Madra Salach have released new single ‘Ribbon Factory’•
Bleech 9:3 have dropped new track 'Tourniquet' and announced their biggest headline tour yet•
Mollie Elizabeth has announced her new EP ‘People Pleaser’ and shared ‘Kiss The Ring’•
Baby Dave and The Works have kicked off a new collaboration with ‘Wings’•
RAYE, Olivia Dean, JADE and more are set to perform at the 2026 Mercury Prize ceremony•
Fontaines D.C. have released ‘Tongue’ and its New York-shot video•
LCD Soundsystem have announced 12 New York residency shows, including their 100th•
Saint Clair have shared new single ‘Dreams’ ahead of sold-out autumn headline tour•
overpass and Nieve Ella have shared a new version of ‘Fall In Love’•
Pollyfromthedirt has shared ‘White Wine Vinegar’ and announced a first London headline show•
Keo are leading the midweek UK album chart with ‘Put A Smile On For Me’•
Welly has released new single ‘Skinny Boy’•
Rachel Chinouriri has shared ‘Broken chair’ from new album ‘I Think I Spoke Too Soon’•
Lime Garden have shared new track ‘Moving Target’ with Antony Szmierek in the video•
CMAT will perform on ‘The Daily Show’ this week•
Audrey Hobert has unveiled a new video for 'Sex and the City' as she begins her headline tour•
The Dork 2025 Readers' Poll nominations are in, featuring CMAT, Turnstile, Wolf Alice, Djo, Hayley Williams and loads more•
flowerovlove has released her first-ever first Christmas track, 'wishlist'•
Mighty Hoopla and Olly Alexander have announced Trans Mission, a concert for trans solidarity•
JADE has announced a deluxe edition of her debut album, 'THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! THE ENCORE'•
Madra Salach have released new single ‘Ribbon Factory’•
Bleech 9:3 have dropped new track 'Tourniquet' and announced their biggest headline tour yet•
Mollie Elizabeth has announced her new EP ‘People Pleaser’ and shared ‘Kiss The Ring’•
Baby Dave and The Works have kicked off a new collaboration with ‘Wings’•
RAYE, Olivia Dean, JADE and more are set to perform at the 2026 Mercury Prize ceremony•
Fontaines D.C. have released ‘Tongue’ and its New York-shot video•
LCD Soundsystem have announced 12 New York residency shows, including their 100th•
Saint Clair have shared new single ‘Dreams’ ahead of sold-out autumn headline tour•
overpass and Nieve Ella have shared a new version of ‘Fall In Love’•
Pollyfromthedirt has shared ‘White Wine Vinegar’ and announced a first London headline show•
Keo are leading the midweek UK album chart with ‘Put A Smile On For Me’•
Welly has released new single ‘Skinny Boy’•
Rachel Chinouriri has shared ‘Broken chair’ from new album ‘I Think I Spoke Too Soon’•
Lime Garden have shared new track ‘Moving Target’ with Antony Szmierek in the video•
CMAT will perform on ‘The Daily Show’ this week•
Audrey Hobert has unveiled a new video for 'Sex and the City' as she begins her headline tour•
The Dork 2025 Readers' Poll nominations are in, featuring CMAT, Turnstile, Wolf Alice, Djo, Hayley Williams and loads more•
flowerovlove has released her first-ever first Christmas track, 'wishlist'•
Mighty Hoopla and Olly Alexander have announced Trans Mission, a concert for trans solidarity•
JADE has announced a deluxe edition of her debut album, 'THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! THE ENCORE'•
Dork
News
Features
Reviews
Magazine
  • Dork
  • Popzines
Shop
Listings
Directory
Festivals
Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST
Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD
The 19755SOSAlessi RoseArctic MonkeysArlo ParksBastillebeabadoobeeBillie EilishBleachersblink-182BlossomsBlur
Bring Me The HorizonCarly Rae JepsenCavetownChappell RoanCharli xcxCHVRCHESCMATConan GrayDeclan McKennaDjoFall Out BoyFoals
Fontaines D.C.Ghostgirl in redGlass AnimalsGorillazGracie AbramsHAIMHarry StylesHolly HumberstoneInhalerJames MarriottThe Japanese House
The Last Dinner PartyLewis CapaldiLinkin ParkLouis TomlinsonMaggie RogersMaisie PetersMUNAMy Chemical RomanceNiall HoranOasis Live '27Olivia DeanOlivia Rodrigo
Pale WavesParamorePhoebe BridgersPinkPantheressRemi WolfReneé RappSabrina CarpenterSam FenderShameSlipknotTate McRaeTaylor Swift
Twenty One PilotsWallowsWet LegWolf AliceYard ActYUNGBLUDZara Larsson
etc.
Film & TV
Gaming
Literature
Culture
Festival Guides-YOUR ESSENTIAL FESTIVAL COMPANION
Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST
Mixtape-DORK'S BEST NEW TRACKS
Play-DORK'S NEW MUSIC FRIDAY EDIT
Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD
Playlist Covers
Playlist Directory
Recommender
Before Doors-LIVE SESSIONS
After Gates-FESTIVAL SESSIONS
Music Video Directory
Down With Boring-THE DORK PODCAST
Chart Attack-UK NUMBER ONES, DISSECTED
Dork Live
Oasis Live ’27Tickets. Dates. What’s the story?Explore the tour
Dork Radio
Live
Live 24/7
Dork Radio
  1. Lyrics
  2. UTD
  3. Victory Lyrics
Victory by UTD

Lyrics

UTD

Victory

From Manifest Destiny2004

Written by Ces (UTD), DCQ, Joe “J.P.” Matias

Lyrics

Victory

[Intro: Mos Def]

This is for all of you

This is for all of you

This is for all of you

For all of you

All of you

All

[Verse 1: Mos Def]

Ever since I was small I played the wall

The loner type, even as a little tike

While the other little kids were out at play

I was home wishing for a rainy day

I didn't have friends cause I barely even spoke

My head was mad out on a lil puny float

Surrounded all sides by thieves and crooks

I found a little peace in stars and books

My outside contact was limited

Cause I was different and heads couldn't get with it

I used to get mistaken for this stuff

But all I really ever wanted was some love

Remember many moons of many tears

That I kept inside for so many years

All the galactic intuition

I learned the skill of being self-sufficient

About this track

"Victory" is a song by UTD from the album Manifest Destiny, released in 2004. The song was written by Ces (UTD), DCQ, Joe “J.P.” Matias, Yasiin Bey. It was produced by Joe “J.P.” Matias.

UTD profile →Manifest Destiny album →Track profile →

Contributors

  • Joe “J.P.” Matias— 5 credits as songwriter & producer →
  • Ces (UTD)— 5 credits as songwriter →
  • DCQ— 8 credits as songwriter →
  • Joe “J.P.” Matias— 5 credits as songwriter & producer →
  • Yasiin Bey— 394 credits as songwriter & producer →

More from this album

Manifest Destiny

Front Line
Front Line
Lyrics
Hardcore Nights
Hardcore Nights
Lyrics
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny
Lyrics
My Kung Fu

More Lyrics

by UTD

All lyrics →
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny
UTD
My Kung Fu
My Kung Fu
UTD
Hardcore Nights
Hardcore Nights
UTD

Artist

UTD →

Album

Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny →
Dork
Down With Boring

Join thousands of music lovers getting the best new tracks, exclusive interviews, and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox every week.

In print now

September 2026

Latest issue variants

View archive
Dork, September 2026 (Carly Rae Jepsen cover)

Carly Rae Jepsen

Dork, September 2026 (Cruz Beckham cover)

Cruz Beckham

Dork, September 2026 (Westside Cowboy cover)

Westside Cowboy

Advertise|Support|About Dork|Editorial standards & corrections|Privacy Policy|Genres|Years|Sitemap|RSS|Cookie settings
© 2026 The Bunker Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.
Powered by PlaywireAdvertise on this site.
, Yasiin Bey

Produced by Joe “J.P.” Matias

Heads got live while I took the jay

I watched the sky and let the daytime fade

Go through a whole 24 hours of sorrow

Lay down and do the shit all again tomorrow

Keepin' composure is a way ( ? )

I'm smilin' in your face, all my chest is hurtin'

I wanna be nice but that shit ain't workin'

Turn off the light and draw the curtain

Will I find peace, son, I'm not certain

In dark, quiet places feelings go

Beatin' you down all hard and slow

Oh-oh-oh-oh... oh

[Hook: Ces, (DCQ), **Mos Def**]

I'm tired of these devils

(Victory is not granted to the swift and mighty, you know what I'm sayin')

That's what the devil wants

It wants you to be afraid

(You can get hot, but can you sustain the heat?)

That's how you lose your power

[ Mos Def ]

There is the power available to you

[ DCQ ]

Things that rise too quickly, fall even faster

[ Ces ]

Maintain, maintain, maintain

[ DCQ ]

Things that rise too quickly fall even faster

[ Ces ]

Maintain, maintain, maintain

Maintain, maintain, maintain

[Verse 2: Ces]

The night brings courage and solutions

Images and dramatic conclusions

I play back a hundred thousand scenes

Cut the proper sneer and practice bein mean

I've taken too many a loss

Man, fuck patience, it's time to excercise force

It's the last thing heads would expect

If they won't give it to me, I'm takin my respect

And I'm usin all means at hand

Cause apparently muthafuckas don't understand

They don't know the fury behind the meekness

Mistakin my kindness for weakness

Well peep this: It's a bright new day

And we gon' do it this way

Call me MD with revenge prognosis

I'm handin out justice in powerful doses

Comin out the deck with aces and jokers

Flushing whoever comes closest

Strictly hands over ears when you try to make amends

I got my pad and pen, so who the hell needs friends?

You think I'm on some shit? You're goddamn right

My area of peace is like mad airtight

Attempt to trespass my radius, and we gon' have to fight

My heart is too heavy for you to take me light

I exit sufferer status (aight?)

So if you thought otherwise, I'ma let you know

That when the tables turn, they movin hard and slow

[ Ces ]

I'm tired of these devils

[ DCQ ]

Victory is not granted to the swift and mighty, you know what I'm sayin

[ Ces ]

That's what the devil wants

It wants you to be afraid

[ DCQ ]

You can get hot, but can you sustain the heat?

[ Ces ]

That's how you lose your power

[ Mos Def ]

Where is a power available to you?

[ DCQ ]

Things that rise too quickly, fall even faster

[ Mos Def ]

Maintain, maintain, maintain

[ Ces ]

Maintain

Maintain, maintain, maintain

[ DCQ ]

Victory is not granted to the swift and mighty, you know what I'm sayin?

[ Ces ]

Maintain, maintain, maintain

When they resist, I persist

[ DCQ ]

You can get hot, but can you sustain the heat?

[ Ces ]

When they resist, I persist

[ DCQ ]

Things that rise too quickly, fall even faster

[ Ces ]

Maintain, maintain, maintain

Maintain, maintain, maintain

This power is available to you

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

My Kung Fu
Lyrics
My Kung Fu (Salaam's Remix)
My Kung Fu (Salaam's Remix)
Lyrics
Manifest Destiny (Remix)
Manifest Destiny (Remix)
Lyrics
Like That
Like That
Lyrics
Moon in Cancer
Moon in Cancer
Lyrics
Moon in Cancer
Moon in Cancer
UTD
Front Line
Front Line
UTD
Luv It & Liv It
Luv It & Liv It
UTD
My Kung Fu (Salaam's Remix)
My Kung Fu (Salaam's Remix)
UTD
Do It
Do It
UTD