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.
My Closest Roaddogz
2Pac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To my dog named Musolini, Big Syke, Thug Life baby
The return of the mashers, you know how we do it ha ha ha!
S*** half the times we flaunt 'cause trouble
My closest road dog it was cool 'cause I love you
F*** what they talkin' bout
Let me take you back in time, rewind to eighty-nine
Little nappy-haired juveniles, livin' wild
No smiles on our faces, thirteen catchin' cases
Indeed, it was misery
Driven by my own demons, 'cause they was killin' me
How can I be sure I'll be saved soon?
Catch me dip into the light, of a stray moon
It's gettin' deeper now, let me get yo' mind right
F*** yo' enemies, n**** grip yo' nine tight, tonight's the night
Murder murder Mr. Lucifer
Pictures of the devil, duck when he shoot at cha, it's all political
Runnin' from the future, escapin' in the fog
Live yo' life like a hog n****, me and my closest road dogz
Every ghetto street got a crosswalk
Let me get to the other side with my road dogz
All roam in the scary place called home
Take a second victim and if they all gone, my closest road dogz
Every ghetto street got a stop sign
Can I trust in you my road dogz on mine?
Even when I'm goin' through hard times
I still got my closest road dogz lookin' out for all mine
Ha ha, bring artillery and roll with a n****
They could never take the soul of a M.O.B. soldier n****
Cowards get rolled up, mob on 'em Makaveli
Boy youse a boss player, that's what all the b****es tell me
Even if I died now
I live my life eternally and never lie down, why cry now?
Fooled a few but never 'came a gamer, ain't tryin' to hear it
Evil spirits hide at total strangers, yo' life's in danger
Prepare n**** be aware, 'cause we ain't scared
M.O.B., 'til I die, when we ride n****s disappear
Fill 'em up with pistol smoke
Never forget to blow a hole in his head
For leakin' information to the feds
The burnin' bed was the tellin' sign
Two hired guns bustin' everyone, yellin' everybody die
Why the f*** they f*** around, we left 'em in the fog
Bleedin' like a stuck hog, me and my closest road dogz
Every ghetto street got a crosswalk
Let me get to the other side with my road dogz
All roam in the scary place called home
Take a second victim and if they all gone, my closest road dogz
Every ghetto street got a stop sign
Can I trust in you my road dogz on mine?
Even when I'm goin' through hard times
I still got my closest road dogz lookin' out for all mine
F*** they feelings, that's what they get for squealin
That's the pressures of a gangsta, dangerous this drug dealin'
See me in physical form, my n****s swarm
Take the figure of a circle beatin" jealous n****s 'til they purple
Simon Says take they heads homies
And send them phony motherf***ers to dwell with all they dead homies
Fishin' for fake n****s, observe and shake n****s
The only way to see six figures, is break n****s
Me and Musolini set to ride we high
Big Bogart got the alibi if homicide ask us way
Labelled a Capo in the mob as big as the globe
To live and die as a millionaire, on ..
Set to explode, my M.O., is kill them hoes
My pistol's like a disease, my enemies and foes
Get murdered and disposed of, we in the fog
Makaveli the Don, and my closest road dogz
Every ghetto street got a crosswalk
Let me get to the other side with my road dogz
All roam in the scary place called home
Take a second victim and if they all gone, my closest road dogz
Every ghetto street got a stop sign
Can I trust in you my road dogz on mine?
Even when I'm goin' through hard times
I still got my closest road dogz lookin' out for all mine
Every ghetto street got a crosswalk
Let me get to the other side with my road dogz
All roam in the scary place called home
Take a second victim and if they all gone, my closest road dogz
Every ghetto street got a stop sign
Can I trust in you my road dogz on mine?
Even when I'm goin' through hard times
I still got my closest road dogz lookin' out for all mine
In "My Closest Roaddogz", 2Pac reminisces about his early days of hustling and running with his closest friends, who he calls his "road dogz". He recounts how they were young, reckless, and caught up in a life of crime, but they had each other's backs and were willing to do anything for one another. The song's title comes from the slang term "road dog" or "road dogg", which refers to a close friend or companion who travels with you on the road.
Throughout the song, 2Pac reflects on the struggles and dangers that come with living in the ghetto, as well as the pressures of being a gangsta and drug dealer. He warns that there are always enemies and snitches lurking around, ready to take you down, but that you can survive if you have the right people by your side. He pays homage to his fallen friend, Yafeu Fula (aka Kadafi), who was a member of the Outlawz and was killed in a drive-by shooting in New Jersey in 1996.
Line by Line Meaning
Me and my closest road dogz
I am with my closest friends
To my dog named Musolini, Big Syke, Thug Life baby
I am with my friends Musolini and Big Syke, who are part of Thug Life
The return of the mashers, you know how we do it ha ha ha!
We are back to doing what we always do, being troublemakers
S*** half the times we flaunt 'cause trouble
We often provoke trouble
My closest road dog it was cool 'cause I love you
Being with my closest friends is cool because I love them
F*** what they talkin' bout
I don't care about what others say
Let me take you back in time, rewind to eighty-nine
Let me tell you a story of what happened in 1989
Introduced me to this life of crime, but we was blind
My friends introduced me to a criminal lifestyle when we were young and naive
Little nappy-haired juveniles, livin' wild
We were young and reckless
No smiles on our faces, thirteen catchin' cases
We were unhappy and often getting arrested at the age of thirteen
Indeed, it was misery
Our life was full of suffering
Driven by my own demons, 'cause they was killin' me
My own inner struggles were slowly killing me
How can I be sure I'll be saved soon?
I wonder if I will ever be saved from this life of crime
Catch me dip into the light, of a stray moon
I find solace in the light of the moon
It's gettin' deeper now, let me get yo' mind right
Things are getting more complicated, let me help you understand
F*** yo' enemies, n**** grip yo' nine tight, tonight's the night
Don't worry about your enemies, hold your gun tight, and be ready to fight tonight
Murder murder Mr. Lucifer
We are ready to take down the devil
Pictures of the devil, duck when he shoot at cha, it's all political
Evil forces are after us, and everything is connected to politics
Runnin' from the future, escapin' in the fog
We are trying to escape our future and hide in the fog
Live yo' life like a hog n****, me and my closest road dogz
We are living our lives like kings with our closest friends
Every ghetto street got a crosswalk
There is always a way to cross the street in the ghetto
Let me get to the other side with my road dogz
Let me cross the street with my friends
All roam in the scary place called home
We all roam in our scary neighborhood
Take a second victim and if they all gone, my closest road dogz
We take revenge on those who wronged us, and we do it together with our closest friends
Every ghetto street got a stop sign
There is always a stop sign in the ghetto
Can I trust in you my road dogz on mine?
Can I trust you, my closest friends, to have my back?
Even when I'm goin' through hard times
Even when I'm struggling
I still got my closest road dogz lookin' out for all mine
My closest friends will always have my back
Ha ha, bring artillery and roll with a n****
We are ready to fight with our guns
They could never take the soul of a M.O.B. soldier n****
Our souls cannot be taken because we are soldiers of M.O.B. (Money Over B*******)
Cowards get rolled up, mob on 'em Makaveli
Cowards get attacked by the mob led by Makaveli
Boy youse a boss player, that's what all the b****es tell me
I am a boss player and the women love it
Even if I died now
Even if I were to die now
I live my life eternally and never lie down, why cry now?
I will live on forever, so why cry now?
Fooled a few but never 'came a gamer, ain't tryin' to hear it
I may have fooled a few people, but I'm not trying to hear their criticism
Evil spirits hide at total strangers, yo' life's in danger
Evil spirits are everywhere, and your life is in danger
Prepare n**** be aware, 'cause we ain't scared
Be prepared and aware because we are not afraid
M.O.B., 'til I die, when we ride n****s disappear
M.O.B. until I die, and when we are on the move, n****s disappear
Fill 'em up with pistol smoke
Shoot them with your gun
Never forget to blow a hole in his head
Make sure to kill them completely
For leakin' information to the feds
For giving information to the authorities
The burnin' bed was the tellin' sign
The burning bed was a sign of something bad
Two hired guns bustin' everyone, yellin' everybody die
Two hired men were killing everyone, yelling for everybody to die
Why the f*** they f*** around, we left 'em in the fog
Why did they mess with us? We left them hurt and confused
Bleedin' like a stuck hog, me and my closest road dogz
We left them bleeding like pigs, with me and my closest friends
F*** they feelings, that's what they get for squealin
Forget their feelings, that's what they get for snitching
That's the pressures of a gangsta, dangerous this drug dealin'
That's what it's like to be a gangsta, and dealing drugs is dangerous
See me in physical form, my n****s swarm
When people see me, my friends gather around me
Take the figure of a circle beatin' jealous n****s 'til they purple
We take the shape of a circle and beat up jealous people until they are bruised
Simon Says take they heads homies
Simon Says to kill them, my friends
And send them phony motherf***ers to dwell with all they dead homies
And send them to be with all their dead friends
Fishin' for fake n****s, observe and shake n****s
We are looking for fake people, and will observe and intimidate them
The only way to see six figures, is break n****s
The only way to be rich is to break the law
Me and Musolini set to ride we high
Me and Musolini are ready to ride and we feel great
Big Bogart got the alibi if homicide ask us way
Big Bogart has an alibi if the authorities ask us where we were
Labelled a Capo in the mob as big as the globe
I am a leader in a large criminal organization
To live and die as a millionaire, on ..
To die rich, but living the life of crime
Set to explode, my M.O., is kill them hoes
My plan is to kill those who oppose me
My pistol's like a disease, my enemies and foes
My gun is like a disease that kills my enemies and foes
Get murdered and disposed of, we in the fog
They will be killed and left alone, and we will be in hiding
Makaveli the Don, and my closest road dogz
I'm like Makaveli the Don, and I'm with my closest friends
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHNNY LEE JACKSON, TUPAC AMARU SHAKUR, TYRUSS GERALD HIMES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Agent Bosconian
on So Many Tears - Live
I fear only God and no human being
Even in the face of danger, I will stay strong
I have cried so much and fear that I might die soon
God, please guide me and take me to heaven if I die
I grew up in a sad, and lonely environment and it affected me in a gravely manner
I was abandoned; all alone and grew up in a community that was doomed to fail
My mind was greatly troubled and I couldn't be able to find my inner peace
I found solace and comfort in adopting a tough and rebellious lifestyle
Do you understand my pain and sorrow? I don't ever dwell on the past memories
To survive in a dangerous environment, you must react aggressively and quickly; in order to stay alive
I will always remember my friend, Kato. A good friend who has tragically died, and is no longer with us, anymore
I witnessed the day Kato perished on the streets and was calling for help
May Kato, and those who died before him, truly find peace in death
Is there really a place in heaven for a gangster like me? Always think and never forget about me
The friends that I once shared my laughter with; are now buried in their graves in the cemetery. I continue to shed countless tears for them; as I grieve for them
As I face many difficulties in the music industry, I will do whatever it takes to overcome it
People call me greedy and selfish for making money, yet they rarely can see me
I feel like I'm being cursed by the world and havin' disturbing; yet horrible premonitions
I have a fear that I will die and lie inside a coffin on a hearse, and want God's guidance and empathy
I want to escape from the problems, stress and the hurting of life
I yearned; longing for happiness and clarity in my troubled life
I'm trapped in jail and my life is in shambles
I feel like I'm doomed to go to Hell, but I don't know why
I'm in denial about my life, and I'm scared of death
If I go to hell, I will be in eternal pain and cry so much
I'm lost and tired, and I've cried so much
I'm contemplating suicide, so stay away from me
I'm intentionally moving towards death
I'm ready to die, and I feel like I have nothing to live for
The streets were ruthless, and I couldn't find peace
I'm on the verge of breaking down, and I long for peace
I lost my soul and my identity, but I was unaware
I had demons in my mind that were taking over
The demons inside me grew and ignited a fire
My head felt like a bomb ready to explode, it was a nasty game
I have no happy memories, only pain and sadness
I imagine my enemies murdering me in my sleep
I wonder if I'll live to see the next day
I ask God to pardon me for my wrongs as death approaches
God knows I tried my best, but I've seen people get killed
I witnessed innocent people, including children, being killed by drive-by shootings
I wonder why these tragedies happen as I pass by
I feel sad as I see the outline of a body on the ground and turn to drugs for comfort
I don't want this life, I want something different
There is no promising future for me; I'm trapped in the cycle of crime and violence
I feel like I'm in a never-ending maze
Alcohol made me act out and lose my mind
I've been disillusioned and now want a family
I want a family to see a better side of myself that isn't tainted by my past
I don't trust my girlfriend because she's been influenced by the negative environment around us
I hear rumors that my girlfriend is cheating on me with my friends, and I can't handle it
I collapse and pray for God to let me into heaven
I've cried countless tears and beg for God's mercy to let me into heaven
I've lost so many years and cried so many tears
God, I lost so many friends and associates, and...
God knows I tried my best, but I've seen people get killed
I witnessed innocent people, including children, being killed by drive-by shootings
I wonder why these tragedies happen as I pass by
I feel sad as I see the outline of a body on the ground and turn to drugs for comfort
I don't want this life, I want something different
There is no promising future for me; I'm trapped in the cycle of crime and violence
I feel like I'm in a never-ending maze
Alcohol made me act out and lose my mind
I've been disillusioned and now want a family
I want a family to see a better side of myself that isn't tainted by my past
I don't trust my girlfriend because she's been influenced by the negative environment around us
I hear rumors that my girlfriend is cheating on me with my friends, and I can't handle it
I collapse and pray for God to let me into heaven
I've cried countless tears and beg for God's mercy to let me into heaven
I've lost so many years and cried so many tears
God, I lost so many friends and associates, and cried so many tears
Aliyu
on 'Pac's Life
Nice
A.Bosconian
on So Many Tears
I am not afraid of anything or anyone other than God.
Even when I am in the darkest of times and places.
I have cried so many tears because of the pain and hardships I have faced in my life.
I ask God to guide me and be with me in my journey through life.
Even as a child in elementary school, I found myself attracted to and surrounded by sadness and hopelessness.
I was abandoned and grew up among a generation of people who were doomed to fail.
My mind was constantly struggling, and I could not find a sense of peace or comfort anywhere.
I found a sense of identity and belonging when I got the tattoo of 'Thug Life' on my chest.
Do you understand the struggles and pain that I have experienced in my life?
I am not dwelling on my past mistakes, and if you want to be successful, you shouldn't be either.
In order to defend yourself and your community from violence, you must be the first one to take action. We should never forget Kato, who was killed due to senseless violence.
Kato is no longer with us and has passed away.
I witnessed violent crimes, and I've seen the aftermath of people being killed on the streets.
I hope Kato, and all those who have passed before him, are resting in peace.
Is there a place in heaven for someone like me, who has lived a life of violence and crime?
Remember me and all of my friends who have died and are now buried in the cemetery.
I address God.
I have experienced a lot of suffering throughout my life.
I have cried so many tears because of the pain and hardships I have faced in my life.
Now that I am struggling in the music industry.
I will do whatever it takes to succeed, even if it means being labeled as greedy and only focused on making money.
Even though I am chasing success, I rarely get to enjoy it or be seen by others.
I feel cursed and have a negative outlook on the world.
I am having visions of dying and leaving this world in a coffin.
I ask God if he can understand what I am going through and help me.
I want to be relieved of all the stress and suffering I feel.
I want to experience happiness again, which has been absent from my life for some time.
I feel like I am losing sight of what's important in my life.
I feel trapped in my current situation, and my quality of life is suffering as a result.
I already feel like I am destined to go to hell, and I question where I went wrong in my life.
I am unable to come to terms with my reality.
When I die, I fear that I will be punished forever in the afterlife.
I feel lost and tired.
I have cried so much that I am now having suicidal thoughts, so please don't be near me.
Everything I do feels like a complicated and difficult step.
To bring me closer to what I want to achieve.
I am prepared to accept death at any moment since I feel like I have nothing to live for.
Things were very rough and merciless on the streets.
I was never able to find peace or rest in that environment.
I am close to falling apart and screaming for peace.
Even though I was empty and lost, I couldn't understand or recognize it at the time.
My mind was plagued with negative thoughts and emotions, which were trying to escape constantly.
The negative thoughts and emotions had been planted long ago and have now taken root, and the flame of negativity is now growing stronger.
Just like a match can light a fire, the negative thoughts in my brain can also do the same, causing pain and suffering.
I have no good memories to comfort me, only sadness and suffering.
I am afraid of being attacked and killed by the people who hate me, even in my sleep.
I wonder if I will survive through the night to see the light of the new day?
I ask God for forgiveness for my past mistakes and wrongdoings.
I am trying to face my problems and come out stronger and better.
The Lord knows I have tried my best, and I have witnessed violent deaths in my community.
Drive-by shootings have resulted in the loss of many lives, including innocent children.
I wonder why these tragedies are happening in my community as I walk around and see the devastation.
I am saddened as I look at the markings on the pavement where someone has been killed, and the only way I can deal with this pain is by getting high.
I understand that this isn't the kind of life that I want for myself, and I want to change it.
I want to change my life for the better.
I feel like there is no future for me, no matter how hard I try to change.
I am trapped in the cycle of crime and violence that exists in my community.
I am lost and confused about how to get out of this situation.
The alcohol has influenced me to act more recklessly and dangerously.
I have lost faith and become cynical about life recently.
I have been wanting to have children and start a family.
I want to see a better version of myself in my children, someone who isn't always involved in negative activities.
I don't fully trust my partner because of the negative influence of our environment.
My partner has also been affected by the negative influences of our environment, and I am hearing strange noises because of how paranoid I am.
I am paranoid that my partner is cheating on me with my friends, and I can't handle the stress anymore.
I am begging God to forgive me and let me into heaven when I die.
I have lost many friends and acquaintances to violence and death.
As a result of these losses, I have cried many tears and experienced a lot of sadness.
I have experienced a lot of pain and suffering throughout my life.
A.Bosconian
on So Many Tears
The lyrics of Tupac Shakur's song "So Many Tears" explore the themes of paranoia, pain, and death. The first verse of the song presents Tupac's fearlessness of men, but not of God. The rapper then describes his life growing up, where he felt like he was surrounded by misery but found a sense of identity and belonging in the Thug Life culture. He mourns the deaths of his friends, particularly Kato, who was murdered in the streets. Tupac questions to himself whether there is heaven for a "G" and reflects on the many homies who died; that are now in the cemetery.
In the second verse, Tupac reveals his struggles in the music industry, where he feels overwhelmed by the pressure and pain. He admits to being greedy and having a vision of dying young. Tupac requests God to free him from the pain and suffering he experiences in life. The final verse of the song sees Tupac lost, weary, and suicidal. He delves into his struggles with addiction, and he starts to hear voices and experience demons in his mind. Tupac desires to change, but he feels trapped in the game, and he is unsure of his lady's loyalty.
Overall, Tupac Shakur's "So Many Tears" is a poignant song that reflects the artist's tumultuous life and his struggles with death and paranoia. The lyrics also tackle the harsh realities of growing up in the ghetto and the impact that violence and loss have on the psyche of an individual.
Gabriel Benard Cote
on California Love - Original Mix (Explicit)
2 pac is the best