I am 999 [ru]

Foreword to the track "I am 999"

This song is an anthem for those whom society has grown accustomed to writing off. It’s for those who find themselves at the bottom of the priority list for "friends" who, in reality, see them as nothing more than a backup option. It’s for those labeled as failures, losers, or outsiders—simply because they don’t chase after someone else’s medals or wear "borrowed crowns."

The number 999 here is not a sign of defeat. It is a symbol of a conscious choice: to be last in someone else’s hierarchy, but first in your own life. While the "number one" is left exhausted by the race for success—covered in the dust of others' expectations and having long since lost their spark—"999" retains its own "authentic fire."

This is a manifesto of dignity, one that requires no pedestal. It’s a story about how not being in the "front row" doesn’t mean being invisible. It means walking your own path, without looking back for applause that was never meant for you in the first place. Your scars are the marks of a game you played by your own rules. Your worth is not defined by how fast you ran in pursuit of someone else’s approval.

This track is for everyone who feels invisible, yet burns brighter than anyone else on the inside. You aren’t late; you simply chose your own route.

You are not last. You are 999. And you are alive. 🔥

I’m on the list, right at the very end—

no gold-leaf trim, no fancy loops or frills.

Where the crowd cries out, "Where are you headed?"

I forge my own path, as I always will.

I’m not among the front-row ranks,

not one of those swept along by the tide.

I’ve seen the gleam of their medals and honors—

I’m not of their number, yet I’m filled with pride.

I have no need for heights that aren't my own,

for borrowed crowns or the price they demand.

I’ve made my own stubborn, defiant move—

one that will ring louder than all their systems planned.

I am nine-nine-nine!

While someone else is "first"—but worn and old (heh-heh).

I am nine-nine-nine!

And my fire, my drive—still burning bold (hey!).

I am nine-nine-nine!

Not the first, but alive and true.

I am nine-nine-nine!

Walking my own path, straight and through.

Their faces wear a look of permanent retreat,

their pockets hold a fear that’s warm and deep.

But I move through this world of gray—

with a fire in my eyes that I mean to keep.

So what if there was no parade for me?

So what if no flag was raised in my name?

My stride is honest, unburdened by guilt,

and every scar is a mark of the game.

I have no need for a pedestal,

or a view that stares into an endless void.

I didn’t rise up, didn’t stand and begin,

just to hide the heights I’ve reached and enjoyed.

I am nine-nine-nine!

While someone else is "first"—but tired and old (heh-heh).

I am nine-nine-nine!

And my fire, my drive—still burning bold (hey!).

I am nine-nine-nine!

Not the first, but alive and true.

I am nine-nine-nine! I walk my own straight path.

Let the number one look downward,

let a layer of dust settle upon it.

I’d rather be a late-blooming risk

than a lifeless, golden record.

I am nine-nine-nine!!

While someone else is number one—but weary (heh-heh).

I am nine-nine-nine!!

And my passion remains fully intact (hey!).

I am nine-nine-nine!!

Not the first, but very much alive.

I am nine-nine-nine!!

I walk my own straight path.

I am nine-nine-nine!!!!