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.
Homies And Thugs
2Pac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(scarface)
Ghetto niggaz remain violent all the killers remain silent
Niggaz strapped with 45's and ain't smiling
And I'm driving to a place they're all rome'
The lake we build houses but it's the hood we call home
In the ghetto the only place a motherfucker will keep it real
We focused on the dollar bill, still
Where niggaz do their struggling die with a straight face
Surviving, under conditions demons dinin'
You can run it but can't hide it so step aside
Its the nigga that makin' music for the streets
Cause I love this motherfucker like pussy with no sheets,
Cause it's deep
Some niggaz make it out the neighborhood and won't circle
And let the money make them nervous, what's the purpose?
A motherfucker sitting on fat
Who done came up in the hood but he can't come back
Fuck that, I remain in the street game frame
On a mission to maintian me and take aim
In position to let my opposition know my life
Cause off in these streets I keep it real but what's right?
Surviving, sitting on a key doing business on a beeper
I'm sinking in this motherfucker deeper
Fear the reaper that no man born or woman harm me
Fuck being a nigga in your army; though I'm a killer
Enter the ghetto so that you can see
What I mean when I say I love this cause it love me
Let it be, stop looking at this motherfucker strange
And talking 'bout a motherfucking change
This is for my thug niggaz
(chorus x6)
This is for my homies and my thug niggaz (uuuuugh)
Verse 2
(master p)
'face, imagine us working at mcdonald's
And me and you selling fucking tapes in the bahamas
Gold slug, a car full of thug niggaz
Twenty inch wheels candy paint so we drug dealers
No limit soldiers to the fullest
See I was raised on some red beans the size of some bullets, huh
Real ghetto niggaz can't be stopped
Got me mixing up dope with little j down at rap-a-lot
My phone tapped the feds on my tail
Got me paying luxury taxes on everything I build
True to the ghetto that's my life
You see that house on the lake it's for the kids and the wife
You can test me if you wanna
Cause I be dumping niggaz off from new orleans to california
Rowdy like a hurricane (uuuuuugh)
Independent, black owned got them hooked on this cocaine
You used to see c.e.o.'s in a suit and tie
But we young niggaz in tennis shoes and diamonds
Executive street millionaires
Niggas gonna be bout it bout till we gray in the wheel chair
Chorus x6
Verse 3:
(doracell)
It's alive, and I'mma be tha muhfuckin' one
Make these niggas want some
Here I come
Da last don
Niggaz steady claiming this
Tatted on my wrist since 86
What tha fuck?
I'm sitting in my cell block stuck
Listening to this shit my radio did
Shit, gotta change the situation
Write a letta to the warden mothafuck all this time wasting
Chasin' niggas wit my occupation
Clean across the nation
Lookin' for two-facin
The gangsta, the killa, and the dope-dealer all in one
Now past me my muthafuckin' gun
Niggaz feelin' they invinsible
Til' they dealin' wit tha muthafuckin' principle
Doracell nigga
I ain't scared cause 2 pac got kilt
I'm on tilt
Feelin' the muthafuckin' guilt
Thug nigga
The lyrics to 2Pac's song "Homies and Thugs" talk about the struggles of living in the ghetto and the intense loyalty that people have to their neighborhoods. The song's first verse, performed by Scarface, speaks to the violent reality of the streets, where everyone is armed and always on guard. He talks about how outsiders often look down on the neighborhood, but those who live there know the struggles and keep it real. He also stresses the importance of staying true to your roots and not letting money or success change who you are. The chorus repeats the line, "This is for my homies and my thug niggaz", emphasizing the strong bonds between those who come from similar backgrounds and experiences.
Master P's verse talks about how he and Scarface, two successful rappers, could have ended up working at McDonald's or selling tapes in the Bahamas had their lives taken a different turn. He mentions how real ghetto niggaz like him can't be stopped and how he's proud of the success he's achieved. He also highlights how things have changed, with young black men now sporting tennis shoes and diamonds instead of traditional business wear. The final verse, performed by Doracell, talks about his own experiences in the system and his determination to make something out of his life despite the obstacles he faces.
The song as a whole is an ode to the power of community and the resilience of those who come from struggling backgrounds. It highlights the issues facing the urban poor, such as violence, poverty, and institutional racism, while also acknowledging the sense of pride and loyalty that comes from being part of a tight-knit group. Ultimately, "Homies and Thugs" is a powerful expression of the struggle and triumph of those living in inner-city neighborhoods.
Line by Line Meaning
Ghetto niggaz remain violent all the killers remain silent
In the ghetto, violence is a way of life and those who commit violent acts will not snitch on each other.
Niggaz strapped with 45's and ain't smiling
People in the ghetto carry guns for protection and are not happy about it.
And I'm driving to a place they're all rome'
The rapper is going to the ghetto, where people he knows live.
The lake we build houses but it's the hood we call home
The ghetto is where people feel the most at home, even though they may own houses elsewhere.
In the ghetto the only place a motherfucker will keep it real
In the ghetto, honesty is highly valued.
The outsiders tend to disrespect the place
People from outside the ghetto often do not understand or appreciate it.
Where niggaz do their struggling die with a straight face
People in the ghetto tough it out and keep going even when things are difficult.
Its the nigga that makin' music for the streets
The rapper is making music for people in the ghetto.
Cause I love this motherfucker like pussy with no sheets
The rapper loves the ghetto as much as he loves sex.
Cause it's deep
The connection he has to the ghetto runs deep.
Surviving, sitting on a key doing business on a beeper
The rapper is involved in drug dealing to make money.
I'm sinking in this motherfucker deeper
The rapper is getting more and more involved in criminal activity.
Fuck being a nigga in your army; though I'm a killer
He does not want to serve in the military, even though he is skilled with a gun.
Enter the ghetto so that you can see
He wants outsiders to see what the ghetto is really like.
What I mean when I say I love this cause it love me
The rapper feels a deep connection to the ghetto, which is reciprocal.
This is for my homies and my thug niggaz (uuuuugh)
The rapper is dedicating the song to his friends in the ghetto who have survived tough times.
'face, imagine us working at mcdonald's
The rapper and his friend are fantasizing about working together in a fast food chain.
And me and you selling fucking tapes in the bahamas
The two are imagining adventuring and selling their music in the Bahamas.
Rowdy like a hurricane (uuuuuugh)
The rapper is unstoppable and wild.
Independent, black owned got them hooked on this cocaine
The rapper is a successful drug dealer and has a lot of people under his influence.
Niggas gonna be bout it bout till we gray in the wheel chair
They plan on being tough and hard-core, even when they are old and in a wheel chair.
It's alive, and I'mma be tha muhfuckin' one
The rapper is alive and wants to make a name for himself.
Da last don
He wants to be the last one standing, the last one to give up.
Niggaz steady claiming this
People are constantly making false claims and he is tired of it.
Tatted on my wrist since 86
He has a tattoo that represents the year he was born.
Thug nigga
He sees himself as a tough, streetwise person.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MIKE DEAN, JOSEPH JOHNSON, BRAD JORDAN, PERCY ROMEO III MILLER, TUPAC AMARU SHAKUR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@oldskoolson
26 years later, Pac still giving me chills🥶🥶🥶 pac speak....we listen!!
@lesaneparishcrooks8559
✊🏼✊🏼🐐
@GrooveChannel1
The passion of 2pac can be felt through the screen even in a studio freestyle that was not recorded in the booth. HE is forever da GOAT.
@GrooveChannel1
U got that right fasho, when this brother speaks u can feel the energy and the truth. Will never be another like him
@waltersobe6117
2PAC IS NUMBER ONE ON MY LIST.
@_Spider4
@@waltersobe6117 Mine too
@kikidymon9135
💯💯💯💯💯
@gdeppsfamousdishesgeorgeep2763
👀🧐😎💯💯💯💯
@pongo7699
2022 still jamming this classic it never will get old!!!! RIP TUPAC ONE OF THE BEST RAP LEGENDS TO EVER LIVE YOUR MUSIC WILL LIVE ON FOREVER!
@Sergio-uq2qx
@Pongo , no doubt