on your tape or CD
P-Diddy, my name is on your music, whether it's on a cassette tape or a CD

The girl-boy killa, no team illa
I am known for attracting and seducing both women and men, and my team is unrivaled

The Fam-o, ammo, is every channel
My family and team dominate every aspect of the music industry

We been hot for a long time burnin' like a candle
We have been successful and popular for a considerable time, like a burning candle

What you can do is check your distribution
What you should do is evaluate the way your music is being distributed

My songs bump in Houston like Scarface produced 'em
People in Houston play my songs with great enthusiasm, as if Scarface produced them

You ain't gotta like me, you just mad
You don't have to like me, you're just angry

'Cause I tell it how it is, and you tell it how it might be
I speak honestly and directly, while you speak hypothetically and inaccurately

We got the shit, Mac tight, brass knuckles and flashlights
We possess the top-notch weapons, brass knuckles, and flashlights (symbolizing readiness for a fight)

The heaters in the two-seaters, with two miras
We have guns in our luxury cars, with two mirrors

Senoritas, kiss rings when you meet us
When you encounter us, ladies, kiss our rings as a sign of respect

P. Diddy run the city, show no pity
P. Diddy is the ruler of the city, he does not show mercy

I'm the witty one, Frank's the crook from the Brook'
I am the clever and sharp one, Frank is the criminal from the Brooklyn neighborhood

Matty broke the neck of your coke connect
Matty (nickname) severed the connection to your cocaine supplier

No respect squeeze off 'til all y'all diminish
I have no respect for any of you, and I will shoot until you are all defeated

Shootouts for twenty minutes, until we finish
We engage in gunfire for a prolonged period, until we achieve victory

Venice took the loot, escaped, in the Coupe
Venice (nickname) took the money and escaped in a luxury car

Break bread, with the 'Kiss, Peniro, Sheek Luc'
Share the money with 'Kiss (nickname), Peniro, Sheek Luc' (nicknames)

Black Rob joined the Mob, it ain't no replacin' him
Black Rob (nickname) joined the criminal organization, and he cannot be replaced

Niggas step up, with just macin''em
People threaten us, and we respond by attacking and overpowering them

Placin' 'em in funerals, criminals turned aroused
We kill them and arrange for their funerals, causing fear in other criminals

The Brick City, nobody come off like P. Diddy
In the Brick City (Newark, New Jersey), nobody matches P. Diddy's success and presence

Business wise, I play men
When it comes to business, I manipulate and outsmart others

Hide money on the Island Cayman, y'all just betray men
I keep my money hidden in the Cayman Islands, while you simply betray your associates

You screamin', I position, competition
You shout and protest, while I position myself as your rival

Another day in the life, of the commission
This is just another typical day in the activities of our organized criminal group