When I'm Gone
2 Pac feat. Eminem Lyrics

Yeah, it's my life
This is my life, my own story to tell

My own words, I guess
I have the right to speak for myself and tell my own story

Have you ever loved someone so much
Have you ever been so deeply in love that you would do anything for that person?

You'd give an arm for
You'd be willing to make a huge sacrifice for them

Not the expression, no
I mean this literally, not just as a figure of speech

Literally give an arm for
I would actually give up a part of my body for them

When they know they're your heart
When that person is at the center of your being and means everything to you

And you know you are their armor
You protect them from harm and danger

And you will destroy anyone who would try to harm her
You are willing to go to any lengths to protect that person from harm

But what happens when karma
What happens when the universe turns against you

Turns right around and bites you
When the consequences of your actions come back to hurt you

And everything you stand for turns on you to spite you
When the things you hold dear are used against you

What happens when you become the main source of her pain
When you are the cause of the person you love's suffering

"Daddy look what I made"
A child showing their father something they created

"Dad's gotta go catch a plane"
The father has to leave for some reason

"Daddy where's mommy?
A child asking where their mother is

I can't find mommy, where is she?"
The child is worried about their mother

"I don't know, go play, Hailie baby, your daddy's busy
The father is distracted and doesn't have time to deal with the child's concerns

Daddy's writing a song, this song ain't gon' write itself"
The father is focused on his work and doesn't have time for anything else

I give you one underdog, and you gotta swing by yourself
The father gives someone an opportunity, but they have to work hard to make it happen

Then turn right around in that song and tell her you love her
The father writes a song about his daughter and tells her he loves her

And put hands on her mother who's the spittin' image of her
The father gets violent with someone who looks like his daughter's mother

That's Slim Shady, yeah baby Slim Shady's crazy
The violent and unstable version of the artist's ego, Slim Shady

Shady made me
The persona of Slim Shady has had a big part in shaping the artist

But tonight, Shady's rock-a-bye baby
The artist is feeling vulnerable and needs to be comforted like a baby

And when I'm gone just carry on don't mourn
When I die, don't grieve for me, keep going with your life

Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice, just know that
Find happiness in the memories of me, my voice, and what I stood for

I'm lookin' down on you smilin'
Even though I'm gone, I'm watching over you and feeling happy

And I didn't feel a thing so baby, don't feel no pain, just smile back
When I died, it didn't hurt, and I want you to be happy too

I keep havin' this dream
The artist is having a recurring dream

I'm pushin' Hailie on a swing, she keeps screamin', she don't want me to sing
The artist dreams of spending time with his daughter, but she doesn't want him to sing

"You're makin' mommy cry, why, why is mommy cryin'"
Hailie is upset because the artist is making her mother cry

"Baby, daddy ain't leavin' no more, daddy you're lyin'
The artist promises his daughter that he won't leave again, but she doesn't believe him

You always say that, you always say this is the last time
The artist has made promises in the past and failed to keep them

But you ain't leavin' no more daddy, you're mine"
The daughter wants her father to stay and be a part of her life

She's pilin' boxes in front of the door tryin' to block it
The daughter is trying to keep her father from leaving by blocking the door with boxes

"Daddy please, daddy, don't leave, daddy, no, stop it"
The daughter is begging her father not to leave

Goes in her pocket, pulls out a tiny necklace locket
The daughter pulls out a locket from her pocket

It's got a picture, "This will keep you safe daddy, take it with ya"
The locket has a picture and is meant to protect the father

I look up, it's just me standin' in the mirror
The artist wakes up from his dream and sees himself in the mirror

These fuckin' walls must be talkin', 'cause man I can hear 'em
The artist feels like the walls are speaking to him, and he can hear them

They're sayin', "you got one more chance to do right
The artist feels like the walls are telling him he still has a chance to make things right

And it's tonight, now go out and show 'em that you love 'em before it's too late"
The artist feels like he needs to show the people he cares about that he loves them

And just as I go to walk out of my bedroom door
The artist is about to leave his room

It turns to a stage, they're gone and the spotlight is on and I'm singin'
The artist turns his departure into a performance on stage

Sixty thousand people all jumpin' out their seat
The audience is excited and engaged with the artist's performance

The curtain closes, they're throwin' roses at my feet
The performance ends on a high note, with the audience showing their appreciation

I take a bow, and thank you all for comin' out
The artist thanks the audience for being there

They're screamin' so loud, I take one last look at the crowd
The audience is very loud and enthusiastic, and the artist wants to remember this moment

I glance down, I don't believe what I'm seein'
The artist looks down and sees something surprising

"Daddy, its me, help mommy, her wrists are bleedin'"
The artist's daughter appears and tells him that her mother is hurt

But baby we're in Sweden
The artist is confused because they are in a different country

How did you get to Sweden?
The artist is asking his daughter how she got there

"I followed you daddy
The daughter followed the artist

You told me that you weren't leavin'
The daughter believed her father when he said he wasn't leaving

You lied to me dad, and now you made mommy sad
The daughter is upset that her father lied and is responsible for her mother's sadness

And I bought you this coin, it says number one dad
The daughter gives her father a coin that says he is the best dad

"I get the point, fine, me and mommy are goin'"
The artist is annoyed and tells his daughter that he understands they are leaving

"But baby wait, it's too late dad, you made your choice
The daughter tells her father that he made a decision that can't be undone

Now go out there and show 'em that you love 'em more than us
The daughter wants her father to prove his love for his fans

That's what they want
The daughter thinks the fans only care about the artist, not his family

They want you, Marshall
The daughter uses the artist's real name to show that he is important to his fans

They keep screamin' your name
The audience is shouting for the artist

It's no wonder you can't go to sleep
The artist is too famous to sleep peacefully

Just take another pill, yeah I bet you you will!
The daughter suggests that her father takes drugs to help him sleep

You rap about it, yeah word, kid keep it real"
The daughter references the artist's rapping persona and encourages him to be true to himself

I hear a applause, all this time I couldn't see
The artist hears applause, even though he can't see anything

How could it be, that the curtain is closin' on me
The artist wonders how he can still be performing if the curtain is closing

I turn around, find a gun on the ground
The artist sees a gun and picks it up

Cock it, put it to my brain, scream, "Die Shady!" And pop it
The artist puts the gun to his head and tries to kill his persona, Slim Shady

The sky darkens, my life flashes
The artist is dying and his life is passing before his eyes

The plane that I was supposed to be on, crashes, and burns to ashes
The artist's plane crashes and burns while he is supposed to be on it

That's when I wake up
The artist wakes up from his nightmare

Alarm clock's ringing, there's birds singin'
The artist wakes up to the sound of his alarm clock and birds singing

It's spring and Hailie's outside swingin'
It is now spring and Hailie is outside on the swing

I walk right up to Kim and kiss her tell her I miss her
The artist kisses his wife and tells her he misses her

Hailie just smiles and winks at her little sister almost as if to say
Hailie smiles and winks at her younger sister as if to say everything is going to be okay