Survival of the Fittest Lyrics

[Chorus: Havoc]
Yo, yo, we livin' this 'til the day that we die
Survival of the fit, only the strong survive

(We still livin' it)
We livin' this 'til the day that we die
Survival of the fit, only the strong survive

(Thug life, we still livin' it),
We livin' this 'til the day that we die
Survival of the fit, only the strong survive

(We still livin' it)
We livin' this 'til the day that we die
Survival of the fit, only the strong survive


[Verse 2: Havoc]
I'm trapped in between two worlds, tryin' to get dough
Y'know, when the dough get low, the juice go
But never that! As long as fiends smoke crack
I'll be on the block hustlin', countin' my stacks

No doubt, watchin' my back and proceed with caution
Five-O's lurkin', no time to get lost in the system
Niggas usin' fake names to get out quick
My brother did it and got bagged with two ounces
I live a world where squads hit the block hard
Ask my man Twin, when he got bagged, that fucked me up, God
But shit happens for a reason

You find out who's your true peoples when you're Upstate bleedin'
You can't find a shorty to troop your bid with you
Hit with a two-to-four is difficult
Wild on the streets, I try to maintain
Tight with my loot, ‘cause hoes like to run game
Some niggas like to trick, but I ain't with that trickin' shit
I'm like a Jew, savin' dough so I can big whip
Pushin' a Lex, now I'm set, ready to jet
No matter how much loot I get, I'm stayin' in the projects forever!
Jakes on the blocks — we out-clever
If beef, we never separate, roll together
When worst comes to worst, my peoples come first
Try to react and get them motherfuckin' feelings hurt
My crew's all about loot
Fuck lookin' cute! I'm strictly Timb boots and Army certified suits

Puffin' L's, laid back, enjoyin' the smell
In the 'Bridge, gettin' down, it ain't hard to tell
You better realize

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About

Genius Annotation

Maybe Mobb Deep’s most famous track next to “Shook Ones Pt. II,” “Survival of the Fittest” was released as the second single from The Infamous. It describes the challenges of the criminal life on the street and the Darwinist mindset that only the strong can pull through in such an environment. The single peaked at #69 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #10 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart.

Havoc produced “Survival of the Fittest” by sampling and filtering the piano stabs from the beginning of the 1976 track “Skylark” by Al Cohn and The Barry Harris Trio:

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Mobb Deep say about "Survival of the Fittest"?
Genius Answer

You can definitely apply “Survival of the Fittest” to anything in life. Even if it’s medical school, you can’t get through medical school if you’re not strong enough to survive.

– Mobb Deep, Noisey

How did this song do on the charts?
Genius Answer

In 1995, “Survival of the Fittest” peaked at 69 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

What was said in this song that 2Pac thought was a diss?
Genius Answer

Credits
Produced By
Drum Programmer
Copyright ©
Phonographic Copyright ℗
Performance Rights
Mixing Engineer
Recording Engineer
Mastering Engineer
Executive Producer
Recorded At
Battery Studios (New York City)
Release Date
April 25, 1995
Survival of the Fittest Samples
Songs That Sample Survival of the Fittest
Dead Bodies by The Alchemist (Ft. The Game & Prodigy of Mobb Deep), They Wanna Kill You by Dave East (Ft. DJ Premier), Survival of the Illest Intro by Ja Rule (Ft. JAY-Z), Debutto by Ape, Baby Ozzy by Goretex, Gestern nix heute Star by BOJAN & Samra, NCCT 2 by Mosh36, Buggy Bugs & Bronxxx030, Intro (Introduce Bassi Maestro) by DJ Fastcut, PTSD (Freestyle) by SosMula, Denbitch by дима бамберг (dima bamberg), Bittersweet. by KAM$ (@kamdollarsign), Без лишних слов (Without further ado) by дима бамберг (dima bamberg) (Ft. Умка (Ymka)), NTM by Sefyu, Move on the Pavement by Bias B (Ft. Big Foot (AU) & Lazy Grey), Paradies (Sampler Version) by 187 Strassenbande (Ft. Bonez MC, Gzuz & Sa4), Rahat by Contra, FREESTYLE HORS SÉRIE by 1PLIKÉ140, Optik 4 Life by Kool Savas, VENEZUELA (64 Bars) by Guè, Opération Condor by Double Pact (Ft. Dany Dan & Kery James), Golden Chapter 10# by Rels B (Ft. Asës (ESP)), Rock Steady Pt. II by Pete Rock (Ft. Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz), Comprende Compaz? by Lord Tagman, ​relintlessli by Knxwledge, Le Parole Non Dette by Sacre Scuole (Ft. Irene Lamedica), Qu'est-ce qui se putain de passe ? by Freeze Corleone, Beats and Blood by Stu Bangas (Ft. Celph Titled), Survival by AL Kareem, Not A Word by Dominic Fike (Ft. Slyte), Real Eyes by Quasimoto, Blitz by Quasimoto, Erifarts by JaydrVernanda, Reign Or Shine by Count Bass D (Ft. Rayna Shine), Román by Acru, Las Palomas de Tyson by ToteKing & Dheformer, Я ебу ваш рэп (I fuck your rap) by дима бамберг (dima bamberg), Hip Hop by Egreen (Ft. DJ Lil Cut), Le professeur & Le renard by Guizmo (Ft. Seth Gueko), Survival Of The Fittest by Bossman The Orator (Ft. L Jinny), Schlangen by Bushido, War by CunninLynguists, 2#17 by PRO8L3M, Tim Westwood Freestyle by Hopsin (Ft. Dizzy Wright & Jarren Benton), Jo Jo Dancer by Theory Hazit (Ft. DJ FlipFlop), 8 Mile: Papa Doc vs Shorty Mike by Anthony Mackie, Dark by In2ition, Grabrede by JULIEN BOSS, To My Advantage by Pete Rock (Ft. Nature), Survival of the Smartest by Mr Traumatik, Freestyle #10 by Funkmaster Flex (Ft. Mary J. Blige), Miss Ghetto by Poor Righteous Teachers, Sodom und Gomorrha by Bushido, Real Shit by Rakim, Pop the Trunk by Real Live, Dangerous Minds by Styles of Beyond, Critical by Zion I (Ft. Planet Asia), Pain by The Pharcyde, Survival of the Fittest by Snowgoons (Ft. Adolph Gandhi & JAW), Realization by Skyzoo (Ft. Jared Evan), Strength by Swollen Members, 4 Give My Sins by Group Home, Animal by AZ, More Out Of Life by Blu & Exile (Ft. Jasmine Mitchell), Pineal Gland by Ab-Soul, 1/2 & 1/2 by Gang Starr (Ft. M.O.P.), You by Evidence, Ballin' Starvin' by Curren$y, Survival Of The Fittest by Dillon Cooper, Revival of the Realest by JGivens (Ft. Christon Gray), Guerra Agli Umani by Mr. Phil (Ft. Colle Der Fomento & DJ Tsura), Niente amore by Bassi Maestro, The Attack Is On (Main Version) by D.V. Alias Khryst, Spitzenrheydter by Summer Cem, Schau mich an by Sonny Black, Combat Zone (Clean) by Detonator Records (Ft. Chan (찬)), Combat Zone (Dirty) by Detonator Records, Half Man Half Amazin by Pete Rock (Ft. Method Man), Stupid White Man by Bushido (Ft. Sahira), Dance with the Devil by Immortal Technique, The Last Letter by Language Arts Crew, The Outroduction by C-Rayz Walz, Disperse by Consequence (Ft. GLC, Really Doe & The World Famous Tony Williams), Art of War by Brotha Lynch Hung (Ft. C.O.S. (USA)), The Ghetto by Beanie Sigel, What You Talkin' by EPMD (Ft. Havoc), Enter the Dragon by Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, Worst Comes to Worst by Dilated Peoples, C'è Una Guerra by Sano Business (Ft. Zampa), Na Linii Frontu by Hemp Gru (Ft. Paluch), Zorla Freestyle Serisi 2 by Hidra, Твой дом — это гроб (Home of the Bodybag) by Max Mix Production (Ft. Da B.O.M.B.), Outro (Demotape) by Bushido, 10.10.23 by Edgar Wasser, When U Hear The by Mobb Deep, Runway by DJ Premier (Ft. Rome Streetz & Westside Gunn), Intro (The Album) by Cease Gunz, A Toda Hora by Alemán, Muelas De Gallo & Dee (Ft. Fntxy, Phul King Fu & Yoga Fire), Givaldo (R.I.P Raffa Moreira) by Putodiparis, Schlechte Zeiten gute Musik by Kontra K, Funk Flex Freestyle by Mac Miller, Vanity Fair by Wiz Khalifa, Vieja Movida by Asesino 187 (Ft. Primer Dan), Sick To Death by Hyperaptive, Survival of the Fittest (Pokemon Go Remix) by Upgrade HipHop, Survival Of The Fittest (Freestyle) by ItsUnknownMF, Survival of da Fittest by Skrapz (Ft. Fundz), Snake Bitch by August Mouritsen, Boom Bye Bye (G.C Remix) by Supremacy Hip Hop Clan, Nur die Starken überleben by Nate57 & Telly Tellz, URBANIST SESSIONS #037 - EL NINO by El Nino, Dark sky by @LilSasaOfficial, Tha Game by Pete Rock (Ft. Ghostface Killah, Prodigy of Mobb Deep & Raekwon), Schmetterlinge by Bozza, Nuclear Medicinemen by La Coka Nostra (Ft. Immortal Technique, Immortal Technique, Q-Unique & Q-Unique) & Don't Worry About It by N.E.R.D.
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