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.
Friends
2Pac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You ain't never had a friend like me
Believe that
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
See at night, I watch the sky
I take another breath
I smoke my Newport to the butt
Just me and you, evadin' enemies
Let you get my last shot of Hennessy
Ain't never had a friend like me
Remember memories so vividly
Was once a little dust-kicker now becomes a G
Who can I call when they all fail?
Collect calls to my dogs from the county jail
Sending me mail
Heard the block's in the same shape
Ain't nothin' changed
Niggas slangin' at the same place
The same faces
Suppose to always hate our foes
This lifestyle is forever
Watch the game unfold
Sheddin' crocodile tears, just got life-plus
And you wonder if these white judges like us
Just stay strong, we'll appeal, nigga, you'll be free
Down with ya to the very end
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
I'm down for you, so ride with me
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
Nobody knows where we'll be
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
I'm down for you, so ride with me
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
Nobody knows where we'll be
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
How can I be blamed? Forgive me, Lord, I'm insane
In search of fame, won't hurt to change
Followin' the foot steps of past dealers
Equipped with ski masks, no witness as we blast squealers
Maybe now they feel us in this act of war
More casualties, no survivors
Any man that defy us, quickly dies, 'cause we riders
In my quest for chips
We wear vests, equipped with automatic fire
We reply when my enemies trip
Me and you against the nation
Whisperin' while we conversatin'
'Cause niggas died over information
How much more can we take?
Expect us all to wait
The world ain't ready for us yet so let's make Clinton pay
They never wanted us to make it
Everything that we possess
We had to fight and take it
I think the president is smokin' weed, bumpin' this beat
Makin' a livin' out my misery
'Til he got a friend like me
I'm down for you, so ride with me
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
Nobody knows where we'll be
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
I'm down for you, so ride with me
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
Nobody knows, where we'll be
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
Promise to visit
I know it's rough in your cell
Receivin' mail to the county jail
This is hell
When I was younger, I could picture livin' in luxury
So how the fuck did I end up in prison?
Fuckin' snitches
They got me crossed by my own side
I found him by his self
No drama, he alone died, nobody cried
Should have never testified
You got my nigga twenty-five
So now I sacrifice your life
Helped to separate me and my dog
Broken ties, why the fuck should I let you live
When I'm dead inside?
Rapid fire, my delivery
I'm bustin' at they (your) whole crew
Nigga, remember me
Hit up my Outlawz set
Then throw my pistol in the ocean
Ditch my ski mask
And get to straight coastin'
It's visitin' day at San Quinton
Always there to see your closest road dog
'Cause you ain't ever had a friend like me
I'm down for you, so ride with me
My enemies, your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
Nobody knows where we'll be
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
I'm down for you, so ride with me
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
Nobody knows where we'll be
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
I'm down for you, so ride with me
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
Nobody knows where we'll be
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
Come after us, best be complete
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
Nobody knows where we'll be
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
Come after us, best be complete
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
Nobody knows where we'll be
My enemies your enemies
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
Right
You ain't ever had a friend like me
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
You ain't ever had a friend like me
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
In "Never Had a Friend Like Me," Tupac raps about the loyal friendship between two men. The song begins with Tupac explaining how he and his friend would take cover in the night from their enemies. Tupac goes on to reminisce about the memories they have shared together, from their youth to their present lives, where Tupac's friend is now serving time in jail. Tupac promises to stick by his friend through thick and thin, even if it means taking revenge on his behalf. The song ends with Tupac telling his friend to stay strong and that he has never had a friend like him.
The lyrics of "Never Had a Friend Like Me" speak to Tupac's personal experiences of loyalty and betrayal. The song is also a tribute to the idea of true friendship, which is often tested in difficult circumstances. Tupac's words reflect his understanding that the value of friendship is not just in the highs but in the lows, where true friends stick by each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Never
From now on, you'll never be without my friendship
You ain't never had a friend like me
My brand of friendship is unlike any you've ever experienced
Believe that
Take my word for it
'Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
It's a fact that nobody has offered you the kind of friendship that I do.
See at night, I watch the sky
During the night, I contemplate my life and my surroundings
I take another breath
I seize another chance at life despite my troubled past
I smoke my Newport to the butt
I smoke my last cigarette as if it were my last moment alive
Like it's the last motherfucker left
As if I'm the only one left alive on this earth
Just me and you, evadin' enemies
It's just us two against the world, dodging our foes
Let you get my last shot of Hennessy
I trust you enough to share my last drink with you
Ain't never had a friend like me
No one has ever served as your friend the way I do
Remember memories so vividly
I distinctly recollect memories from my past with great clarity
Was once a little dust-kicker now becomes a G
I rose from humble beginnings to become a gangster
Who can I call when they all fail?
When all my other options for help fail, who will be there for me?
Collect calls to my dogs from the county jail
I make phone calls to my friends from prison
Sending me mail
They write letters to me to show their support
Heard the block's in the same shape
Things haven't changed in the neighborhood
Ain't nothin' changed
Things are still the same
Niggas slangin' at the same place
People are still selling drugs in the same place
The same faces
The same people are still around
Suppose to always hate our foes
We were taught to hate our enemies or adversaries
This lifestyle is forever
Our lifestyle is permanent, it's not a temporary thing
Watch the game unfold
Observe the events as they occur
Sheddin' crocodile tears, just got life-plus
The judge just gave me a life sentence, while pretending to show remorse
And you wonder if these white judges like us
Whenever a judge is white and sentences a black defendant, one can't help but wonder whether the decision was racially motivated
Just stay strong, we'll appeal, nigga, you'll be free
Stay positive, we'll take this to court and appeal, and eventually, you'll be released.
Down with ya to the very end
I am by your side until the very end.
I'm down for you, so ride with me
I'm committed to your cause, so support me
My enemies your enemies
Our adversaries are one and the same
Nobody knows where we'll be
The future is uncertain for both of us
How can I be blamed? Forgive me, Lord, I'm insane
I'm not responsible for my actions, because I'm not mentally well.
In search of fame, won't hurt to change
I'm seeking fame, and I'm willing to change my ways to achieve it.
Followin' the foot steps of past dealers
I'm emulating the success story of past drug dealers
Equipped with ski masks, no witness as we blast squealers
We wear ski masks so we can't be identified, while we shoot informants
Maybe now they feel us in this act of war
Our adversaries may finally see how serious we are about this conflict
More casulaties, no survivors
We intend to inflict more casualties, and leave no one alive on their side
Any man that defy us, quickly dies, 'cause we riders
Anyone who stands up to us, dies, because we are ruthless and fearless
In my quest for chips
In my pursuit of money
We wear vests, equipped with automatic fire
We wear bulletproof vests and carry automatic weapons for protection
We reply when my enemies trip
We respond immediately when our enemies provoke us
Me and you against the nation
It's just the two of us against everyone else
Whisperin' while we conversatin'
We're whispering to ensure the privacy of our conversation
'Cause niggas died over information
People have lost their lives because of information that's leaked
How much more can we take?
We're at our breaking point
Expect us all to wait
They think we'll be patient and wait for justice
The world ain't ready for us yet so let's make Clinton pay
The world isn't prepared for our power influence, so we should target the President instead
They never wanted us to make it
They always tried to prevent us from succeeding
Everything that we possess
Everything we have in life
We had to fight and take it
We had to work hard and fight for everything we've got
I think the president is smokin' weed, bumpin' this beat
I imagine the President listens to this song while smoking marijuana
Makin' a livin' out my misery
The President benefits from my struggles and pain
'Til he got a friend like me
Until the President recognizes my worth as a friend
Promise to visit
I commit to visiting you
I know it's rough in your cell
I'm aware that you're struggling in prison
Receivin' mail to the county jail
I receive letters in jail
This is hell
This is a terrible place to be
When I was younger, I could picture livin' in luxury
When I was a child, I dreamed of living a luxurious life
So how the fuck did I end up in prison?
So how did I end up in this situation?
Fuckin' snitches
People who snitch or inform on others
They got me crossed by my own side
My own people betrayed me
I found him by his self
I found him alone and vulnerable
No drama, he alone died, nobody cried
He died without any fuss, and nobody mourned him
Should have never testified
I shouldn't have testified or given evidence
You got my nigga twenty-five
You're responsible for getting my friend a 25-year prison sentence
So now I sacrifice your life
I'm willing to kill you to avenge what you did to my friend
Helped to separate me and my dog
You helped to divide me from my close friend
Broken ties, why the fuck should I let you live
Our friendship is over, and there's no reason to spare your life
When I'm dead inside?
When I'm already dead emotionally?
Rapid fire, my delivery
I speak quickly and forcefully
I'm bustin' at they (your) whole crew
I'm shooting at your entire gang
Nigga, remember me
Don't forget who I am and what I'm capable of
Hit up my Outlawz set
Go find my fellow gang members
Then throw my pistol in the ocean
Get rid of the gun by throwing it in the sea
Ditch my ski mask
Dispose of the ski mask
And get to straight coastin'
Escape unnoticed by just blending in with the environment
It's visitin' day at San Quinton
It's the day when people can visit San Quentin prison
Always there to see your closest road dog
I'm always there to visit and support you, my closest friend
'Cause you ain't ever had a friend like me
You've never had a friend as loyal and committed as me
My enemies, your enemies
Our common adversaries
Come after us, best be complete
If they come for us, they better be prepared to face the consequences
Right
Got it?
You ain't ever had a friend like me
I'm one-of-a-kind when it comes to serving as a friend
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Johnny Lee Jackson, Tupac Amaru Shakur
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sage Watson
I like this beat better than the one on the og version...very rare that happens
Red 22
This is the OG remastered version
J K
This is the OG version (mastered of course). The UTEOT version was the remix. This came out first.
Worn out Testicles
This was a SAVAGE beat!!!!
SaVaGE DRACO187
Been looking for this version,thank you🔥🔥🔥🚀💯 THUG LIFE
kLuSe.
one of the hardest beats ever
Chitown Mytown official one and only channel
alot of people forgot about this version
that cd had a few interesting tracks on it to say the least
Chitown Mytown official one and only channel
@eop98
Yeah unfortunately they suck.
eop98
@Chitown Mytown official one and only channel the estate will never handle his legacy properly
Chitown Mytown official one and only channel
@Ross Fyles Tha Don
Read the comments b4 commenting my G