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 Coast–West 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 Túpac Amaru II, the descendant of the last Incan ruler, Túpac 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.
2Pac
2Pac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where every other had a pops and a motha
I was the product of a heated lover
Nobody knew how deep it screwed me
And since my pops never knew me
My family didn't know what to do with me
Was i somebody they despised?
Curious look in they eyes
And poor momma can't control me
"Quit trying' to save my soul
I wanna roll with my homies!"
A tickin timebomb, can't nobody fade me
Packin' a 380 and fiendin' for Mercedes
Suckers scatter but it don't matter
I'm a cool shot punks drop from all the
Buckshots the fools got
I'm tired of being a nice guy
I've been poor all my life
But don't know quite why
So they label me a lunatic
Could care leas death or success
Is what i quest cause i'm fearless
The streets are deathrow
I just murdered a man
I'm even more stressed wearin' a vest
Hopin' that they're aimin' at my chest
Much too young to bite the bullet
Hand on the trigga
I see my life before my eyes
Each time i pull it
I hope I live to be a man
Must be part of some big plan to
Keep a brotha in the state pen
Counting pennys over the years
I'd done stacked many proving wrong those
Who swore i'd wouldn't live till twenty
Now they gotta cope
Since it's the only thing I know
It's difficult to let it go
I'm startin' to loose my hair cause i worry
Hustlin' to keep from gettin' buried
But now i gotta move away now
Cause these suckers love ta' spray
Where I lay down
My homie lost his family, he snapped
Shot up half the block to bring them back
The streets are deathrow
I'm dangerous when drunk, I only drink beer
Gin makes me sin unable to think clear
Henessey makes me think my
Enemy is getting close bOOM BOOM BOOM!
Got me shooting at a ghost
Some call me crazy but this
Is what you gave me
Amongst the babies who raised
Up from the slavery
I sport a vest and hit the
Sess to kill the stress
Moved out west and I invest in all the best
Those who test will find a
Bullet in they chest
Put to rest by a brotha who was hopeless
Grow up broke on the rope of insanity
How many pistols smoking coming
From a broken family i'm sick of being tired
Sick of the sirens, body bags
And the gun firing
Tell bush, "Push the button!" cause i'm fed
Tired of hearin' these voices in my head
The steeets are deathrow
The lyrics to "2Pac" by 2Pac depict the struggles of a young black man growing up in the inner city, where he feels like a product of his environment. He talks about how his upbringing and lack of guidance from his father has caused him to turn to a life of crime and violence as a means of survival. He also expresses his frustration with people's judgments of him and their inability to understand his reality, with lines such as "as if they wonder if I'm dead or alive."
Despite his tough exterior, the singer shows vulnerability and fear, especially when he talks about wanting to live long enough to become a man and feeling like he's part of some big plan to keep him in the state pen. This sentiment is emphasized in the chorus when he says, "the streets are deathrow," suggesting that the life he's been living is full of danger and impending doom.
As the song progresses, the singer reveals a self-destructive streak, as he turns to drinking to numb his pain and starts to lose hope in a better future. The song concludes with a call to action, telling President Bush to "push the button" and put an end to the violence and trauma that poor communities like his have to endure.
Overall, the lyrics to "2Pac" paint a vivid picture of the struggles faced by young black men growing up in poverty and facing a neglected education, lack of opportunity, and racial profiling.
Line by Line Meaning
Growing up as an inner city brotha
I was raised in the dangerous environment of the inner city
Where every other had a pops and a motha
Most people had both a father and a mother figure growing up
I was the product of a heated lover
My parents had a passionate, but not stable, relationship that resulted in my birth
Nobody knew how deep it screwed me
The psychological impact that my upbringing had on me went unnoticed by others
And since my pops never knew me
My father was not present in my life and never formed a relationship with me
My family didn't know what to do with me
My extended family did not know how to handle my troubled behavior
Was i somebody they despised?
I felt like my family looked down on me or even hated me
Curious look in they eyes
They were always observing me, wondering about my actions and fate
As if they wonder if i'm dead or alive
Their curiosity extended to the point of not knowing if I was alive or already dead
And poor momma can't control me
Even my mother, who wanted to help me, was unable to control my behavior
"Quit trying' to save my soul
I was resistant to any attempt by my family to save me from my dangerous lifestyle
I wanna roll with my homies!"
I wanted to stick to my friends, even if it meant partaking in negative behaviors
A tickin timebomb, can't nobody fade me
I had a short fuse and could not be intimidated by anyone
Packin' a 380 and fiendin' for Mercedes
I had a gun and was fixated on acquiring a luxury car
Suckers scatter but it don't matter
My enemies would run away from me, but I did not care
I'm a cool shot punks drop from all the
I was skilled at shooting and could take out my enemies without remorse
Buckshots the fools got
My rivals were defenseless against my shotgun attacks
I'm tired of being a nice guy
I was done with trying to live a peaceful life
I've been poor all my life
I grew up in financial hardship
But don't know quite why
I did not understand why I had to suffer so much
So they label me a lunatic
People saw me as crazy, making it harder for me to change my life
Could care leas death or success
I did not care if I died or became successful
Is what i quest cause i'm fearless
I wanted to achieve something in life because I was not afraid of death
The streets are deathrow
The environment I lived in was full of danger and death
I just murdered a man
I have committed a deadly act against another person
I'm even more stressed wearin' a vest
Despite wearing protective gear, I was still scared and anxious
Hopin' that they're aimin' at my chest
I would rather be shot in the chest than other parts of my body that may cause more agony
Much too young to bite the bullet
I was too young to accept the consequences of my actions
Hand on the trigga
I was ready to pull the trigger of my gun
I see my life before my eyes
I had a moment of introspection and realized how much my life was at risk
Each time i pull it
I was used to the reflex of pulling the trigger, without considering the consequences
I hope I live to be a man
I desired to grow old and experience adulthood
Must be part of some big plan to
I hoped that my life had a bigger purpose, other than accumulating wealth and power
Keep a brotha in the state pen
I felt like I was trapped in the endless cycle of criminal activity and prison
Counting pennys over the years
I had been broke for many years, counting every penny I had
I'd done stacked many proving wrong those
I had worked hard to accumulate wealth for myself, despite those who doubted me
Who swore i'd wouldn't live till twenty
People expected me to die young, due to the dangerous lifestyle I led
Now they gotta cope
My success and survival made others realize they were wrong about me
Since it's the only thing I know
I did not have any other option than to continue with my dangerous lifestyle
It's difficult to let it go
Even if I wanted to change my life, it was hard to break free from my past and surroundings
I'm startin' to loose my hair cause i worry
I was under a lot of stress, which was taking a toll on my physical appearance
Hustlin' to keep from gettin' buried
I had to work hard to stay alive and avoid dying in the violent streets
But now i gotta move away now
To change my life, I needed to step away from the dangerous environment that shaped me
Cause these suckers love ta' spray
My enemies had no qualms about shooting at me
Where I lay down
Even in my own home, I was not safe from violent attacks
My homie lost his family, he snapped
My friend went through a traumatic experience, which caused him to become violent
Shot up half the block to bring them back
My friend committed a deadly act, hoping that it would bring his family back to life
I'm dangerous when drunk, I only drink beer
When I am under the influence, I become a liability to myself and others around me
Gin makes me sin unable to think clear
Another alcoholic beverage has a negative impact on my decision-making process
Henessey makes me think my
When I drink yet another type of alcohol, I become paranoid
Enemy is getting close bOOM BOOM BOOM!
I start to hear imaginary sounds and suspect someone is trying to harm me
Got me shooting at a ghost
I end up wasting my ammunition on nonexistent threats
Some call me crazy but this
People think I am insane, but I attribute my behavior to the environment I grew up in
Is what you gave me
The circumstances of my life, which I did not choose, led me to this point
Amongst the babies who raised
I was part of a generation that had to grow up quickly and learn how to navigate a tough world
Up from the slavery
My roots trace back to the history of slavery and oppression in the United States
I sport a vest and hit the
To protect myself from potential attacks, I always wore a bulletproof vest
Sess to kill the stress
I smoked marijuana to relax and escape from the stress of my life
Moved out west and I invest in all the best
To start fresh, I left my old life behind and invested in new opportunities and ventures
Those who test will find a
Anyone who tries to cross me will face my wrath
Bullet in they chest
The consequence for crossing me is a deadly bullet to the chest
Put to rest by a brotha who was hopeless
Anyone who faced me was inevitably doomed and put to rest, and I felt like there was no hope for change in my life
Grow up broke on the rope of insanity
My poverty-stricken upbringing, combined with the violence and danger of my environment, drove me towards insanity
How many pistols smoking coming
I had access to many guns, and my lifestyle perpetuated their constant use
From a broken family i'm sick of being tired
My family was dysfunctional, and I was exhausted of living in such an environment
Sick of the sirens, body bags
I was tired of the constant reminder of death and violence that surrounded me, including police sirens and body bags
And the gun firing
The sound of gunfire no longer had an effect on me, as I had heard it too many times
Tell bush, "Push the button!" cause i'm fed
I was so frustrated with my life and the state of the world that I was ready to resort to extreme measures, like urging President Bush to start a war
Tired of hearin' these voices in my head
I was mentally exhausted and could not get the negative thoughts out of my head
The streets are deathrow
The streets are a constant threat to anyone who resides there, and death feels inevitable
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@LivingwithBella
The CIA, Diddy, Suge Knight and some members of outlaws was involved in the death of Tupac and Biggie Smalls, they made them disappear because they were becoming much bigger than just ordinary rappers, Tupac was revolutionary and if Biggie became revolutionary it would have changed the course of black lives in America, Yaki Kadafi saw the shooter and was going to expose them on television in front of the world, he was depressed and knew all the bigger parties involved so on that day he went to see his girlfriend at her apartment, members of the outlaws send the teenager ( The Cousin )
to pull the trigger and kill Yaki Kadafi, after that Outlaws disappeared and one went to Saudi Arabia became muslim, Anderson must have been too hurt to open fire, i don’t think it was Keffee D, he’s just milking it, sometimes your killers are those close to you, everyone was jealous of Tupac
1) They held a secret meeting
2) Only helicopters can move that fast in a busy Vegas streets ( The CIA )
3) Removing Office Poole from the Investigation
4) Yaki Kadafi went into a hideout
5) How come Outlaws didn’t kill Orlando Anderson, if you come at my mentor, my brother or friend, rest be assured im coming back right at you, all they did was do interview’s talk their shit thats it
I can list a thousand other reasons why i think my investigation is right and makes sense
@LivingwithBella
The CIA, Diddy, Suge Knight and some members of outlaws was involved in the death of Tupac and Biggie Smalls, they made them disappear because they were becoming much bigger than just ordinary rappers, Tupac was revolutionary and if Biggie became revolutionary it would have changed the course of black lives in America, Yaki Kadafi saw the shooter and was going to expose them on television in front of the world, he was depressed and knew all the bigger parties involved so on that day he went to see his girlfriend at her apartment, members of the outlaws send the teenager ( The Cousin )
to pull the trigger and kill Yaki Kadafi, after that Outlaws disappeared and one went to Saudi Arabia became muslim, Anderson must have been too hurt to open fire, i don’t think it was Keffee D, he’s just milking it, sometimes your killers are those close to you, everyone was jealous of Tupac
1) They held a secret meeting
2) Only helicopters can move that fast in a busy Vegas streets ( The CIA )
3) Removing Office Poole from the Investigation
4) Yaki Kadafi went into a hideout
5) How come Outlaws didn’t kill Orlando Anderson, if you come at my mentor, my brother or friend, rest be assured im coming back right at you, all they did was do interview’s talk their shit thats it
I can list a thousand other reasons why i think my investigation is right and makes sense
@mantisw3182
Čuj, kako to izgledaš?
Sa čime si se to namazao?
Što se tiče ovoga (pjesme),
ne bi puno. Nije to ni pjesma
ni revanje, ni kreveljenje, to je
jednostavno ništa ~ (nula - 0),
iz jednostavno razloga ~ pjesma u kojoj
se nekoliko puta čuje "mother fucker",
nije za javnost, već za zatvor dugogodišnji.
Da je imamo malo mozga, ne bi ga upucali
i danas bi bio živ, dakle ~ sam si je kriv!!
A ti, ostavi se ovakvih pjesama i sličnih
gluposti, primi se poštenog posla i od
svog života napravi nešto na ponos svojoj djeci.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Google translation, probably bad :-(
Listen, what do you look like?
What did you smear it with?
As for this (song), not much.
It's not even a song no roaring,
no whining, that is simply nothing ~ (zero - 0),
for simple reasons ~ a song in which
"mother fucker" is heard several times,
not for the public, but for years of imprisonment.
If we had a little brain, we wouldn't shoot him
he would still be alive today, so ~ it's his fault !!
And you, leave songs like this and the like
nonsense, get an honest job and from
make something of your life proud of your children.
@user-mr2cg9yb4g
genie: you have 3 wishes
me: bring back tupac
genie: you still got 3 more wishes, that one is on me
@duckonquack5723
Dela Fozzer underrated comment
@user-kv6dz2ez1u
Damn, this comment needs more likes
@chunkymilk1565
@@user-kv6dz2ez1u it's only been 2 days.
@NNN-vc2ru
Thought you were going somewhere different with this-- the conspiracy that he is still alive.
@zomo7121
@@NNN-vc2ru same
@DaemonTargaryen13
Diddy finally going down 😂😂😂😂 long live 2pac 💪💪
@TupacFan
About time!!
@torkemon
@Tyler.M819 cringe
@LivingwithBella
The CIA, Diddy, Suge Knight and some members of outlaws was involved in the death of Tupac and Biggie Smalls, they made them disappear because they were becoming much bigger than just ordinary rappers, Tupac was revolutionary and if Biggie became revolutionary it would have changed the course of black lives in America, Yaki Kadafi saw the shooter and was going to expose them on television in front of the world, he was depressed and knew all the bigger parties involved so on that day he went to see his girlfriend at her apartment, members of the outlaws send the teenager ( The Cousin )
to pull the trigger and kill Yaki Kadafi, after that Outlaws disappeared and one went to Saudi Arabia became muslim, Anderson must have been too hurt to open fire, i don’t think it was Keffee D, he’s just milking it, sometimes your killers are those close to you, everyone was jealous of Tupac
1) They held a secret meeting
2) Only helicopters can move that fast in a busy Vegas streets ( The CIA )
3) Removing Office Poole from the Investigation
4) Yaki Kadafi went into a hideout
5) How come Outlaws didn’t kill Orlando Anderson, if you come at my mentor, my brother or friend, rest be assured im coming back right at you, all they did was do interview’s talk their shit thats it
I can list a thousand other reasons why i think my investigation is right and makes sense