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.

If There Be Pain
2Pac Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Intro]
[Providence] Ooooh Ooooh [RasDaveed] Tell me I will be there
Tell me I will be there
Tell me I will be there
Tell me I will be there
Yeah....

[Verse 1] [Providence]

If there be pain
All you have to do is call on me
If there be pain (hmm hmmm)
All you have to do is call on me
To be with you (to be with you)
And before you hang up the phone
You will no longer be alone
Together we can never fall
Because our love will conquer all

[RasDaveed chants]
[Verse 2] [Providence]
If there be pain
Reach out for a helping hand
If there be pain
And I shall hold you wherever I am
Every breath I breathe will be into you
For without you here my joy is through
My life was lived through falling rain
So call on me if there be pain

[Outro] [Providence & RasDaveed El Harar]
If there be pain
Every breath I breathe will be into you
For without you here my joy is through
My life was lived through falling rain
So call on me if there be pain

If you need me

If you need me
Ooohh ooooh

Overall Meaning

The song "If There's A Cure" is a collaboration between 2Pac and Snoop Dogg, featuring Providence and RasDaveed El Harar on vocals. The song is a tribute to the power of love and the willingness to support and be there for someone in times of pain and struggle. The opening vocals of the song express the idea that no matter how hard things get, the singer will always be there for the person in pain, reinforcing the importance of human connection and support.

The first verse of the song speaks directly to the person in pain, urging them to call on the singer for help and support. The repeated line "all you have to do is call on me" stresses the immediacy and importance of reaching out for help, while the lines "together we can never fall, because our love will conquer all" speaks to the enduring strength and resilience of love in times of hardship.

The second verse further emphasizes the importance of support, with the singer offering to hold the person in pain wherever they are, and dedicating every breath they take to supporting and helping them. The closing vocals of the song, repeated from the opening, reinforce the message that the singer is there for the person in pain, and that they can be relied on to offer support and care.

Overall, "If There's A Cure" is a powerful and moving song that underscores the importance of love, connection, and support in times of need. It's a reminder that no matter how hard things get, we're never alone if we're willing to reach out and ask for help.

Line by Line Meaning

If there be pain
In times of trouble or discomfort

All you have to do is call on me
You can always count on my support

To be with you
To stand by your side

And before you hang up the phone
Before you end the call

You will no longer be alone
You won't have to face it by yourself

Together we can never fall
We are stronger together and can overcome anything

Because our love will conquer all
Our love for each other will overcome any obstacle

If there be pain
In times of trouble or discomfort

Reach out for a helping hand
Ask for assistance

And I shall hold you wherever I am
I will be there for you no matter where I am

Every breath I breathe will be into you
My love for you is all-encompassing and will always be present

For without you here my joy is through
You are the source of my happiness

My life was lived through falling rain
I've been through tough times before and can relate to your pain

So call on me if there be pain
Don't hesitate to reach out to me if you need help

Every breath I breathe will be into you
My love for you is all-encompassing and will always be present

For without you here my joy is through
You are the source of my happiness

My life was lived through falling rain
I've been through tough times before and can relate to your pain

So call on me if there be pain
Don't hesitate to reach out to me if you need help

If you need me
If you ever require my assistance

Ooohh ooooh
Vocals expressing emotional support

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: RAS DAVEED EL HARAR, FEMI OJETUNDE, LOU PEREZ, TUPAC AMARU SHAKUR

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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