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.
House of Pain
2Pac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(2pac)
The motherfucking dust kicker
Who can you trust?
Do you have the heart to see a nigga, Before you bust?
My name is spoken on the tounges
Of so many foes, Bustin motherfuckers out the blocks
Now how the hell do you explain
My claim to fame
From doing flick, To bustin tricks
Out the fuckin frame
Got these bitches on my jock
Niggaz on my block
Jealous ass suckas got to duckin from my smokin glock
And bustin niggaz asses just to stay alive
Skinny assed playa watchin bigger motherfuckers fry
They ask me how i'm livin
I'ma Hustler! buckin bustas till they die
Now it's on in the ghetto
You ain't heard
Niggaz got they AK's headed for the burbs'
Aiming at the skinhead bitches let it rain
(house of pain)
Givin them a big welcome to the house of pain
(chorus)
House of pain, House of pain
House of pain, Welcome to the house of pain
House of pain, House of pain
House of pain, Welcome to the house of pain
(stretch)
Yo i'm hunting down this nigga
And he knows so he's stressin
He better count his breaths
And get ready for this lesson
Cuz Stretch gonna teach him
When he reach him
With the mack,
And lay that ass down on his motherfucking back jack
Slack is something that a nigga don't take
His mom's run the church so i'ma see her at his fuckin wake
Make way!
The nigga payed me the other day
I'm walkin with my son
And the nigga had somethin to say
Hey! the nigga tried to diss
Boy he got it twisted
He shoulda watched Amerikaz most
I'm listed
For killing motherfuckers like him
So i'ma bring him to the house of pain
And kill him with a grin
Flim flam God DAMN
I'm not the one to
choke him
And smoke him
i'm gonna smack him with my fuckin gun
Son you make your last mistake
And i don't know your name
(house of pain)
But welcome to the house of pain
(chorus)
House of pain, House of pain
House of pain, Welcome to the house of pain
House of pain, House of pain
House of pain, Welcome to the house of pain
(Notorious B.I.G)
The country bud got me chocking
I'm on a mission til the point that motherfuckers think i'm smoking
Yeah that sick nigga Biggie
With the eight shot flip
Got a extra clip for that extra shit
Don't you know that a killing is thrilling
All the blood spilling
Is all the part of drug dealing
A born gangsta
My daddy was a thug
Had a 38
With a hollow point slug
So when he licks shots
Niggaz drop quicker than a Bootlegger
Sells his Liquor
A little nigga tryna squeeze 22's
In my Reebok shoes
Payin dues while kids was on there one's and two's
But
Now i'm much older, colder fuck a holdsta
Got them Mack 11's swingin from my shoulda
It's a damn shame, I gotta put my momma through this strain
(house of pain)
I'm living in the house of pain
(chorus)
House of pain, House of pain
House of pain, Welcome to the house of pain
House of pain, House of pain
House of pain, Welcome to the house of pain
House of pain, House of pain
House of pain, Welcome to the house of pain
House of pain, House of pain
House of pain, Welcome to the house of pain
(Notorious B.I.G)
This is a tribute
Bad Boy
House of pain
The song House of Pain is a collaboration between two legendary rappers: 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G. Each verse of the song tells a story about their experiences with violence and the dangers of the streets, and the chorus welcomes listeners to the "house of pain."
2Pac's verse begins with him questioning who he can trust and admitting that he has enemies. He talks about his rise to fame from doing films to becoming a well-known rapper. He also acknowledges the jealousy around him that causes him to carry a gun and bust others before they can harm him. The verse ends with him proclaiming that it's on in the ghetto, and people have their AKs aimed at the suburbs, inviting the listener to the "house of pain".
Similarly, The Notorious B.I.G's verse talks about the violence and drug dealing that comes with living in the ghetto. He speaks of his father's influence as a thug who wielded a 38 with a hollow-point slug. He confronts the reality of his situation where he has to put his mother through pain due to his lifestyle, which he calls the "house of pain".
The song is a social commentary on life in the ghetto and the violence and danger that come with it. While each rapper tells their own story, they share a common theme of living through struggle and hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
Born again
Starting anew and coming back into existence
The motherfucking dust kicker
A tough and notable figure in the neighborhood who is known to show off his power by kicking up dust
Who can you trust?
Questioning who can be trusted in a world full of deceit and betrayal
Do you have the heart to see a nigga, Before you bust?
Asking if someone has the courage to face and confront their enemies before resorting to violence
My name is spoken on the tounges
Of so many foes
Having a reputation amongst enemies that precedes you and is passed around by many
Bustin motherfuckers out the blocks
I don't even go!
Being tough enough that other people will do your bidding for you
Now how the hell do you explain
My claim to fame
Questioning how their fame has come about
From doing flick, To bustin tricks
Out the fuckin frame
Going from performing in movies to breaking out of narrow-minded stereotypes
Got these bitches on my jock
Niggaz on my block
Having women as well as men impressed or jealous of their success and status
Jealous ass suckas got to duckin from my smokin glock
Making others want to stay clear out of fear for their own safety
And bustin niggaz asses just to stay alive
Skinny assed playa watchin bigger motherfuckers fry
Having to fight and take down opponents just to survive in the streets
They ask me how i'm livin
I'ma Hustler! buckin bustas till they die
Defining themselves as a hustler who will take down anyone who tries them
Now it's on in the ghetto
You ain't heard
Niggaz got they AK's headed for the burbs'
Aiming at the skinhead bitches let it rain
A call to arms for those in the ghetto to rise up and take revenge on their oppressors
(stretch)
Yo i'm hunting down this nigga
And he knows so he's stressin
He better count his breaths
And get ready for this lesson
Going after an enemy who is aware of the danger they are in and is rightfully afraid
Cuz Stretch gonna teach him
When he reach him
With the mack,
And lay that ass down on his motherfucking back jack
Promising to teach someone a lesson and following through with violence
Slack is something that a nigga don't take
His mom's run the church so i'ma see her at his fuckin wake
Not accepting any weakness and making a clear threat to the enemy's family
Make way!
The nigga payed me the other day
I'm walkin with my son
And the nigga had somethin to say
Someone is trying to confront and intimidate them while they are with their child
Hey! the nigga tried to diss
Boy he got it twisted
He shoulda watched Amerikaz most
I'm listed
Teaching someone not to disrespect them by referencing their appearance in a popular TV show about crime
For killing motherfuckers like him
So i'ma bring him to the house of pain
And kill him with a grin
A threat of violence and a reference to a place of intense suffering and danger
Flim flam God DAMN
I'm not the one to
choke him
And smoke him
i'm gonna smack him with my fuckin gun
Son you make your last mistake
And i don't know your name
Finding a creative and violent way to deal with an enemy and warning them that this will be their final mistake
(Notorious B.I.G)
The country bud got me chocking
I'm on a mission til the point that motherfuckers think i'm smoking
Being so determined in their mission that it appears as though they are smoking drugs
Yeah that sick nigga Biggie
With the eight shot flip
Got a extra clip for that extra shit
Referring to themselves as a skilled shooter with extra ammunition
Don't you know that a killing is thrilling
All the blood spilling
Is all the part of drug dealing
Claiming that the excitement of killing is a natural part of the drug dealing culture
A born gangsta
My daddy was a thug
Had a 38
With a hollow point slug
Having a family history and upbringing that contributed to their current lifestyle
So when he licks shots
Niggaz drop quicker than a Bootlegger
Sells his Liquor
Being an expert shooter who can take people down in a heartbeat
A little nigga tryna squeeze 22's
In my Reebok shoes
Payin dues while kids was on there one's and two's
Starting out small and having to work hard just to get by when others their age were enjoying life
But
Now i'm much older, colder fuck a holdsta
Got them Mack 11's swingin from my shoulda
Getting older and tougher and having top-of-the-line weapons to show it
It's a damn shame, I gotta put my momma through this strain
(house of pain)
I'm living in the house of pain
Feeling regret over the consequences of their lifestyle and referencing the dangerous environment they live in
Contributed by Lincoln B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@2pacgallar
Only the real pac fans are here
@makavelidadon77777
All day
@djambaouch638
Every day I hear Tupac ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
@TaybeenTrill248
When Pac & Big did collab they never missed
@JustLV4Life
All 3 are Gone SMH...SALUTE to the 90's when Hip-Hop was undeniably Real.
@mikehonda7934
Today, I’m bumpin this on the way to work. Woke up with this track in my head. The hardest track to date.... R.i.p. Biggie, Pac, Stretch............. nothing compares......
@hugoklarco6122
PAC and BiGGIE ..the best vitamin for begin the journey
@mauriciotye
Is this a original song? I only remember hearing stretch verse a long time ago on bootleg mix cd📀
@mikehonda7934
@@mauriciotye the original had Stretch on it. The version you heard was probably from the best of pac and biggie mixtape which excluded Stretch. They made this record together.
@dmagz0121
Stretch is needed on this.