Tupac Amaru Shakur (born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13… Read Full Bio ↴Tupac Amaru Shakur (born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), better known by his stage name 2Pac and later by his alias Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Considered one of the most influential rappers of all time, Shakur is among the best-selling music artists, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Much of Shakur's music has been noted for addressing contemporary social issues that plagued inner cities, and he is considered a symbol of activism against inequality.

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.

How Do You Want It
2Pac Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

How do you want it?
How does it feel?
Comin' up as a nigga in the cash game
Livin' in the fast lane, ah, for real
How do you want it? (yeah)
How do you feel?
Comin' up as a nigga in the cash game
Livin' in the fast lane, ah, for real

Love the way you activate your hips and push your ass out
Got a nigga wantin' it so bad I'm 'bout to pass out
Wanna dig you and I can't even lie about it
Baby, just alleviate your clothes, time to fly up out it
Catch you at a club, oh, shit you got me fiendin'
Body talkin' shit to me but I can't comprehend the meaning
Now if you wanna roll with me, then here's your chance
Doin' eighty on the freeway, police, catch me if you can
Forgive me, I'm a rider, still, I'm just a simple man
All I want is money, fuck the fame, I'm a simple man
Mr. International, player with the passport
Just like Aladdin, bitch, get you anything you ask for
It's either him or me, champagne, Hennessy
A favorite of my homies when we floss on our enemies
Witness as we creep to a low speed, peep what a ho need
Puff some mo' weed, funk, ya don't need
Approachin' hoochies with a passion, been a long day
But I've been driven by attraction in a strong way
Your body is bangin', baby, I love it when you flaunt it
Time to give it to daddy, nigga, now tell me how you want it
(Tell me how you want it)

How do you want it?
How does it feel?
Comin' up as a nigga in the cash game
Livin' in the fast lane, ah, for real
How do you want it? (yeah)
How do you feel?
Comin' up as a nigga in the cash game
I'm livin' in the fast lane, ah, for real

Tell me is it cool to fuck?
Did you think I come to talk? Am I a fool or what?
Positions on the floor, it's like erotic
Ironic 'cause I'm somewhat psychotic
I'm hittin' switches on bitches like I been fixed with hydraulics
Up and down like a roller coaster
I'm up inside ya, I ain't quittin' 'til the show is over
'Cause I'ma rider in and out just like a robbery
I'll probably be a freak and let you get on top of me
Get her rockin' knees
Nights full of Alizé, a livin' legend
You ain't heard about, these niggas play these Cali days
C. Delores Tucker, you's a motherfucker
Instead of tryin' to help a nigga, you destroy a brother
Worse than the others, Bill Clinton, Mr. Bob Dole
You're too old to understand the way the game's told
You're lame, so I gotta hit you with the hot facts
Once I'm released, I'm makin' millions, niggas top that
They wanna censor me, they'd rather see me in a cell
Livin' in hell, only a few of us'll live to tell
Now everybody talkin 'bout us, I could give a fuck
Like we the first ones to bomb and cuss
Nigga, tell me how you want it

How do you want it? (tell me)
How does it feel?
Comin' up as a nigga in the cash game
Livin' in the fast lane, ah, for real
How do you want it? (yeah)
How do you feel?
Comin' up as a nigga in the cash game
I'm livin' in the fast lane, ah, for real

Raised as a youth, tell the truth, I got the scoop
On how to get a bulletproof, lickin' shots off on the roof
Before I was a teenager, mobile phone, SkyPager
Gang rules, I'm livin' major, my adversaries
Is lookin' worried, they paranoid of gettin' buried
One of us gon' see the cemetery
My only hope is survive, if I was to stay alive
Gettin' high, see the demons in my eyes before I die
I wanna live my life and ball, make a couple million
And then I'm chillin', fade 'em all
These taxes got me crossed up and people tryin' to sue me
Media is in my business and they actin' like they know me (hahaha)
But I'ma mash out and peel out
I'm with a clique that's quick to whip that fuckin' steel out
Yeah, nigga it's some new shit, so better get up on it
When you see me, tell a nigga how you want it
How do you want it?

How do you want it?
How does it feel?
Comin' up as a nigga in the cash game
Livin' in the fast lane, ah, for real
How do you want it? (yeah)
How do you feel?
Comin' up as a nigga in the cash game
Livin' in the fast lane, ah, for real

How do you want it?
How does it feel?
Comin' up as a nigga in the cash game
Livin' in the fast lane, ah, for real
(How you want it?) How do you want it?
How do you feel?
Comin' up as a nigga in the cash game (yeah, my nigga, Johnny J)
Livin' in the fast lane, ah, for real (yeah)

How do you want it?
How does it feel?
Comin' up as a nigga in the cash game
Livin' in the fast lane, ah, for real
How do you want it? (tell me)
How do you feel? (girl, I-I-I-I)
Comin' up as a nigga in the cash game
Livin' in the fast lane, ah, for real

How do you want it?
How do you feel?

Comin' up as a nigga in the cash game
Livin' in the fast lane, ah, for real

Overall Meaning

"How Do You Want It" is a song by Tupac Shakur, which was released in 1996. The song features K-ci & Jojo and samples the song "Body Heat" by Quincy Jones. The lyrics include Tupac describing his experiences as an African American coming up in the cash game and living in the fast lane. He talks about his desire for money and the way he attracted women. He also takes aim at politicians and the media who try to suppress him.

The song starts with a repeating chorus, asking the listener how they want to feel and how they want to live. Tupac then proceeds with the first verse, talking about the way women move their body and how this attracts him. He talks about how he wants to be rolling with women and living life at a breakneck pace. The second verse of the song is aimed at politicians and media outlets that try to censor him. Tupac talks about how they are trying to take away his voice and how he is determined to succeed, regardless of their efforts.

One of the unique features of the song is the way it blends hip-hop and R&B. The chorus features K-ci & Jojo, a famous R&B duo, while Tupac delivers his typical hard-edged rap verses. The song also features a sample from "Body Heat," which gives the song a classic, old-school feel.

Line by Line Meaning

How do you want it?
Asking the listener how they want to experience life and love.

How does it feel?
Asking the listener how it feels to come up in the world as a person of color, and to live fast and dangerously.

Comin' up as a nigga in the cash game
Growing up as a Black man in a capitalist society where money is the ultimate goal.

Livin' in the fast lane, ah, for real
Living life on the edge and taking chances to achieve success.

Love the way you activate your hips and push your ass out
Admiring a woman's sensual movements and being attracted to her body.

Got a nigga wantin' it so bad I'm 'bout to pass out
Being so attracted to someone that it feels overpowering.

Wanna dig you and I can't even lie about it
Being honest about wanting to be intimate with someone.

Baby, just alleviate your clothes, time to fly up out it
Encouraging someone to take off their clothes and feel free.

Catch you at a club, oh, shit you got me fiendin'
Being infatuated with someone at a club and wanting to be with them.

Body talkin' shit to me but I can't comprehend the meaning
Feeling confused about what someone's body language is trying to communicate.

Now if you wanna roll with me, then here's your chance
Inviting someone to join you on a wild and exciting journey.

Doin' eighty on the freeway, police, catch me if you can
Driving recklessly fast on the freeway, daring the police to try and catch you.

Forgive me, I'm a rider, still, I'm just a simple man
Acknowledging that you love to take risks and are a tough person, but you still have some basic needs and desires.

All I want is money, fuck the fame, I'm a simple man
Preferring to prioritize financial success over fame.

Mr. International, player with the passport
Being confident and well-traveled.

Just like Aladdin, bitch, get you anything you ask for
Willingness to fulfill your partner's desires, like a genie.

It's either him or me, champagne, Hennessy
Drinking expensive alcohol while competing with other men for women's attention.

A favorite of my homies when we floss on our enemies
Celebrating with friends when you have defeated your rivals.

Witness as we creep to a low speed, peep what a ho need
Observing women and what they desire while moving slowly and stealthily.

Puff some mo' weed, funk, ya don't need
Smoking weed and having fun, even when things are stressful.

Approachin' hoochies with a passion, been a long day
Chasing women with enthusiasm, even after a long day of work or struggle.

But I've been driven by attraction in a strong way
Feeling motivated to pursue women with great intensity and focus on attraction.

Your body is bangin', baby, I love it when you flaunt it
Expressing appreciation for a woman's physical appearance and how she shows it off.

Time to give it to daddy, nigga, now tell me how you want it
Suggesting that it's time for sex and inviting the listener to express their desires.

Raised as a youth, tell the truth, I got the scoop
Growing up and gaining knowledge about life's harsh realities.

On how to get a bulletproof, lickin' shots off on the roof
Learning how to protect oneself and handle firearms.

Before I was a teenager, mobile phone, SkyPager
Growing up in a time when technology was becoming more advanced and accessible.

Gang rules, I'm livin' major, my adversaries
Being part of a gang and feeling powerful, while also fearing enemies.

Is lookin' worried, they paranoid of gettin' buried
Feeling like your enemies are afraid of getting hurt or killed by you.

My only hope is survive, if I was to stay alive
Hoping to stay alive and succeed despite the dangers of the world.

Gettin' high, see the demons in my eyes before I die
Using drugs and feeling like you are facing the end of your life.

I wanna live my life and ball, make a couple million
Desiring to live luxuriously and become wealthy.

And then I'm chillin', fade 'em all
Relaxing and enjoying the fruits of your labor, while leaving your enemies in the past.

These taxes got me crossed up and people tryin' to sue me
Feeling burdened by financial obligations and legal troubles.

Media is in my business and they actin' like they know me (hahaha)
Feeling like the media is spreading inaccurate information about you and invading your privacy.

But I'ma mash out and peel out
Refusing to let obstacles hold you back and instead pushing forward aggressively.

I'm with a clique that's quick to whip that fuckin' steel out
Surrounding yourself with people who are willing to use weapons to protect themselves and their interests.

Yeah, nigga it's some new shit, so better get up on it
Warning others that you are running the game in a new and innovative way.

When you see me, tell a nigga how you want it
Inviting people to approach you and express their desires, knowing that you are in charge and calling the shots.

How do you want it?
Repeating the initial question to emphasize the importance of making choices and taking control of your life and desires.

Livin' in the fast lane, ah, for real
Reiterating the theme of living life dangerously and with excitement.

How do you feel? (girl, I-I-I-I)
Asking the listener how they feel about living life on the edge and pursing their desires with passion and intensity.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Johnny Lee Jackson, Tupac Amaru Shakur, Bruce Fisher, Quincy D. Jones, Leon Ware, Stanley J. Richardson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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