Champion Lyrics

[Verse 1: Nicki Minaj]
This a celebration, this is levitation
Look at how you winning now
This took dedication
This is meditation, higher education
This the official, competitor elimination

I was taking trips, with Web to move weight
Came back to Queens, to hit up a new state
Bitches don't know the half like they flunked at math
Bitches ain't have cut up, crack up in the stash
50 Cent Italian, icy flow
This that: run and get a dollar for the ice-cream cone
'Cause they killed my little cousin Nicholas
But my memory's only happy images

This is for the hood, this is for the kids
This is for the single mothers, niggas doing bids

This one is for Tee-Tee, Tweety, Viola, Sharica
Candace, Thembi, Lauren, Aisha


[Chorus: Nicki Minaj]
It's a celebration (Put one in the air for the ghetto, ooh)
It's times like these (Ooh, ooh)
They know who we are by now (They know who we are)
Champion, the champions (Champion, champion)

[Verse 2: Drake]
Yeah, okay, we made it to America
I remember when I used to stay with Erykah

Label transferred 20 million to Comerica
It's fucking terrible, it's got me acting out of character
Young T.O. nigga, either riding range
Or Ferrari top down, screaming, "Money ain't a thang!"
Tell me when I change, girl, but only when I change
'Cause I live this shit for real, niggas know me in the game
They know!

Making hits in three acre cribs
Cooking up tryna eat niggas, steak and ribs
I made a couple stars outta basic chicks
Nowadays blow the candles out, don't even make a wish
Having good times, making good money
Lot of bad bitches, but they good to me
I make them do the splits for a rack
Wish you niggas good luck, tryna get where I'm at
Straight like that
[Chorus: Nicki Minaj]
It's a celebration (Put one in the air for the ghetto, ooh)
It's times like these (Ooh, ooh)
They know who we are by now (They know who we are)
Champion, the champions (Champion, champion)

[Verse 3: Young Jeezy]
Straight balling in this bitch, Jeremy Lin; 'Melo
Tell me one thing you won't do: settle
Give me one word for your chain: yellow
Pocket full of money, black cars; ghetto
Critics say I ain't in the game, A.I
Jeezy, how you deal with the fame? Stay high
Stay putting on for the town, may I?
What you call a crib in the sky? Play-high
Over a mil in three weeks, yeah, I did it like a champ
Momma taught me pride, yeah, she did it with the stamps
Wait a minute, everybody pause for the photo
Somebody tell these local hating niggas, I'm global
Tell me what I gotta do to get this champagne going
What I gotta do to get this coconut flowing?
Don’t let me hit up Shawn Carter, hundred bottles of the Ace
Let me hit up Sean Combs, hundred cases to my place, let's celebrate

[Chorus: Nicki Minaj]
It's a celebration (Put one in the air for the ghetto, ooh)
It's times like these (Ooh, ooh)
They know who we are by now (They know who we are)
Champion, the champions (Champion, champion)
[Verse 4: Nas]
What up, Nicki? It's Nasty, yeah
I saw my first two million dollars, I was 23
I'm barely a man, yet, I had some killers under me
This ain't rated PG, this rated PJ
'Cause that's where a nigga from; murder on replay
My 24th b-day, I'm sailing to Bermedy, you can see me on a yacht
Blasting Pac, little knot, I ain't greedy
I'm back to thugging, bitches

Back to making them kiss other bitches
My man sister like me, I don't fuck my brother sister
I just aspire your desire to be different
My ten year old plan just one year to finish
My list look like this, first thing you'll discover
The difference in pussy: white, black, Latin and other
Here's a man who clearly isn't basic
Waiting list, just to hear me or witness the greatness
Loud laughter, while writing my next chapter: Fast Cash Life
Happily ever after
Champions


[Chorus: Nicki Minaj]
It's a celebration (Put one in the air for the ghetto, ooh)
It's times like these (Ooh, ooh)
They know who we are by now (They know who we are)
Champion, the champions (Champion, champion)

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About

Genius Annotation

“Champion” is the seventh track from Nicki Minaj’s second studio album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded.

It peaked at #36 on Billboard’s “US R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs” chart.

https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/845797235954778117

Q&A

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

What did Nicki Minaj say about "Champion"?
Genius Answer

In an interview with Vibe magazine Nicki explained how she desperately wanted fellow Queens rapper Nas to feature, but was unsure if he would agree:

He’s always been so exclusive. He doesn’t work with everybody and I respect people that are like that. They take pride in their craft. I keep saying to be from Queens and to end up having him… We know how picky he is [for features]. He said ‘I like the song, I’m a do it, you can wait 'til Monday and I got you’ and he kept his word. He murked it, for me to wait for a feature and it be that and murk the song and finish the song that way… I was amazed.

Who else was Nicki hoping to secure a feature from?
Genius Answer

Another artist Minaj wanted on “Champion” was her long-time idol Lauryn Hill:

I wanted to get her on ‘Champion.’ That would have been crazy, right? She was my fave … Lauryn to me is the goddess. I’d love to meet her. I’m pretty sure she’s heard me talk about her a billion times.

Although Minaj vouched for Hill to appear on the track, plans were never finalized and the collaboration ultimately fell through.

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