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.
Baby Don
2Pac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hope you got your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up
Baby don't cry
I hope you got your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up (Keep ya head up)
Now here's a story 'bout a woman with dreams
Beneath the surface it was more than just a crooked smile
Nobody knew about her secret so it took a while
I could see a tear fall slow down her black cheek
Sheddin' quiet tears in the back seat
So when she asked me: "What would you do if it was you?"
Couldn't answer such a horrible pain to live through
I tried to trade places in the tragedy
I couldn't picture three crazed niggas grabbin' me
For just a moment I was trapped in the pain
Lord, come and take me
Four niggas violated
They chased, and they raped me
Even though it wasn't me, I could feel the grief
Thinkin' with your brains blown that would make the pain go
No! You got to find a way to survive
'Cause they win when your soul dies
Baby, please don't cry, you got to keep your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up
Baby, don't cry, you got to keep your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up
Baby, don't cry, I hope you got your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up (never give up)
Baby, don't cry, I hope you got your head up (never give up)
Even when the road is hard, never give up
Baby, don't cry
Forget him, girl, (forget him, girl) he ain't gon' never change
I ain't no hater, but that nigga lost in the game
After the bright lights and big thangs
He probably could love you, but he in love with the struggle
Everyday, his mind on gettin mo' (gettin' mo')
And never your feelings, he's chasin' millions fo' sho'
Uh oh (uh oh), now you 'bout to have his baby? (damn)
Another wild-ass nigga that's gon' drive you crazy
You got too much mo' livin' to do
I'm spittin' this to you
'Cause you deserve more than what he givin' to you (that's right)
Beautiful, black, precious, and complicated
A new millennium dime-piece, so fine she
Got 'em all stuck, standin' still when she come through
Baby, take a little mo' time
Love'll find you and show us the sky's blue
Somebody other than me gon' give you everything you need, feel me? (Don't cry)
Baby, don't cry, you got to keep your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up (you'll be alright)
Baby, don't cry, you got to keep your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up (you'll be alright)
Baby, don't cry, I hope you got your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up (keep your head up)
Baby, don't cry, I hope you got your head up (never give up)
Even when the road is hard, never give up (no, no, oh)
Baby, don't cry
I'm tryin' to do all that I can, from jump
Now you losin', you was choosin' the wrong man
Dealt the wrong hand, you was young and beautiful
Lost and turned out, what you let that nigga do to you? (Damn)
I knew her since elementary, she blew a kiss to me
Wrote me a note in crayon, wantin' to get with me
We was kids, now she got three kids
They see their father e'ryday, and they don't know who he is
Seen him last night, homey roll a E-class
Mad cheese in the stash, still a deadbeat dad
I bring her Pampers and food, just to stop through
But those ain't my seeds, nothin' really I could do (nah)
I feel pity for you, you ain't even his wife
Seventeen with three kids
Locked down for life
Shoulda chose me
She 'bout to O.D. from the pressure
Hell nah, I won't let her
Baby don't cry
Baby, don't cry, you got to keep your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up (you'll be alright)
Baby, don't cry, you got to keep your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up (baby, don't cry)
Baby, don't cry, I hope you got your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up (baby, baby, baby)
Baby, don't cry, I hope you got your head up (no)
Even when the road is hard, never give up (no-oh)
Baby, don't cry, I gotta keep your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up
Baby, don't cry, you got to keep your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up (oh, baby)
Baby, don't cry, I hope you got your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up
Baby, don't cry, I hope you got your head up (keep your head up)
(Keep your head up, never give up)
Even when the road is hard, never give up, baby, don't cry
Uh, uh, yeah, don't give up (you'll be alright)
Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry
Baby, don't cry, I hope you got your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up
Baby, don't cry, I hope you got your head up
Even when the road is hard, never give up, baby, don't cry
For all the ladies (Soulshock, Karlin)
Baby, don't cry
Got to keep your head up {keep your head up}
Makaveli the Don
(Head up)
Aight?
The song “Baby Don’t Cry” by 2Pac & The Outlawz is a message of hope and encouragement to women who are going through difficult times. The song began with a story about a woman with dreams who had a hidden secret that she was keeping from everyone. The lyrics focused on the pain that the woman had to endure, and Tupac tried to empathize with her pain. He also gave the woman a piece of advice that she should never give up even when the road is hard. Tupac also talked about the struggles of raising kids alone and offered a shoulder to cry on for anyone who was going through tough times.
The song’s lyrics are an affirmation of hope and resilience, even in the face of challenges. It is a song that encourages people to dig deep within themselves and find the strength to carry on no matter how tough their situation might seem. Tupac's music was popular for its message of empowerment and social justice, which has inspired a whole generation of activists and socially conscious musicians.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby don't cry
Don't cry, everything will be okay
I hope you got your head up
I hope you are staying strong and positive
Even when the road is hard, never give up
Keep pushing through even when things get tough
Keep ya head up
Stay positive and keep moving forward
Now here's a story 'bout a woman with dreams
Let me tell you a story about a woman with aspirations
So picture perfect at thirteen, an ebony queen
She was flawless and beautiful at a young age
Beneath the surface it was more than just a crooked smile
Her struggles were hidden behind her smile
Nobody knew about her secret so it took a while
It took some time for her to open up and reveal her troubles
I could see a tear fall slow down her black cheek
Tears streamed down her face
Sheddin' quiet tears in the back seat
She cried silently in the back of a car
So when she asked me: "What would you do if it was you?"
She wanted advice and guidance
Couldn't answer such a horrible pain to live through
It was hard to imagine going through such a terrible experience
I tried to trade places in the tragedy
He attempted to put himself in her shoes
I couldn't picture three crazed niggas grabbin' me
He couldn't fathom being attacked by three men
For just a moment I was trapped in the pain
He briefly felt the pain she was experiencing
Lord, come and take me
He wished he could take her pain away
Four niggas violated
She was attacked by four men
They chased, and they raped me
She was pursued and sexually assaulted
Even though it wasn't me, I could feel the grief
He empathized with her and felt her sadness
Thinkin' with your brains blown that would make the pain go
Committing suicide wouldn't alleviate the pain
No! You got to find a way to survive
You have to keep fighting and staying alive
'Cause they win when your soul dies
The attackers win when they break your spirit
Forget him, girl, (forget him, girl) he ain't gon' never change
Move on from him, he won't change his ways
I ain't no hater, but that nigga lost in the game
He's not trying to hate, but the man is lost and misguided
After the bright lights and big thangs
He got caught up in fame and money
He probably could love you, but he in love with the struggle
He may care for you, but he values the hustle more
Everyday, his mind on gettin mo' (gettin' mo')
He's always focused on getting more money
And never your feelings, he's chasin' millions fo' sho'
He doesn't prioritize your emotions, he's focused on making millions
Uh oh (uh oh), now you 'bout to have his baby? (damn)
Uh oh, now you're pregnant with his child?
Another wild-ass nigga that's gon' drive you crazy
Another reckless man that will cause you trouble
You got too much mo' livin' to do
You have so much more to live for
I'm spittin' this to you
I'm telling you this advice
'Cause you deserve more than what he givin' to you (that's right)
You deserve better treatment and a better life
Beautiful, black, precious, and complicated
You are a stunning, valuable, and complex woman
A new millennium dime-piece, so fine she
A gorgeous woman who represents the new millennium
Got 'em all stuck, standin' still when she come through
People are amazed and stunned when she enters a room
Baby, take a little mo' time
Take more time to find someone who appreciates you
Love'll find you and show us the sky's blue
Love will come to you and brighten your life
Somebody other than me gon' give you everything you need, feel me? (Don't cry)
Someone besides me will provide for you and make you happy, don't cry
I'm tryin' to do all that I can, from jump
I'm doing everything I can to help you from the start
Now you losin', you was choosin' the wrong man
You made a mistake and picked the wrong guy
Dealt the wrong hand, you was young and beautiful
You were dealt a bad hand, even though you were young and attractive
Lost and turned out, what you let that nigga do to you? (Damn)
You're lost and troubled, what did that man do to you?
I knew her since elementary, she blew a kiss to me
He's known her since elementary school and she used to like him
Wrote me a note in crayon, wantin' to get with me
She wrote him a note expressing her interest in him
We was kids, now she got three kids
They were once children, now she has three of her own
They see their father e'ryday, and they don't know who he is
Her children are around their father every day but don't know who he truly is
Seen him last night, homey roll a E-class
He saw him the night before driving an expensive car
Mad cheese in the stash, still a deadbeat dad
Despite having a lot of money, he's still a neglectful father
I bring her Pampers and food, just to stop through
He brings her supplies and stops by to check on her
But those ain't my seeds, nothin' really I could do (nah)
Those aren't his children, so there's not much he can do
I feel pity for you, you ain't even his wife
He feels sorry for her, she's not even his spouse
Seventeen with three kids
She's only 17 and has three children
Locked down for life
She's trapped in a difficult situation for life
Shoulda chose me
She should have chosen him instead of the other man
She 'bout to O.D. from the pressure
She's about to crack under the pressure
Hell nah, I won't let her
He won't let her suffer alone
Uh, uh, yeah, don't give up (you'll be alright)
Don't give up, things will get better
For all the ladies (Soulshock, Karlin)
This is a message for all women
Makaveli the Don
This is a Tupac song
(Head up)
Stay strong and keep your head up
Aight?
You understand?
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CARSTEN SCHACK, KENNETH KARLIN, MALCOLM R GREENIDGE, RUFUS COOPER, TUPAC AMARU SHAKUR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
CRAZIEBEAUTIFUL5150
This song was in repeat when I was pregnant being alone getting played by my son's father always putting me down this song kept me going through the day.
Sebastian Van Leeuwen
CRAZIEBEAUTIFUL5150
How are you this day?
CRAZIEBEAUTIFUL5150
I just seen your comment.
Nina Sosa
CRAZIEBEAUTIFUL5150 awwww honey you are precious never forget that
CRAZIEBEAUTIFUL5150
@Nina Sosa Thank u mamas 💜
Andrea Grant
Funny 2018 still helps u get threw things when its crazy this songs keeps my head up!
enricco
no rapper ever can be even at his feet. he was, is and will be, the greatest to ever do it. his lyrics have all that rap needs today and needed back then: perfect lyricism and flow, courage to touch in such a delicated topic, great meaning, astonishing punchlines, sixteen bars (in this song's case, actually), catchy hooks, fuckin' great beats and a technical ability and charisma that only Pac had.
rap misses you. the world misses you. we miss you. your memory will last forever, depending on us, true rap fans. rest in peace, legend.
Daniel Dyminski II
enricco I can't like your comment 7 is the number Pac would of wanted
Yahya Mustafa
enricco honor d don
Amotai Scott-Kawana
Well said Brother