Thug Life
Consisting of Tupac Shakur, Rated R, Macadoshis, Mopreme Shakur, Big Syke, and with production and appearances by Stretch the album was originally supposed to be titled Thug Life: Out On Bail. The album was advertised on the liner notes of the single for Shakur's "Papaz Song". The single included the first song by Thug Life titled "Cradle to the Grave". The version that appeared on the "Papaz Song" single was not accepted by Interscope Records as a single and forced Thug Life to submit a remix. The remix was later on used for the album and the video. The title song, "Out on Bail" was rejected and the album's title Thug Life: Volume 1. The Notorious B.I.G. appeared on the track called "Runnin from the Police", which was supposed to be track 5 of the album. It was on the Thug Life: Vol. 1 promo version that was given to press outlets for review and reviews from the time still make reference to the song. The track was replaced with "Stay True" for the LP. The group eventually released their debut album, Thug Life: Volume 1, in September 1994 after it was rejected multiple times by Interscope. It only had ten tracks when dozens more were recorded during the sessions.
Promotion was lacking. The album didn't sell because few mainstream rap fans knew of it's existence. When Shakur was shot and incarcerated later that year, it forced Rated R and Macadoshis to part ways and the group quickly disbanded, although all remain on good terms and often collaborate on each other's projects.
Mopreme and Big Syke continued to rap with Shakur after his prison time while he was signed to Death Row. At the end of Shakur's life he and Big Syke were working on Thug Life: Volume 2, which was to be released on Makaveli Records.
Philosophy of Thug Life
As detailed in the film Tupac: Resurrection the concept of "Thug Life" was viewed by Shakur as a philosophy for life. Shakur developed the word into an acronym standing for "The Hate U Gave Little Infants Fucks Everybody." Also "Nigga" was interpreted as, "Never Ignorant Getting Goals Accomplished." He declared that the dictionary definition of a "thug" as being a rogue or criminal was not how he used the term, but rather he meant someone who came from oppressive or squalid background and little opportunity but still made a life for themselves and were proud.
"I didn't create Thug Life, I diagnosed it." - Tupac Shakur.
Thug Life became a calling card for how Shakur viewed his influence on society. He had people from all walks of life -- criminals in jail, white kids in the suburbs, poor black kids in the ghetto -- wanting to know how they could be a part of his movement. Shakur admitted this sudden power he had over people frightened him. But he used the idea of Thug Life to transform the desires of these people into something he viewed as positive, a way to reach out to the poor, the disenfranchised, and the oppressed. Gang members instituted what was called the Code of Thug Life, and gangs from New York to Chicago to Los Angeles claimed to abide by it. Examples of the rules in this Code of Ethics were that civilians were not to be targets in gang warfare, and that children in schools should not be indoctrinated by gang propaganda.
Shakur's philosophy of Thug Life was met with harsh criticism from most of the leaders in government and politics, including many notables in the black community.
Don't Get It Twisted
Thug Life Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't think I won't flip and
Don't pull your file
But I got enough bullshit to deal with
I'm rollin' with the thugs so
You must be on drugs to the head
Go get your ass break down
Broken half lately
And if you got beef best leave it in the freezer
I'm no joke
Mopreme straight loc'd
And you could get smoked
Your hooker, she can get stroked
And all of that
And later be back for your motherfuckin' dope sack
Kid, it ain't the type of day to play grownup
Don't get your ass sewn up
Why you leakin' on my blown out?
Hey, you're mixed up like a bowl of nuts (uh)
You fucked around and got it twisted up
Boy, don't get it twisted
(You know who you're fuckin' with?)
Don't get it twisted, don't get it twisted
Don't get it twisted, don't get it twisted
(You know who you're fuckin' with?)
Don't get it twisted, don't get it twisted
Don't get it twisted, don't get it twisted
It's the Macadoshis comin' from the dark side
The parkside where the O.G's hoo ride
Ain't nothin' but killas in the park
As many niggas lost they heart
When my gat sparks
I'll bust a cap in that ass
Don't get it twisted
When I'm on a mission, niggas come up missin'
You bustas gettin' disciplined
And you're comin' up short on your life
When I split you with this MAC-10
When it's on, it's on
Fuck it
I'm makin' niggas kick the bucket when I jack 'em for they duckets
Ain't no thing to let my shit spit
You on my shit list, punk, you got a death wish
I tried to warn you but you missed it
You should have listened motherfucker, when I said
Don't get it twisted
(You know who you're fuckin' with?)
Don't get it twisted, don't get it twisted
Don't get it twisted, don't get it twisted
Don't get it twisted (You know who you're fuckin' with?)
Don't get it twisted
Niggas got problems 'bout gettin' shit twisted
They need to stay the fuck out of grown folks business
Kids get a kick out of bumpin' they big lips
But don't front on shit an' won't no shit be started, uh
'Cause I'm a cold-hearted rider straight thuggin'
That's influenced by the streets
Never love nobody but my heat
East side brothers don't hear me though
They'd rather get shit twisted and gossip like hoes
Bitch made ass niggas, what I call 'em
Couldn't bust a grape if they wanted
They're soft like Charmin
But I don't sweat varmints
I stomp 'em with my black boots
Just a one-day murder
On the motherfuckin' Rudy blue
I snatch ya souls up
Ain't a damn thing funny when I spray your ass with my tongue
And your mommy can't save you now
'Cause you done got twisted up
For fuckin' with a killa
(You know who you're fuckin' with?)
Don't get it twisted, don't get it twisted
Don't get it twisted, don't get it twisted
(You know who you're fuckin' with?)
Don't get it twisted, don't get it twisted
Don't get it twisted, don't get it twisted, nigga
(You know who you're fuckin' with?)
Don't get it twisted
Don't get it twisted
(You know who you're fuckin' with?)
Don't get it twisted
Don't get it twisted
(You know who you're fuckin' with?)
Don't get it twisted
Don't get it twisted
(You know who you're fuckin' with?)
Don't get it twisted
Don't get it twisted
(You know who you're fuckin' with?)
Don't get it twisted
Don't get it twisted
(You know who you're fuckin' with?)
Don't get it twisted
Don't get it twisted
(You know who you're fuckin' with?)
(You know who you're fuckin' with?)
In Thug Life's song "Don't Get It Twisted," the group members warn their enemies to not underestimate them just because they appear calm and stylish. The lyrics suggest that they have dealt with a lot of problems and are rolling with the thugs to protect themselves. The song also portrays the violent reality of their lifestyle and warns others not to mess with them as they can easily shoot someone who threatens them. They further warn people not to get their facts mixed up and cause trouble for themselves. They describe themselves as cold-hearted riders, who are influenced by the streets, and always carry a gun as they never love anyone except for their heat.
Overall, "Don't Get It Twisted" is a hardcore rap song that reflects on the tough realities of the Thug Life. It warns people not to mess with them and portrays their violent lifestyle in a powerful manner.
Line by Line Meaning
Just 'cause a nigga calm an' he got style
Don't mistake my calm demeanor and style for weakness
Don't think I won't flip and
I am capable of flipping out at any moment
Don't pull your file
Don't try to get information on me or blackmail me
But I got enough bullshit to deal with
I have too many problems already to deal with any more drama
I'm rollin' with the thugs so
I am associated with dangerous people
You must be on drugs to the head
If you mess with me or my crew, you must be crazy
Go get your ass break down
You will suffer the consequences of your actions
Broken half lately
I have been through a lot of struggles recently
I've been feelin' like a motherfuckin' psychopath
I am feeling very unstable and violent
And if you got beef best leave it in the freezer
If we have a problem, it's best to leave it alone and not escalate it
I'm no joke
Don't underestimate my power or influence
Mopreme straight loc'd
My friend Mopreme is a tough and dangerous gang member
And you could get smoked
You could get killed
Your hooker, she can get stroked
Even your prostitute is not safe from us
And all of that
We take what we want, no questions asked
And later be back for your motherfuckin' dope sack
We will come back for more drugs from you
Kid, it ain't the type of day to play grownup
Stop acting like you're tough, it's not worth it
Don't get your ass sewn up
Don't make me hurt you
Why you leakin' on my blown out?
Why are you wasting my time with your nonsense?
Hey, you're mixed up like a bowl of nuts (uh)
You are confused and don't know what you're talking about
You fucked around and got it twisted up
You messed with the wrong person and things are going to go badly for you
Boy, don't get it twisted
Don't underestimate me, I am not to be messed with
(You know who you're fuckin' with?)
Do you know what kind of person I am?
It's the Macadoshis comin' from the dark side
My crew, the Macadoshis, are dangerous and come from a rough area
The parkside where the O.G's hoo ride
The park in our neighborhood is controlled by older gang members
Ain't nothin' but killas in the park
The park is full of dangerous people
As many niggas lost they heart
Many people have been killed in this area
When my gat sparks
When I pull out my gun and fire
I'll bust a cap in that ass
I will shoot you if you don't watch yourself
When I'm on a mission, niggas come up missin'
When I am focused on something, people get hurt or disappear
You bustas gettin' disciplined
You will be punished for crossing me
And you're comin' up short on your life
Your life is in danger for messing with me
When I split you with this MAC-10
When I shoot you with my MAC-10 gun
When it's on, it's on
When there's a problem, it will be dealt with in a violent way
Fuck it
I don't care about the consequences, I'm going to do what I want
I'm makin' niggas kick the bucket when I jack 'em for they duckets
I'm robbing people and killing them for their money
Ain't no thing to let my shit spit
I don't hesitate to shoot my gun
You on my shit list, punk, you got a death wish
You have made me angry and you will suffer for it
I tried to warn you but you missed it
I tried to tell you to back off but you didn't listen
You should have listened motherfucker, when I said
You made a mistake by not taking me seriously earlier
Niggas got problems 'bout gettin' shit twisted
Some people can't stop gossiping and spreading lies
They need to stay the fuck out of grown folks business
People should stop interfering in other people's affairs
Kids get a kick out of bumpin' they big lips
Young people enjoy starting drama and making trouble
But don't front on shit an' won't no shit be started, uh
Don't provoke me or start any problems and there won't be any issues
'Cause I'm a cold-hearted rider straight thuggin'
I am a tough and dangerous person who doesn't hesitate to use violence
That's influenced by the streets
My behavior and attitude are shaped by my environment
Never love nobody but my heat
I only love my gun, which I use to protect myself and achieve my goals
East side brothers don't hear me though
My fellow gang members from the East don't understand me
They'd rather get shit twisted and gossip like hoes
They prefer to spread rumors and talk behind people's backs
Bitch made ass niggas, what I call 'em
I refer to weak people as 'bitch made'
Couldn't bust a grape if they wanted
They are so weak they couldn't hurt anyone
They're soft like Charmin
They are very weak and vulnerable
But I don't sweat varmints
I don't worry about weak people
I stomp 'em with my black boots
I will hurt them physically
Just a one-day murder
I don't hesitate to use violence to solve my problems
On the motherfuckin' Rudy blue
On the streets of our neighborhood
I snatch ya souls up
I take control of people's lives and make them do what I want
Ain't a damn thing funny when I spray your ass with my tongue
It's dangerous when I talk because I use my words to threaten and intimidate people
And your mommy can't save you now
Even your mother can't protect you from the consequences of your actions
'Cause you done got twisted up
You made a mistake by messing with me and now you're in trouble
For fuckin' with a killa
You messed with the wrong person and now you will pay
Lyrics © Regard Music, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: James D. Gass, Tupac Amaru Shakur
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@topjefe5521
love this album ppl thought 2pac was out his mind when he made this group haha jokes on them!!!
@alexfialk
One of the best albums on the planet!!! Pac for life!!!!!!
@emiliothechicano3231
2pac broke this group apart because there was a buch of snakes in it he hadn't realized it until he got shot. Listen to the Vibe interview he made. He talks about how he killed Thug Life and gave birth to The Outlaws. This is why I don't like this song or any song in this album that doesn't have 2pac in it. I like to listen to real people rapping not studio gangsters..
@topjefe5521
@@emiliothechicano3231 yeah u right but he was mostly talking bout big scretch the other 2 was locked up big syke was the only one good at the time so I think he was like fuck it I'm done with this thug shit I know if he lived they would've made up pac is my dog but y'all Kno his attitude nd he was young asf. Just my opinion
@BBD415
Lowkey he didnt even make the groups. The label wanted to make a group out of them
@GoGetYourShinebox
It’s said Tupac was sick of Mopreme by 1996 because he was drinking too much and acting a fool. Pac even allowed Suge’s Piru goons to beat Mopreme up, strip him and throw him out the building.
@JoseDMendez
so raw and full of anger and emotion and lyrics. real hip hop.
@RicoGabriel27
Jose Mendez it's rap
@Sly_Bacon
my exact thaughts
@nellatl
@@RicoGabriel27 it's hip hop and rap.