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.
Ain
2Pac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I take a shot of Hennessey now I'm strong enough to face the madness
Nickel bag full of sess weed laced with hash
Phone calls from my niggas on the, other side
Two childhood friends just died, I couldn't cry
A damn shame, when will we ever change?
And what remains from a twelve gauge to the brain?
I spend mo' time with my niggas than I do with you
But everywhere it's the same thin', that's the game
I'll be damned if a thin' changed, fuck the fame
I'll be hustlin' to make a million, Lord knows
Ain't no love for us ghetto children, so we cold
Rag top slowin' down, time to stop for gas
Beep my horn for a hoochie with a proper ass, uh
It ain't easy, that's my motto
Drinkin' Tanqueray straight out the bottle
Everybody wanna know if I'm insane
My baby mama gotta mind full of silly games
And all the drama got me stressin' like I'm hopeless, I can't cope
Me and the homies smokin' roaches, 'cause we broke
Late night hangin' out 'til the sunrise gettin' high
Watchin' the cops roll by
It ain't easy
That's right
It ain't easy, bein' me
Will I see the penitentiary, or will I stay free?
It ain't easy, bein' me
Will I see the penitentiary, or will I stay free?
It ain't easy, bein' me
Will I see the penitentiary, or will I stay free?
I can't sleep, niggas plottin' on to kill me while I'm dreamin'
Wake up sweaty and screamin', cause I can hear them suckers schemin'
Probably paranoid, problem is, them punks be fantasizin'
A brother bite the bullet, open fire and I died
I wonder why, that's just the way it is, even now
Lookin' out for these killer kids, 'cause they wild
Bill Clinton, can you recognize a nigga representin'?
Doin' twenty to life in San Quentin
Gettin' calls from my nigga Mike Tyson, ain't nothin' nice
Yo 'Pac, do somethin' righteous with ya life
And even though you innocent, you still a nigga, so they figure
Rather have you behind bars than triggers
But I'm hold ya down and holla Thug Life, lickin' shots
'Til I see my niggas free on the block
But no it ain't easy
'Til I see my niggas free, on the block, oh
It ain't easy
It ain't easy, bein' me
Will I see the penitentiary, or will I stay free?
It ain't easy, bein' me
Will I see the penitentiary, or will I stay free?
It ain't easy, bein' me
Will I see the penitentiary?
Lately been reminiscin'
'Bout Peppermint Schnapps in Junior High hit the block
Keep an eye on the cops while D-Boys slang rocks
It's the project kid without a conscience, I'm havin' dreams
Of hearin' screams at my concerts, me all my childhood peers
Through the years tryna stack a little green
I was only seventeen, when I started servin' fiends
And I wish there was another way to stack a dollar
So my apoli', cause these hard times make me wanna holler
Will I live to see tomorrow, am I fallin' off?
I hit the weed and then proceed to say fuck all of y'all
Ain't nobody down with me, I'm thuggin', I can't go home
'Cause muh-fuckers think I'm buggin', so now I'm in
This high powered cell at the county jail
Punk judge got a grudge, can't post no bail, what
Do I do in these county blues?
Gettin' battered and bruised by the you know who
And these fakes get to shakin' when they face me
Snakes ain't got enough nuts to replace me
Sittin' in this, livin' hell, listenin' to niggas yell
Tryin' to torture 'em to tell, I'm gettin' mail
But ain't nobody sayin' much, the same old nuts
Is makin' bucks while these sluts is gettin' fucked
They violated my probation, and it seems
I'll be goin' on a long vacation, meanwhile
It ain't easy
No, it ain't easy
It ain't easy, bein' me
Will I see the penitentiary, or will I stay free?
It ain't easy, bein' me
Will I see the penitentiary, or will I stay free?
It ain't easy, bein' me
Will I see the penitentiary, or will I stay free?
It ain't easy, bein' me
Will I see the penitentiary, or will I stay free?
It ain't easy, bein' me
Will I see the penitentiary, or will I stay free?
It ain't easy, bein' me
Will I see the penitentiary, or will I stay free?
The song "Ain't Easy" by 2Pac is reflective of the struggles and complexities of life faced by people in the ghetto. The lyrics address issues related to substance abuse, gang violence, love affairs, racism, and even paranoia. The song begins with 2Pac acknowledging that he drinks Henessey to gather the courage to face the madness of the world. He then goes on to talk about his friend who was killed in a gang battle and how difficult it is for him to express his emotions in such situations. 2Pac also talks about his problems with his girlfriend and how he is unable to balance his relationships with his friends and loved ones. The song ends with 2Pac reflecting on his life and questioning if he would go to prison or get to stay free.
Line by Line Meaning
I take a shot of Henessey now I'm strong enough to face the madness
Drinking alcohol makes me feel empowered to confront the difficulties of life.
Nickel bag full of sess weed laced with hash
I smoke marijuana mixed with a more potent drug to amplify its effects.
Phone calls from my niggas on the, other side
My friends in prison contact me from the other side of the jail walls.
Two childhood friends just died, I couldn't cry
I am so numb to death and tragedy that I cannot even shed tears over the loss of my closest friends.
A damn shame, when will we ever change
It's heartbreaking that we continue to struggle and suffer, but when will we finally see progress and change?
And what remains from a twelve gauge to the brain
The consequences of violence are severe and irreversible, with death being the final result.
Arguments with my Boo is true
I frequently argue with my significant other, which is a fact.
I spend mo' time with my niggas than I do with you
I prioritize hanging out with my male friends over spending time with my girlfriend or romantic partner.
But everywhere it's the same thing, that's the game
Life is difficult and full of obstacles, but it's all part of the game we are playing.
I'll be damned if a thing changed, fuck the fame
I refuse to compromise who I am or what I stand for, even if it means sacrificing fame and success.
I'll be hustling to make a mill-ion, lord knows
I will work hard and tirelessly to earn a million dollars, but whether or not I succeed is ultimately up to a higher power.
Ain't no love for us ghetto children, so we cold
Those of us who grew up in poverty and crime-ridden neighborhoods receive no love or compassion from society, so we become hardened and bitter.
Rag top slowing down, time to stop for gas
My convertible car is running out of fuel, so I need to stop and refuel at a gas station.
Beep my horn for a hoochie with a proper ass,
I honk my car horn to attract the attention of an attractive woman with a nice figure.
It ain't easy, that's my motto
Life is difficult and full of challenges, and I've adopted the phrase 'it ain't easy' as my personal motto.
Drinking Tanqueray straight out the bottle
I am drinking gin straight from the bottle, indicating that I have little regard for social norms or expectations.
Everybody wanna know if I'm insane
People frequently question my sanity and mental health status.
My baby mama gotta mind full of silly games
My ex-girlfriend and the mother of my child is childish and plays games.
And all the drama got me stressing like I'm hopeless, I can't cope
The constant drama in my life leaves me feeling helpless and overwhelmed, and I struggle to cope with the stress.
Me and the homies smoking roaches, cause we broke
My friends and I are smoking the leftover ends of joints, because we cannot afford to buy a full package of marijuana.
Late night hanging out til the sunrise getting high
I spend my nights hanging out with my friends, smoking marijuana until the sun comes up.
Watching the cops roll by
We keep a lookout for police patrol cars, as we are engaging in illegal drug use.
Will I see the penitentiary, or will I stay free
I am unsure whether I will end up in prison or remain free.
I can't sleep niggas plotting on to kill me while I'm dreaming
I am unable to rest peacefully, as I fear that my enemies are planning to kill me, even in my dreams.
Wake up sweaty and screaming, cause I can hear them suckers scheming
I wake up in terror, drenched in sweat and screaming, because I hear my enemies plotting against me.
A brother bite the bullet, open fire and I died
One of my friends was shot and killed in a violent exchange of gunfire.
I'm having dreams of hearing screams at my concerts
I am experiencing nightmares where my concerts are disrupted by violence and screaming, reflecting my fear of violence and danger.
Through the years trying to stack a little green
Over the years, I have been trying to accumulate wealth and money.
I was only seventeen, when I started serving fiends
I began selling drugs to drug addicts when I was just seventeen years old.
'Cause muh-fuckers think I'm bugging, so now I'm in
People believe that I am crazy or delusional, which has landed me in trouble or in jail.
Getting battered and bruised by the you know who
I am being physically beaten and abused by the prison guards or other inmates, whose identity is known to me.
It ain't easy
'It ain't easy' remains my motto and reflects the constant struggles and hardships in my life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Written by: Tupac Shakur, Tony Pizarro, Tupac Amaru Shakur
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Keith Rau
I remember buying this back in 96 at Planet Music in Virginia Beach.
Opened my eyes back then to the struggle my black friends had to face every day.
Turned my son onto it and we've both been diggin on Pac ever since.
In my opinion, "All Eyez On Me" is still completely relevant 24 years later, and the greatest Hip Hop album of all time....
Rest in Peace Pac.....
Shenyae Turner
He rapped his heart out. He put so much passion in his music and wasn't afraid to show his sensitivity.
Holey Schitt
Shenyae Turner True
Dan the Man
Everywhere I go I see a comment by u
Racing
DGthebestever 1 lol
Da Don wit tha sauce
he really did, truly missed
Sean Bullock
Hi
Clayton Clawser
It's impossible to describe just how difficult it actually is to write lyrics this passionate and powerful. He was a genius. Period.
Ispeakthetruthify
Difficult for 99.9999999% of us on this planet, but easy for him. Which is the reason why he was a genius.....
Matt
@Ispeakthetruthify was gonna say that
Dom Sansotta
You won’t get any arguement here . This man inspires me as a poet