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.
Only 4 The Righteous
2Pac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And this is for the righteous, only for the righteous
Stay with your man baby this is
For the righteous only for the righteous
Niggaz never understand the game, I got it mapped out
I'm like seven eleven, don't crapped out
Never been a mask out, ride to riches
Before we kick it, let's get some understandin' boo
You won't be foolin' me cuz I be schoolin' you
Now I'm sittin' here listen to ya chit and all that
How ya Sprewells spin and ya crib is fat
Forget about that, I ain't really trippin' on that
Cuz I done swam with bigger fish, fucked with bigger cats
Yeah I ain't reall on that, don't condone that
I don't own that, I don't really know
That's out the game I just came to have a good time
Shit's changed it's still the same
You niggaz know my name
You niggaz know my name
Tell 'em Pac
Stay showing loving to my hustlers and thugs
And this is for the righteous, only for the righteous
Stay with your man baby this is
For the righteous only for the righteous
I'm down with strictly jump so that means I'm more than you can handle
Hot, I'm hotter than the wax from a candle
Yeah that's right keeps my microphone companion
Lyrics full of knowledge, truth, and understandin'
Hot beats rappin' is my only recreation
Retire, you must be one some kind of medication
Why, because I never loosen up my mic grip
Drugs, no because I'm livin' on the right tip
Sex, only with my man because I love him
Babies, impossible we always use a rubber
Bored, rarely cuz I keep myself busy
Scratch, nah I leave the cuttin' up to dizzy
Dizzy, yeah that's my DJ he's the greatest
Word, nah he just payin' me to say this
The most cultivatin' treasure
Thanks, your welcome, signed to it's my pleasure
Stay showing loving to my hustlers and thugs
And this is for the righteous, only for the righteous
Stay with your man baby this is
For the righteous only for the righteous
You know when I first met Tupac
We were both on the road, both new on the road
I was with Ice Cube, he was with Digital Underground
The first time I met a young brother who had so much power then
You know, we were on the road for a long time together
I had the opportunity to dream with Tupac
Before his dreams became a reality
He used to always talk about music, you know
And I'm just so happy, so thankful to be a part of this project
It touches my heart to be able to give something back
Stay showing loving to my hustlers and thugs
And this is for the righteous, only for the righteous
Stay with your man baby this is
For the righteous only for the righteous
Stay showing loving to my hustlers and thugs
And this is for the righteous, only for the righteous
Stay with your man baby this is
For the righteous only for the righteous
"Only for the righteous" is a song by Tupac that was released in 2002, after his death. Tupac starts off the song by acknowledging both hustlers and thugs. Yet, he emphasizes that the song is 'only for the righteous' with words in the chorus being repeated several times through the song. Tupac then goes on to talk about how life is like a game, and he has already mapped it out so that he doesn't lose. He even says that he is like seven eleven, in that he never craps out.
Tupac further denies being influenced by materialistic things, although he acknowledges that he's worked with richer and more significant people. However, he is not like that, and he just came to enjoy himself. He sends a message to his fans, encouraging them to stay true because ultimately, life is about righteousness. The song ends with a tribute to Tupac, with the background music fading as the voice-over talks about how he met Tupac when he was just starting his music journey. The storyteller expresses his gratitude for the opportunity to be on this project, where he and others can give something back.
Line by Line Meaning
Stay showing loving to my hustlers and thugs
I always show love to those who live life in the hustle and to those who come from a rough background.
And this is for the righteous, only for the righteous
This message is intended for those who live morally and ethically just lives.
Stay with your man baby this is
I encourage you to stay committed to your significant other.
I'm like seven eleven, don't crapped out
I always have something good to offer, and I never give up on something when the going gets tough.
Never been a mask out, ride to riches
I have always been true to myself and my ideals and have made it to success by staying true to myself.
This game is vicious, understand how the rhymes are wicked
The music industry can be ruthless, and my lyrics reflect the struggles and injustices that I have witnessed and experienced.
Before we kick it, let's get some understandin' boo
Before we hang out together, let's be clear about where we stand and what we expect from each other.
You won't be foolin' me cuz I be schoolin' you
I am smarter than you and can detect any attempts to deceive me because I am always teaching you something new.
Now I'm sittin' here listen to ya chit and all that
I am currently listening to what you are saying, but I am not too invested in it.
How ya Sprewells spin and ya crib is fat
I'm not concerned with your material possessions and wealth.
Cuz I done swam with bigger fish, fucked with bigger cats
I've been in situations that are much more challenging and dangerous than your boasts.
Yeah I ain't reall on that, don't condone that
I'm not into the things you are interested in and will not support them.
I don't own that, I don't really know
I don't take responsibility for or have knowledge about the things that you're involved in.
That's out the game I just came to have a good time
I'm not interested in the lifestyle you're promoting and am only here to enjoy myself.
Shit's changed it's still the same
Even though the circumstances may have changed, the challenges and struggles are still present.
You niggaz know my name
My name carries weight and recognition in the industry.
Tell 'em Pac
Ask anyone, they will tell you who I am.
I'm down with strictly jump so that means I'm more than you can handle
My style of music and attitude is too intense and overwhelming for most people.
Hot, I'm hotter than the wax from a candle
My abilities and performance are unmatched and unparalleled.
Lyrics full of knowledge, truth, and understandin'
My lyrics are always filled with important messages and lessons for the listener to take away.
Hot beats rappin' is my only recreation
Rapping is my passion and favorite hobby.
Retire, you must be one some kind of medication
I have no plans to retire from music and any suggestion otherwise is ridiculous.
Why, because I never loosen up my mic grip
I am fully committed to my craft and will not let go of my microphone.
Drugs, no because I'm livin' on the right tip
I do not use drugs and am living a clean and positive lifestyle.
Sex, only with my man because I love him
I only engage in sexual activity with my significant other because I have a strong emotional connection with him.
Babies, impossible we always use a rubber
Having a baby is currently not a possibility for us, so we take the proper precautions to prevent it.
Bored, rarely cuz I keep myself busy
I am rarely bored because I am always keeping myself occupied with various projects and interests.
Scratch, nah I leave the cuttin' up to dizzy
I don't do the scratching on my records, I leave that job to my DJ Dizzy.
Dizzy, yeah that's my DJ he's the greatest
My DJ Dizzy is extremely talented and the best in the business.
Word, nah he just payin' me to say this
Just kidding, I'm actually paying Dizzy to say he's the best.
The most cultivatin' treasure
Being a part of this project and giving something back is the most valuable thing I can offer.
Thanks, your welcome, signed to it's my pleasure
Thank you for allowing me to contribute, it was my pleasure to do so.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: TUPAC AMARU SHAKUR, ROYAL IMAN BAYYAN, TARIK H. JACKSON BAYYAN, TEVIN THOMAS, JAMAL JOSEPH, RHAMELL GREENE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Irvinder S. Rai
Righteously beautiful and beautifully Righteous. Whoo, thank you.
Tamia Fantasii
i Love yoyo's Voice ! westside
Bashir Brown
Hi, Tamiami
andres diaz
temazooo bro