The Ring
Wyclef Jean Lyrics

It's been 7 years, man
It has been seven years since I left the music industry at the peak of my career.

I left at the height of my career, man and I'm coming back
I took a break at the pinnacle of my success, and now I am making a comeback.

It's like I'm starting all over again
Even though I had a lot of success in the past, to stay relevant, I have to start from the beginning again.

It don't matter what I did before, man
The past accomplishments in my music career are of no concern now.

This the music business, man. You're only as hot as your last hit
The music industry is a fast-paced and ever-changing environment. You are only as famous as your most recent successful song.

Everybody like, "Yo, can he get another ring?"
People are asking if I will produce another hit song, equivalent to winning a championship ring in sports.

100 million records, all the work I put in
I have had immense success, sold millions of albums, and worked tirelessly to achieve it.

All they wanna know is will I get another ring, yeah
Despite the past achievements, people are still curious if I will produce another breakthrough hit song.

Will I get another win
Can I produce another successful song?

They smile in my face, behind my back, they hate us
People are faking smiles and acting friendly, but in reality, they are jealous of my success and wish for my downfall.

But like Bernie Mac said, I ain't scared of you motherfuckers
Just like how the late great Bernie Mac said, I am not afraid of anyone and will keep working hard despite the negative thoughts and actions of others.

Little Haiti to Sicily, Big Pun was a friend to me
I had friendships and creative collaborations with different artists from different cultures and ethnicities, including the late Big Punisher.

Fat Joe, he call me literally, put me on a track instantly
Fat Joe asked me to collaborate on a track and included me in it right away.

Caribbean connection put me all the way up
My heritage and cultural background connected me with other artists and helped me achieve massive success.

What goes up must go down, so Thugga pick me up
After a period of downfall following success, fellow artist Young Thug helped me get back up.

Ay, that's what I call that street cred
These experiences on the streets and in the music industry have contributed to earning me credibility from audiences.

Take your chance in the lobby, you gon' meet them Zoe dreads
If you take the opportunity available, you will come across some real and connected people in the music industry.

Chef Curry, me and Khaled go back
Me and DJ Khaled have been friends and have known each other for a long time.

So far back, boy shottas, man, he had the 6 pack
We go way back to the days of Jamaican gangs (shottas) and a friend of mine used to have a six-pack of abs.

And I'm back with the tribe on a quest to go harder
I am back with my team/group and am motivated to work harder and do better than before.

So hard, you gon' think I'm all 3 Carters
I am putting in so much effort that you will think I am synonymous with the famous hip hop family The Carters (Jay-Z, Beyonce, Blue Ivy).

Why haters wanna doubt that I'm Luke with the Force
Critics and opponents may question my capabilities, but I know that I am like Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, possessing great strength and power.

Man, they kids got the scores, screamin' too much hot tours
People change their opinions constantly based on the latest trends and hot tours that their kids hype up.

And the A stand for Alpha and Omega
The first letter A stands for the beginning and end (Alpha and Omega) which represents my attitude towards my work.

And the B stand for Bury You, that's what I'm known to do to rappers
The second letter B means to bury you, which is how I am known to go hard on other rappers and end their career.

C stands for Chance, once you take it guard your shit
The third letter C means taking a chance or opportunity but also means protecting yourself and your work/property once you have it.

DEF, is the squad, boy, read my lips
DEF is the name of our group and is representative of what we stand for. Pay attention and listen to what we say.

G is General from Haiti, make my day
The letter G stands for myself, a General from Haiti, who strives to make a difference every day.

I stood in my J's, in front of that K
I stood in my Jordan shoes and in front of a Kalashnikov (type of gun), representing the different sides of my life as a musician.

And for me to take a L, it's gon' take MN
For me to take a loss, it would require a lot of effort and obstacles (MN stands for Mother Nature and the strong winds that come with it).

And oh, my Peace Productions like the Q
My production company, Peace Productions, operates like the letter Q (Quiet), in a more subtle and unobtrusive way.

As in Quincy when he did that Thriller, Michael Jackson blew
A reference to legendary producer Quincy Jones, who produced Michael Jackson's Thriller album and helped make it a massive success.

And this is who we are, STU
The letters STU represent the name of our studio and who we are as a group of artists and creators.

Abbreviation for the studio, I kill it in the booth
STU is short for our studio name, and it's where I do most of my work and make great music.

And the V, be very careful when you watchin' shottas
The letter V represents the slang term for friend/enemy (Vice Versa), so be careful when observing the people around you.

The W could turn to her and that's murder for hire
The letter W can change to the word her, and if used in a wrong way, it can cause deadly consequences or hire a hitman.

By the window, light X, don't ask why
By the window, light up the letter X (slang for drugs) but don't ask any questions about it.

I ain't takin' no Zs 'cause the clan's outside
I am not taking any naps (Zs) because the group is still outside and we have work to do.

Bean me up Scottie, I'm on that antidote
Beam me up Scottie is a popular Star Trek reference, meaning take me away. I am on an antidote to help me get through whatever struggles I am facing.

That Broccoli that D.R.A.M gave me got me movin' slow mo
The song Broccoli by D.R.A.M has a slow, relaxing feel to it that helps me calm down and move at a slower pace.

This big, I'm countin' my blessings like I'm Sean
I am counting my blessings like Sean Combs, also known as Puff Daddy or Diddy, who is known for his extravagant lifestyle and counting of blessings.

See the Future with my Jimmy Hendrix shades on
I visualize and foresee a bright future while wearing my Jimmy Hendrix-inspired glasses.

Haters wanna doubt and thought that I forgot my scales
Critics and detractors are questioning my ability to make music and think I have lost my talent or skill (forgot my scales).

That's like Iron Mike forgettin' he trainin' got skills
Comparing it to boxing legend Mike Tyson forgetting how to box, which is absurd since he trained hard and had skills.

Vic hit me on the jack, told me he mad
Rapper/producer Vic Mensa contacted me (hit me on the jack) and expressed his anger about something.

Wiz Khalifa paper plane'll have you feel glad
Wiz Khalifa's famous symbol, the paper plane, is associated with feeling happy and positive.

Do I rap or will I sing?
People are unsure if I will create music in a rap or singing format.

Oh, I'mma get another ring
I am determined to produce another hit song and earn another coveted ring equivalent to a sport championship.

From my mouth to God, yeah
I speak these words with confidence and hope that God will grant me success.

We gon' get another ring, hey
My team and I will work together and produce another hit song.

I'mma get another win
I am going to create another successful song.