Champion Requiem

[Intro]

Bismillah ir Rhman ir Raheem

Peace, peace whats up y'all this is Mos Def

And this is a message to the people

If you see or hear goodness from me

Then that goodness is from The Creator

You should be thankful to The Creator for all of that

'Cause I'm not the architect of that

I'm only the, the recipient

If you see weakness or shortcoming in me

It's from my own weakness or shortcoming

And I ask The Creator and the people to forgive me for that

Thank you Brooklyn, thank you world

Yeah, yeah there it is, turn my voice up in the top a little bit

It feel good to be back, what's up ochenta

It's the Black Dante in your headphones

Speakerbox, freaky radio

Everywhere on the dial, tell you a little bit about me

For my hometown, break down a little history for you

Myrtle and Broadway, Roosvelt projects, Marcy projects

Listen

[Verse]

I stepped on the field from no league, just home team

I Jumped out the stands and I snatched the rock

With the final seconds one, two, land on the clock

Mos post up to throw up the tie-breakin' shot

I put it through the net and let the world's jaw drop

Then fled the arena before they called cops

Tell the players and the coach I wasn't tryin to blow spot

But the way they was ballin' made it difficult to watch

I was taught when there's somethin' you can change around

Keep quiet, you got nothin' to complain about

You got work to do, I don't know if that work for you

But thats how Mos work it through

And my work is personal, I'm a workin person

I put in work, I work with purpose

I get it there, on the water, air, the surface

You feel the impact, niggas yeah it's workin

Listen God did not make me a fearful person

The only fear I have, Is my failure to adhear his path

I would love it just to hear this back

On the ghetto streets where y'all at

On the ave's where the Jeep's go past

In the coupes where the seats go back

In the parties where it be so packed

And the atmosphere be so black

And them black things be so phat

If I could I would be so glad

But if not I won't be so mad

I'm still being a man, still feeding my fam

And even if you don't see it my fam

I believe that I am, truly gifted, truly blessed

I'm yours truly, Brooklyn's own, Mos Def

I'm rockin the hard right, ground zero, to far left

I'm, well balanced, with immense talents

Burn the script, then flip it to keep myself challenged

And thats the mark of a true champ-ine

Thats whether I'm in or outside the ring

No fights, no title, no crown or reign

Feel my presence even when I'm up out this thing

Just trust, that's what I'm about to be

But until then settle in and rock with me

[Outro]

Ha, thats what its about to be

Ghetto people look alive with me

And say, We 'gon, stop by

Then we just keep movin on

Ghetto people, look alive and

Feel free, we just keep movin on

For Aaliyah, Left Eye, Jam Master Jay

All the great hero's who have passed away

Scott Laraque, BIG and Pac, Feaky Tah, Big L

All the soldiers locked down in the cell

Lock up the flesh, but the spirit will prevail

To our loved ones, and deceased

Dyin' in the street, or quiet in their sleep, BIG

Rest in peace, your livin' in the mansions of our memory

Rest in peace, your livin' in the mansions of our memory

And that's real, cause everything in life 'gon come to an end

Because it must, and when it does

I hope that y'all remember me with true respect

And ghetto love, now raise it up

Cause everythin in life 'gon come to an end

Because it must, and when it does

I hope that y'all remember me

Black Dante, from Myrtle and Broadway, yeah, yeah y'all

Let me hear it back

Freaky radio (freaky radio) ha

Freaky radio (freaky radio) everywhere on the dial