Hold On
Wyclef Jean Lyrics

Oh!
Expressing surprise or excitement

You know what?
Introducing a topic for discussion

I go through a lot, since my baby girl's not here
I experience a great deal of hardship since my daughter is not with me

Life ain't been the same for me
My life has drastically changed

Lately I miss you very much
Recently, I have been longing for you deeply

I want you to hear my pain that I go through (go through ...)
I desire for you to understand the pain I am experiencing

It's been three years (AH!), livin this fast life
I have been living a fast-paced lifestyle for three years

I think on it, I know one day I won't have life
I reflect on this and realize that one day I will no longer be alive

People don't know me over the time be
People do not truly know me as time goes by

They don't want to know me, they want to know my G's
They are not interested in knowing me, they only care about my possessions

Le I quit, things ain't the same no more
But even if I were to quit, things would not be the same anymore

But I'ma do my thing 'til there ain't no more (yeah)
However, I will continue pursuing my goals until there are no more opportunities

I got a plan, I wonder how far I can go
I have a plan and I am curious about the extent of my potential

I demand the best for myself, that's all I know
I have high expectations for myself, it is all I am familiar with

I, done seen the world become
I have witnessed the world changing

Products of a revolution that we begun (yeah)
Consequences of a revolution that we initiated

Make me want to split a swisher, I need me one
It makes me want to smoke a cigar, I crave one

They keep on copying what we done done
They continue imitating what we have accomplished

That's why I say ..
That is why I express ...

I know you like my shoes, cause you walk in my shoes
You appreciate my experiences because you have gone through similar ones

And would you be prepared to see (would ya?)
Are you ready to face the consequences?

A life full of money and a life full of girls
A life filled with wealth and women

But a heart that's really in deep (feel my pain)
But deep down, my heart is in pain and longing

A lot of people yellin ("we love ya Timbaland")
Many people are expressing their love and support for me, Timbaland

But I know why'all really in need (ooo)
But I understand that you all have your own struggles

I don't know who's in my corner, don't know where is my corner
I am unsure who supports me, I am lost without guidance

But I gotta grab all these leaves
But I have to take advantage of all the opportunities available

So I must ..
Therefore, I must ...

Hey, Timbaland you gotta hold on (hold on)
Hey, Timbaland, you must persevere

But you got to be strong
But you need to stay strong

Though the pain almost over
Despite the fact that the pain is nearly gone

My pain almost over
The suffering I endure is nearly finished

Look towards the sky, there's only one Jehovah
Look upwards, there is only one God

I can't quit yet
I cannot give up just yet

You gotta hold on, you got to be strong
You must persevere and stay strong

My pain almost over
The suffering I endure is nearly finished

Look towards the sky, there's only one Jehovah
Look upwards, there is only one God

Pain, can't you see the pain in my eyes?
Pain, are you not able to perceive the suffering reflected in my eyes?

The lie behind my cries, don't you sympathize with me
The false facade behind my tears, do you not feel empathy towards me?

You don't have to wonder when I come
You do not need to be surprised when I arrive

You label me a bum, you fake it ain't suprisin me (yeah)
You degrade and insult me, but your insincerity does not surprise me

Funny how Oo got money, people come around
It is ironic how people only pay attention to me when I have money

Soon as Oo fail, kick 'em to the ground (yeah)
As soon as I experience failure, they abandon me

Not just neighbors, the whole damn town
Not only neighbors, but the entire town

Own flesh and blood, said I was a clown
Even my own family called me a fool

But as the world turns, my life can too
However, just like the world keeps on spinning, my life can also change

And like a gun kills, a knife can too (yeah)
Similar to how a gun can cause harm, a knife can do the same

I was stabbed thrice, how 'bout you?
I have been figuratively stabbed multiple times, how about you?

Once by my mom, pops the other two
One time by my mother, the other two times by my father

Child abuse kid, ward of the state
A child who suffered from abuse, under the care of the state

I know it was the past, but I just can't shake
I understand it happened in the past, but I cannot let go of the memories

How you had a kid, beat me like a slave
How you, as a parent, treated me with cruelty and violence

I was only three, how could I misbehave?
I was just three years old, how could I have misbehaved?

I didn't know better, you could teach me first
I was ignorant, you had the opportunity to teach me right from wrong

You said fuck that, then you beat me worse
But you disregarded that and subjected me to even more abuse

It's pain in this verse, hard to go on (yeah)
This verse expresses the pain, it is difficult to continue

Oo is a man, so I must hold on
I am a man, so I must persevere

I know you like my shoes, cause you walk in my shoes
You appreciate my experiences because you have gone through similar ones

And would you be prepared to see (would ya?)
Are you ready to face the consequences?

A life full of money and a life full of girls
A life filled with wealth and women

But a heart that's really in deep (feel my pain)
But deep down, my heart is in pain and longing

A lot of people yellin ("we love ya Maganoo")
Many people are expressing their love and support for me, Maganoo

But I know why'all really in need (ooo)
But I understand that you all have your own struggles

I don't know who's in my corner, don't know where is my corner
I am unsure who supports me, I am lost without guidance

But I gotta grab all these leaves, uh huh
But I have to take advantage of all the opportunities available

So I must ..
Therefore, I must ...

You gotta hold on (hold on)
You must persevere

But you got to be strong
But you need to stay strong

Though the pain almost over
Despite the fact that the pain is nearly gone

My pain almost over
The suffering I endure is nearly finished

Look towards the sky, there's only one Jehovah
Look upwards, there is only one God

I can't quit yet
I cannot give up just yet

You gotta hold on, you got to be strong
You must persevere and stay strong

My pain almost over
The suffering I endure is nearly finished

Look towards the sky, there's only one Jehovah
Look upwards, there is only one God

Yeah, yo, I seen Brooklyn turn into Crook-lyn
I have witnessed Brooklyn becoming a place of crime and corruption

The youngn's they spend their life in central Crook-lyn (yeah)
The youth of the area spend their lives engulfed in criminal activities

I've seen prom queens, turn into prom fiends
I have observed young women who were once prom queens become addicted to drugs

Sometime I ask myself what happen to Dr. King's "Dream"
Sometimes I ponder what happened to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision of equality

I've seen best friends, turn to enemies
I have witnessed close friends become bitter enemies

What made it sad, I had to sing at the eulogy
What made it particularly heartbreaking was that I had to perform at their funerals

So hard for us to say goodbye
It is incredibly difficult for us to bid farewell

So I puff the lye and stay high (yeah)
Therefore, I smoke marijuana and try to remain in a state of intoxication

The man you said was your fam in the park (yeah)
The person you claimed was like family to you in the park

Saw your face spark when you found out he was a Narc (yeah)
I witnessed the expression of surprise on your face when you discovered he was an undercover agent

Cause everybody want to be Nino Brown
Because everyone desires to be like the character Nino Brown

They want to be Nino Brown, they want to be Nino Brown (yeah)
They aspire to possess the same power and influence as Nino Brown

And the girls they love the Nino Brown
And the girls are attracted to the likeness of Nino Brown

They hug they Nino Brown, they lust for Nino Brown (yeah)
They embrace the concept of Nino Brown and have an insatiable desire for him

And the fiends they want the Nino Brown
And the drug addicts crave the role of Nino Brown

The way he hold you down, when he comes around (yeah) [echo]
The way he supports and protects you when he is present

The pain never stops baby
The pain never ceases, my dear

Lele, I hope ya hear us
Lele, I hope you can hear our words

Cause life will never be the same without you girl
Because life will never be the same without you, girl

Timbaland talkin to you
This is Timbaland speaking to you

We ain't used to nothin
We are not accustomed to having anything

This music industry, will never be the same without you
The music industry will forever be changed without you

Nothin but pain, hard struggle
Nothing but pain and difficult challenges

But me and Jimmy D, we're gonna keep ridin for ya
But Jimmy D and I will continue to support you

Cause life must go on
Because life must continue

You must live on
You must keep on living

So we gotta hold on, see'mon
So we must persevere and keep going

(Hold on) uh, (hold on)
(Hold on) expressing the need to persevere

My pain almost over (hold on, hold on)
The suffering I endure is nearly finished

I can't quit yet (hold on, hold on)
I cannot give up just yet

My pain almost over (hold on, hold on)
The suffering I endure is nearly finished

Nah Lele, me and 'Goo we can't quit, OH!
No, Lele, Magoo and I cannot give up, OH!