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.
I Wonder If Heaven Got A Ghetto
2Pac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I was raised, the little young nigga doin' bad shit
Talk much shit, 'cause I never had shit
I could remember being whupped in class
Was it my fault, papa didn't plan it out
Broke out left me to be the man of the house
I couldn't take it, had to make a profit
Down the block, got a glock and I clock grips
Makin' G's was my mission
Movin' enough of this shit to get my mama out the kitchen
And why must I sock a fella,
Just to live large like Rockefeller
First you didn't give a fuck but you're learnin' now
If you don't respect the town then we'll burn you down
God damn it's a motherfuckin' riot
Black people only hate police so don't try it
If you're not from the town then don't pass through
'Cause some O.G. fools might blast you
It ain't right but it's long overdue
We can't have peace till the niggas get a piece too
I want G's so you label me a criminal
And if I die, I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
Here on Earth, tell me what's a black life worth
A bottle of juice is no excuse, the truth hurts
And even when you take the shit
Move counties, get a lawyer, you can shake the shit
Ask Rodney, LaTasha, and many more
It's been goin' on for years, there's plenty more
When they ask me, when will the violence cease?
When your troops stop shootin' niggas down in the street
Niggas had enough time to make a difference
Bear witness, own our own business
Word to God, 'cause it's hard tryin' to make ends meet
First we couldn't afford shit now everything's free so we loot,
Please don't shoot when you see
I'm takin' from them 'cause for years they would take it from me
Now the tables have turned around
You didn't listen, until the niggas burned it down
And now Bush can't stop the hit
I predicted the shit, in 2Pacalypse
And for once I was down with niggas, felt good
In the hood bein' around the niggas, yeah
And for the first time everybody let go
And the streets was death row
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I see no changes, all I see is racist faces
Misplaced hate makes disgrace to races
We under, I wonder what it take to make this
One better place, let's erase the wait state
Take the evil out the people, they'll be acting right
'Cause both black and white are smokin' crack tonight
And only time we deal is when we kill each other
It takes skill to be real, time to heal each other
And though it seems Heaven-sent
We ain't ready to have a black President, huh
It ain't a secret don't conceal the fact
The penitentiary's packed and it's filled with blacks
I wake up in the morning and I ask myself
Is life worth living, should I blast myself
I'm tired of being poor and even worse I'm black
My stomach hurts so I'm lookin' for a purse to snatch
Cops give a damn about a negro
Pull a trigger, kill a nigga*, he's a hero
Mo' nigga, mo' nigga, mo' niggas
I'd rather be dead than a po' nigga
Let the Lord judge the criminals
If I die, I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
And I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
Just think, if niggas decide to retaliate
Soldier in the house, I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
The song "I Wonder if Heaven Got a Ghetto" by 2Pac is about the struggles that he and many other African Americans face in their daily lives. He questions whether heaven has a ghetto, indicating that even in the afterlife, marginalized people may still exist in undesirable conditions. The song touches on themes of poverty, violence, police brutality, racial discrimination, and struggling to survive in a society that is already stacked against you. Tupac describes growing up in poverty, never having enough to get by, and turning to a life of crime as a way to provide for himself and his family. He also addresses the systemic issues that contribute to the oppression of black people, including a justice system that disproportionately incarcerates them.
2Pac also talks about the riots that took place in Los Angeles in 1992 after the acquittal of police officers in the beating of Rodney King. He refers to the riots as a long-overdue response to the injustices faced by the black community. He speaks about the need for the black community to come together and build their own businesses and stop relying on others for their livelihood. Tupac believes that only when black people have economic power can true equality be achieved.
In the final verse, he speaks about the senseless violence and the need for real change. He calls for an end to racism and for people to treat each other with kindness and respect. He speaks about the despair he feels, questioning whether life is even worth living in the face of all the struggles black people face in America.
Overall, the song expresses Tupac's disillusionment with society and his hope for a better future for marginalized communities.
Line by Line Meaning
I wonder if Heaven got a ghetto
Throughout the song, the artist wonders if even Heaven has a place for people like him, who come from a poor and troubled background.
I was raised, the little young nigga doin' bad shit
The artist talks about his difficult upbringing and how he got into trouble early on in his life.
Was it my fault, papa didn't plan it out
The artist questions whether his father's absence and lack of guidance played a role in his troubled behavior.
Makin' G's was my mission
The artist's main goal was to make money and provide for his family.
Black people only hate police so don't try it
The artist talks about the tension between the Black community and the police force, suggesting that it's due to the way police treat Black people.
We can't have peace till the niggas get a piece too
The artist calls for equality and justice, stating that there can't be peace until Black people are given a fair chance.
A bottle of juice is no excuse, the truth hurts
The artist expresses frustration with the excuses people make for police brutality and systemic oppression, stating that the truth is hard to swallow.
Niggas had enough time to make a difference
The artist suggests that the Black community has had ample time to fight for change and make a difference.
Only time we deal is when we kill each other
The artist speaks on the issue of intra-community violence and lack of unity in the Black community.
Let the Lord judge the criminals
The artist suggests that justice will come from a higher power, and that the focus should be on healing and coming together rather than fighting each other.
Just think, if niggas decide to retaliate
The artist talks about the possibility of the Black community retaliating in response to oppression and violence, suggesting that this could lead to even more chaos.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LARRY D. GOODMAN, DERRICK MCDOWELL, TUPAC AMARU SHAKUR, LARRY TROUTMAN, ROGER TROUTMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Adrian Costa
Great track. Lyrics and theme is quality!
LeeLee
This song makes me feel something in my soul. Especially with what's going on in 2O2O now, the message in this song is SO RELEVANT & VALID. He has always told us the real T💕💫 PacForever💕💫
Melissa Mullins
Man I shed tears 2 dis one. Heaven used to have a ghetto, but then Pac showed up and upgraded it 2 thugz mansion :)
Alain Perez L
I she'd tears to thugz mansion years ago when I was a teenager now I'm 28
Tom Sawyer
2021 this all I had when I was a kid in 97
31 now. Thank you pac, love you so much. Got me threw man!
hg2001
One of the greatest cuts of all time. Pac is not my favorite artist of all time, but I had to admit this. ✊🏿
Moses Alexander Cruz
TIMELESS shit - and gives nostalgia a whole different meaning everytime i hear this track. Thanks for all the bangers PAC
Empowered CRB
This joint had me tearing too when I was 13 banging it hard
Statter-Z
Love this version...
earchin opps round tha area
this song makes me cry R.I.P PAC