Shakur was born in New York City to parents who were both political activists and Black Panther Party members. Raised by his mother, he relocated to Baltimore in 1984 and to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1988. With the release of his debut album 2Pacalypse Now in 1991, he became a central figure in West Coast hip-hop for his conscious rap lyrics. Shakur achieved further critical and commercial success with his follow-up albums Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... (1993) and Me Against the World (1995). His Diamond certified album All Eyez on Me (1996), the first double-length album in hip-hop history, abandoned his introspective lyrics for volatile gangsta rap. In addition to his music career, Shakur also found considerable success as an actor, with his starring roles in Juice (1992), Poetic Justice (1993), Above the Rim (1994), Bullet (1996), Gridlock'd (1997), and Gang Related (1997).
During the later part of his career, Shakur was shot five times in the lobby of a New York recording studio and experienced legal troubles, including incarceration. In 1995, Shakur served eight months in prison on sexual abuse charges, but was released pending an appeal of his conviction. Following his release, he signed to Marion "Suge" Knight's label Death Row Records and became heavily involved in the growing East CoastβWest Coast hip hop rivalry. On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times by an unidentified assailant in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas; he died six days later. Following his murder, Shakur's friend-turned-rival, the Notorious B.I.G., was at first considered a suspect due to their public feud, but was also murdered in another drive-by shooting six months later in March 1997 while visiting Los Angeles.
Five more albums have been released since Shakur's death, all of which have been certified Platinum in the United States. In 2002, Shakur was inducted into the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame. In 2017, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone magazine ranked Shakur among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
Shakur was born on June 16, 1971, in the East Harlem section of Manhattan in New York City. While born Lesane Parish Crooks, at age one he was renamed Tupac Amaru Shakur. He was named after TΓΊpac Amaru II, the descendant of the last Incan ruler, TΓΊpac Amaru, who was executed in Peru in 1781 after his failed revolt against Spanish rule. Shakur's mother explained, "I wanted him to have the name of revolutionary, indigenous people in the world. I wanted him to know he was part of a world culture and not just from a neighborhood."
Shakur had an older stepbrother, Mopreme "Komani" Shakur, and a half-sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, two years his junior.
G
2PAc Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is it cool if a nigga just get fucked up for this one?
Yeah
Mr. Fuck-a-Cop is back
And I still don't give a fuck, ya know I'm sayin'?
Puffin' on this indo (yeah, guess who's back)
in the studio with my partners out here (guess who's back, ah, yeah)
Pacific Heights in the house, know what I mean (guess who's back)
I was framed, so don't make the same mistake, nigga
You gotta learn how to shake the snakes, nigga
'Cause the police love to break a nigga
Send 'em upstate 'cause they straight up hate the niggas
So what I do is get a crew of zoo niggas
Straight fools into rules and do niggas
And one-time had enough of me
I'm still raw so the law can't fuck with me
They wanna send me to the pen, punk, picture that
I stay strapped, motherfuckers better get your gat
It ain't easy bein' me, I can't take it
Life as a celebrity ain't everything they make it
And ever since the movies, these hoes tryna do me
If they can't screw me, they find a way to sue me
Now can you picture me coolin' at a night club?
Nothin' but love, but motherfuckers wanna mean mug
Since I wear a lot of gold, they plot
Don't know what I got and get shot with the hot ones (boom, boom)
And aw yeah, I wanna feel guilty
But you punk motherfuckers tried to milk me
You'll get smacked behind the ear with my mobile, my pager
It's beepin' while I cut you with my razor
I'm not violent, I'm petrified and nervous
I got no mercy for these niggas tryna serve us
But if you catch me outta pocket, then I'm got
You love to shoot a nigga but you scared to pop a cop
Now drop it (this one is)
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas
Strictly for my niggas makin' G's
Reflected and disrespected, plus I'm rejected
"You're just another rapper who swears he's makin records"
That's what they said, whenever I would walk by
I never tripped, bro, always kept my head up high
Eventually, I knew that I would find my way
After the darkest night, always comes a brighter day
And some would say, that turned away is all you'll get
I just said, "Bet," and never let 'em see me sweat
'Cause in the end, I knew that I would have it all
While non-believers were prayin' for my downfall
And some would call and tell me that they wish me well
But in my heart, I'm knowin' that they wish me hell
Yo, get a real job, rappin' doesn't pay the rent
I hit the studio 'cause that's where all my money went
Never surrender, it's all about the faith you've got
Don't ever stop, just push it 'til you hit the top
And if you drop, at least you know you gave your all
Be true to you, and that way you can never fall
But beware, these backstabbers ain't no joke
Just like a rope, they hang on you until you're broke
And when you're broke, they move onto the next dope
And there you are, can't even pay your car note
And when you reminisce, thinkin' how you got dissed
Remember how it felt, and then remember this
Be true to you, believe that there's no one bigger
'Cause they can all suck dick, it's strictly for my niggas
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas
Strictly for my niggas makin' G's (this is)
This is for the critics if you live up
Pick up my shit or I'll be back doin' stickups
I better see five stars next to my picture
If not, 2Pac will cock the Glock and come knockin' to getcha
I told you once, motherfucker, I'm a nut
Play me like a butt and you'll be bleedin' when you're fucked
Niggas know what's up but they be tryna hold me down
I'm comin' outta Oaktown, bitch, fuck around
And it ain't where you from that makes you hardcore
Nigga, it's the way you throw them thangs in the war
And to the marks that be talkin' all that shit
Screamin' out the next nigga's name like a bitch
And the niggas that I ran into recently
The motherfuckers at the club that pulled the piece on me
You little bitches shoulda pulled the fuckin' trigga
Now you live in fear of a heartless-ass nigga
Mr. Troublesome (uh), niggas tried to play me with the gat
But like Terminator, nigga, I'll be back
Yeah, and I'll be back with a fuckin' army
You tried to harm me, ri-ring the alarm, G
'Cause most motherfuckers love to act up
Without they backup, when they get jacked up, they crack up
It's strictly for my niggas at the show
So they know not to play me like a ho
Strictly for my
Strictly for my, strictly for my niggas
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas (strictly for my)
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas
Strictly for my niggas makin' G's (this one be)
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas (strictly for my)
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas
Strictly for my niggas makin' G's (this one be)
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas (this one be)
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas (this one be)
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas (this one be)
Strictly for my niggas makin' G's
Strictly for my, strictly for my
stric-stric- (it's strictly for my niggas)
Strictly for my, strictly for my
stric-stric- (it's strictly for my niggas)
Strictly for my, strictly for my
stric-stric- (it's strictly for my niggas), uh
Strictly for my niggas, makin' G's
strictly, stric-stric- (strictly, strictly for my niggas makin' G's)
Strictly, strictly, stric-stric (strictly for my niggas makin' G's)
Strictly, strictly, stric-stric (strictly for my niggas makin' G's)
strictly for my niggas makin' G's (strictly for my niggas makin' G's)
this one be
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas
Strictly for my niggas makin' G's
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas (Mr. Fuck-a-Cop)
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas (Mr. Fuck-a-Cop)
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas (Mr. Fuck-a-Cop)
Strictly for my niggas makin' G's
In the song N.I.G.G.A by 2Pac featuring Mouse Man and Mopreme, Tupac raps about the struggles and obstacles that he had to overcome as a Black man in America. Tupac starts by introducing himself as Mr. Fuck-a-cop, and expresses how he still doesn't give a fuck about the police or society. He talks about being framed, and how Black people have to learn how to shake the snakes and avoid getting caught up in the easy trap set for them by the authorities. Tupac also mentions how the police love to break a Black person to send them to jail, but he won't let himself fall into that trap. Tupac then talks about the hardships of a celebrity life, and how people try to take advantage of him through lawsuits and attempts at extortion. He expresses his frustration with people who judge him for his lavish lifestyle and wearing a lot of gold. In the last verse, Tupac calls out his critics and the people who have tried to bring him down. He raps about overcoming his obstacles and encourages his fellow Black people to persevere and stay true to themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo 'Law!
Hey officer!
Is it cool if a nigga just get fucked up for this one?
Can I get intoxicated for this particular occasion?
Yeah! Mr. Fuck-a-Cop is back!
Yes! The individual who disrespects law enforcement officers has returned!
And I still don't give a fuck, yaknahmsayin?
And I continue to not care, do you understand what I'm saying?
Puffin on this indo, in the studio with my partners out here
Smoking marijuana in the recording studio with my friends
Pacific Heights in the house, know what I mean
Representing the Pacific Heights neighborhood
I was framed, so don't make the same mistake, nigga
I was falsely accused, so don't make the same error, my friend
You gotta learn how to shake the snakes, nigga
You need to learn how to avoid deceitful people, my friend
'Cause the police love to break a nigga
Because the police enjoy incarcerating individuals like me
Send em upstate cause they straight-up hate the niggas
They send them to prison because they truly despise black people
So what I do is get a crew of zoo niggas
So what I do is gather a group of rowdy individuals
Straight fools into rules and do niggas
Crazy individuals who are willing to engage in illegal activities
And one-time had enough of me
And the police have grown tired of my presence
I'm still raw so the law can't fuck with me
I'm still untamed, so the legal system cannot harm me
They wanna send me to the pen, punk picture that
They desire to incarcerate me, envision that, you insignificant person
I stay strapped motherfuckers better get your gat
I am armed, so you fools should retrieve your firearms
It ain't easy bein' me I can't take it
It is challenging to be the person that I am, I cannot endure it
Life as a celebrity ain't everything they make it
Living as a famous person is not as glamorous as it appears
And ever since the movies, these hoes try to do me
And since I became a film star, these promiscuous women attempt to engage in sexual relations with me
If they can't screw me, they find a way to sue me
If they are unable to have intercourse with me, they discover a method to take legal action against me
Now can you picture me coolin', at a night club?
Can you imagine me relaxing at a nightclub?
Nothin' but love, but motherfuckers wanna mean mug
Nothing but positive vibes, but individuals want to give me hostile stares
Since I wear a lot of gold, they plot
Due to my abundance of gold jewelry, they plan against me
Don't know what I got, and get shot with the hot ones
They are unaware of what I possess, and they will be shot with high-powered firearms
And aw yeah, I wanna feel guilty
And oh yes, I desire to experience guilt
But you punk motherfuckers tried to milk me
But you cowardly individuals attempted to exploit me
You'll get smacked behind the hill with my phone on my pager
You will be assaulted discreetly while I am receiving a notification on my pager
It's beepin' while I cut you with my razor
The pager is emitting sounds as I slash you with my razor
I'm not violent, I'm petrified and nervous
I am not prone to violence, I am terrified and anxious
I got no mercy for these niggas tryin' to serve us
I have no empathy for these individuals attempting to mistreat us
But if you catch me outta pocket, then I'm got
But if you find me in a vulnerable position, then I am in trouble
You love to shoot a nigga but you scared to pop a cop
You enjoy shooting black individuals but are too afraid to harm a police officer
Now drop it
Now cease the action
Strictly for my, strictly for my, strictly for my niggas
Exclusively for my, solely for my, only for my black individuals
Reflected and disrespected, plus I'm rejected
I am mirrored and disregarded, and also faced with rejection
You're just another rapper, who swears he's makin records
You are merely another hip-hop artist who claims to be producing successful albums
That's what they said, whenever I would walk by
That's what people would say whenever I would pass by
I never tripped though, always kept my head up high
I never let it bother me, I always maintained a confident attitude
Eventually, I knew that I would find my way
In due time, I knew that I would succeed
After the darkest night, always comes a brighter day
Following the most difficult times, a more hopeful period always emerges
And some would say, that turned away is all you'll get
And some people would argue that being ignored is the only outcome you'll achieve
I just said, "bet," and never let 'em see me sweat
I simply responded with confidence and never allowed them to witness my anxiety
'Cause in the end, I knew that I would have it all
Because ultimately, I knew that I would achieve success in all aspects
While non-believers, were prayin' for my downfall
While those who doubted me were hoping for my failure
And some would call, and tell me that they wish me well
And some individuals would contact me and express their good wishes
But in my heart, I'm knowin' that they wish me hell
But deep down, I am aware that they desire misfortune upon me
Yo get a real job, rappin' doesn't pay the rent
Hey, find a conventional occupation, pursuing a career in rap music doesn't generate sufficient income
I hate the studio cause that's where all my money went
I dislike recording studios because that's where I spent all my earnings
Never surrender, it's all about the faith you've got
Never give up, it's all about the level of belief you possess
Don't ever stop, just push it til you hit the top
Never cease your efforts, continue striving until you reach the pinnacle
And if you drop, at least you know you gave your all
And if you fail, at least you can take solace knowing you exerted maximum effort
Be true to you, and that way you can never fall
Remain authentic to yourself, and that way you will never experience failure
But beware, these backstabbers ain't no joke
However, be cautious, these deceitful individuals are serious
Just like a rope, they hang on you until you're broke
Similar to a noose, they cling to you until you are financially destitute
And when you're broke, they move onto the next dope
And when you are penniless, they proceed to exploit the next vulnerable person
And there you are, can't even pay your car, nope
And there you are, unable to afford your own vehicle, nope
And when you reminisce, thinkin' how you got dissed
And when you reflect on the past, contemplating how you were treated disrespectfully
Remember how it felt, and then remember this
Recall the emotions you experienced, and then contemplate this
Be true to you, believe that there's no one bigger
Stay true to yourself, have faith that no one is superior to you
'Cause they can all suck dick, it's strictly for my niggas
Because they are all irrelevant, they are only relevant to my black companions
(This is) This is for the critics if you live up
This is for the critics if you can meet the standards
Pick up my shit or I'll be back doin' stickups
Support my work or else I will resort to committing robberies again
I better see five stars next to my picture
I expect to see outstanding ratings next to my image
If not, 2Pac will cop the Glock and come knockin' to getcha
If not, 2Pac will acquire a handgun and confront you aggressively
I told you once motherfucker I'm a nut
I warned you previously that I am a mentally unstable individual
Play me like a butt and you'll be bleedin' when you're fucked
Disregard my warning and you will experience severe consequences
Niggas know what's up but they be tryin to hold me down
Individuals are aware of the situation but they attempt to suppress my success
I'm comin' outta Oaktown, bitch fuck around
I am emerging from the city of Oakland, so don't mess with me
And it ain't where you from that makes you hardcore
And it is not your place of origin that determines your level of toughness
Nigga it's the way you throw them thangs in the war
My friend, it is the way you engage in combat
And to the marks that be talkin' all that shit
And to the individuals who consistently talk nonsense
Screamin' out the next nigga's name like a bitch
Shouting another black man's name loudly, behaving in an effeminate manner
And the niggas that I ran into recently
And the black individuals that I encountered recently
The motherfuckers at the club that pulled the piece on me
The bastards at the nightclub who aimed a firearm at me
You little bitches shoulda pulled the fuckin' trigga
You cowardly individuals should have actually fired the damn weapon
Now you live in fear of a heartless-ass nigga
Now you reside in a state of terror because of a ruthless individual like myself
Mr. Troublesome; niggas tried to play me with the gat
Mr. Troublesome; individuals attempted to manipulate me using the firearm
But like Terminator nigga, I'll be back
But similar to the character Terminator, I will return
Yeah! And I'll be back with a fuckin' army
Yes! And I will return accompanied by a significant group of people
You tried to harm me, ruh-ring the alarm G!
You endeavored to cause me harm, so I am sounding the alarm, my friend!
'Cause most motherfuckers love to act up
Because the majority of individuals enjoy behaving recklessly
Without they backup, when they get jacked up they crack up
Without support, they panic and become mentally unstable when they encounter trouble
It's strictly for my niggas at the show
This is exclusively for my black individuals attending the concert
So they know, not to play me like a ho (ho!)
So they understand not to treat me with disrespect
Strictly for my
Exclusively for my
Strictly for my niggas makin' G's
Exclusively for my black individuals who are making significant amounts of money
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Derrick Mcdowell, Larry D. Goodman, Tupac Amaru Shakur
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@9MagTV
RIP Shock G ππΎπ Our Sincerest Condolences
@MrSmiles1977
I'm so glad you knew humpty was shock G
@garywalkersr2386
Rest in Peace,,, Shock-G you dont have to go round & round any more you're in the Hands of the Best so get some Rest πππup there βοΈ
@McmcTimboJimbo
And pac 2
@Craxzy-bz6jn
@2Pacalypse yes rip 2pac
@aviationpilots9491
RIP 2pac
@unknownvariable9239
This song will forever be one of the most iconic and unforgettable summer songs.
@bugsy_3211
Tupac D. Shakur
@ldawgj2749
agreed
@flyguy75km
Straight up I was 18 summer of 93 fixing to hit boot camp in August⦠this is when I first liked PAC .. my summer youth jam makes me smile to this day.