Changes
2Pac Lyrics

Come on come on
Urging the listener to pay attention

I see no changes wake up in the morning and I ask myself
The singer is noticing the lack of progress in society and is questioning if anything will ever change

Is life worth living should I blast myself?
The singer is feeling hopeless and is considering taking drastic measures

I'm tired of bein' poor and even worse I'm black
The artist is lamenting how their financial status and race have made life difficult

My stomach hurts so I'm lookin' for a purse to snatch
The artist feels desperate and is considering resorting to stealing

Cops give a damn about a negro
There is a belief that police officers do not care about the lives of Black people

Pull the trigger kill a nigga he's a hero
There is a glorification of police officers who kill Black people, which is unacceptable

Give the crack to the kids who the hell cares
Society is willing to overlook the harm done to children in order to make a profit

One less hungry mouth on the welfare
There is a disdain for those who require government assistance, even if they are in a state of poverty

First ship 'em dope and let 'em deal the brothers
Drugs were intentionally introduced into certain communities in order to control and exploit them

Give 'em guns step back watch 'em kill each other
Arming communities only leads to violence and death

"It's time to fight back," that's what Huey said
The artist remembers the words of activist Huey P. Newton, who called for resistance against systemic oppression

Two shots in the dark now Huey's dead
Huey P. Newton was killed, and this event is an example of how oppressive systems can silence their opposition

I got love for my brother but we can never go nowhere
The singer wants to unite with and support other Black people, but sees societal barriers preventing this

Unless we share with each other
The only way to overcome these barriers is by openly and actively supporting one another

We gotta start makin' changes
The artist is calling on society to make changes to better the lives of marginalized groups

Learn to see me as a brother instead of two distant strangers
The artist wants people to see them as a human being who deserves respect and equal treatment, rather than someone viewed as fundamentally different

And that's how it's supposed to be
The singer believes this type of mutual respect is the ideal state of society

How can the Devil take a brother if he's close to me?
The singer questions how society can allow violence and harm to come to their fellow humans

I'd love to go back to when we played as kids
The artist remembers a time when there was no racial tension or systemic harm, and longs for that innocence

But things changed, and that's the way it is
The artist understands that society has been irreparably altered and is resigned to its present state

We under I wonder what it takes to make this
The artist recognizes the oppression and marginalization that Black people experience and wants to find a way to change it

One better place, let's erase the wasted
The singer is calling for a better world where no one is left behind or forgotten

Take the evil out the people they'll be acting right
Removing systemic oppression and harm from society will lead to better behavior and choices

'Cause both black and white is smokin' crack tonight
Addiction is affecting people of all races and backgrounds, and society is not doing enough to address this issue

And only time we chill is when we kill each other
The singer is calling attention to the fact that society only seems to come together in the face of tragedy or death

It takes skill to be real, time to heal each other
Being honest about the challenges society faces is important, but it takes time and effort to heal the pain caused by these challenges

And although it seems heaven sent
The artist believes that the opportunity for change is a blessing

We ain't ready, to see a black President, uh
The artist recognizes that society is not yet ready to elect a Black president due to deeply ingrained systemic racism

It ain't a secret don't conceal the fact
There is an acknowledgement that systemic oppression and harm to Black people is not a secret, although some may try to deny or ignore it

The penitentiary's packed, and it's filled with blacks
The singer is pointing out the disproportionate number of Black people who are incarcerated

But some things will never change
The artist is acknowledging that some aspects of society are resistant to change, despite efforts to better them

Try to show another way but you stayin' in the dope game
Although there are efforts to provide alternate routes out of poverty and harmful situations, some people feel trapped in the only way they know how to survive

Now tell me what's a mother to do
The artist is highlighting the immense pressure Black mothers face in trying to protect their children from harm in a world that is inherently racist and violent

Bein' real don't appeal to the brother in you
The singer is acknowledging that some people may not want to face the truth of the oppression they or others face, and may instead choose to focus on more positive aspects of their lives

You gotta operate the easy way
There is a belief that taking shortcuts and making easy money is the best way to survive in a society that does not work for everyone

(I made a G today) But you made it in a sleazy way
Making money through unethical or harmful means, such as drug dealing, is ultimately damaging to both the individual and society

Sellin' crack to the kid (I gotta get paid
The desperation to make money in a society that does not provide equal opportunities makes some resort to selling drugs, even to children

Well hey, well that's the way it is
The singer is acknowledging the reality of the situation, even if it is deeply unjust

We gotta make a change
The artist is reiterating the need for society as a whole to make changes for the betterment of all people

It's time for us as a people to start makin' some changes
The artist believes that true change can only happen if the community comes together to demand it

Let's change the way we eat, let's change the way we live
The singer believes that small changes in daily life can lead to larger societal changes

And let's change the way we treat each other
The singer is calling for an emphasis on empathy and kindness towards each other

You see the old way wasn't working so it's on us to do
The artist is recognizing that the current state of society is not working and that the responsibility for change falls on everyone

What we gotta do, to survive
The artist is acknowledging the pressure to simply survive in a difficult and oppressive world

And still I see no changes can't a brother get a little peace?
The artist is frustrated that despite efforts to make positive changes, peace and true equality seem impossible to achieve

It's war on the streets and the war in the Middle East
The singer is pointing out the many areas of conflict and violence in the world, both at home and abroad

Instead of war on poverty they got a war on drugs
The government should be focusing on improving the lives of those in poverty, but instead they have been focusing on the war on drugs

So the police can bother me
The war on drugs has been an excuse for police to harass and abuse Black people

And I ain't never did a crime I ain't have to do
The singer is innocent of any wrongdoing, yet they still experience harassment and violence at the hands of law enforcement

But now I'm back with the blacks givin' it back to you
Despite facing systemic oppression and violence, the singer is still willing to come back and give back to their community

Don't let 'em jack you up, back you up
The artist is warning people to be careful and not let themselves be taken advantage of by oppressive systems

Crack you up and pimp smack you up
The artist is calling out the violence and exploitation that too often comes at the hands of those in power

You gotta learn to hold ya own
The singer is encouraging people to be self-sufficient in difficult situations

They get jealous when they see ya with ya mobile phone
The singer is highlighting how something as simple as a mobile phone can be a status symbol and cause envy, especially in marginalized communities

But tell the cops they can't touch this
The artist is asserting their rights and telling law enforcement they cannot be intimidated or oppressed

I don't trust this when they try to rush I bust this
The artist is suspicious of authority figures and is willing to defend themselves if necessary

That's the sound of my tool you say it ain't cool
The artist is warning others that they cannot be silenced or told to remain calm in the face of oppression

My mama didn't raise no fool
The singer is asserting their intelligence and strength, which cannot be taken away

And as long as I stay black I gotta stay strapped
Due to the constant threat of violence and oppression, the artist feels it is necessary to always be armed

And I never get to lay back
The singer can never truly relax or feel safe in a society that constantly discriminates against them

'Cause I always got to worry 'bout the pay backs
The singer always needs to be aware of the potential for retaliation or punishment for speaking out against oppression

Some buck that I roughed up way back
The singer is highlighting that even in youth there can be mistakes or hurts that might haunt a person

Comin' back after all these years
The artist is referencing that hurt coming back full circle

Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat that's the way it is, uh
The violence and oppression that the artist faces is so ingrained in society that it seems to be an unchangeable fact

Things will never be the same
The singer is stating that change is needed, but it is unlikely that society will ever return to a state of innocence or fairness

Aww yeah
An expression of agreement or resignation