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.
Stay True ft. 2Pac Stretch & Mopreme
Thug Life Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This how we do it on the West Coast baby
Rollin' down the Four O Five
Gettin' high
White boys done wrecked their shit
Tryin' to check my ride
Crusin' in a Six-o Impala
Drivin' like I'm in a Hooptee
Car full of ballin' caps
Keep yo hand on the strap
And take all the craps
Niggas know my steel-lo, all legit
But I'm drapped like a nigga movin' kilo
Shit don't stop
'cause I can make that ass drop
Make the front pop
And hit the three wheel motion
All day
Hit the freeway
Take it easy, uh
Let's slide
And pick-up some hoochies
Ride right back to the movies
High talking back to the screen drinkin' liquor
Havin' big dreams of gettin' richer, I'm livin' that
Thug Life, y'all know the rules
Gotta do whatcha gotta do, stay true, yeah
Thug Life, y'all know the rules
Gotta do whatcha gotta do, stay true, uh
Thug Life, y'all know the rules
Gotta do whatcha gotta do, stay true, yeah
Thug Life, y'all know the rules
Gotta do whatcha gotta do, stay true
Big Stretch represent the real nigga
Flex, Live squad and this muthafucker catch wreck
Thug Life, sharp as a roughneck
Shakin' the dice, we roll long, ain't nothin' nice
So the vice wanna follow us around
Got 'em runnin' as we clown through the town
Another one, had to throw another gun
Don't need another case, you can see it on my face son
But I ain't fallin' yet
And I gotta give a shout to where my ball is at Mophreme
Tell 'em why the hoes dream
Gettin' high off a nigga like a dope fiend
'cause I'm non-stop, and I'm always hustlin'
Twenty four seven, ain't nothin' buck
But when a young G's flippin' keys for a livin'
Try to make a mill off the time I'm givin'
Trippin', mad, I'm crazy, can't nobody fade me
And I been goin' insane lately
And everybody tryin' ta hold me back
I'm about to snap
You better move back
You know I led a
Thug Life, y'all know the rules
Gotta do whatcha gotta do, stay true
Thug Life, y'all know the rules
Gotta do whatcha gotta do, stay true
Thug Life, y'all know the rules
Gotta do whatcha gotta do, stay true
Thug Life, y'all know the rules
Gotta do whatcha gotta do, stay true
Man, I don't worry about the Five-O
If they start 'cause it's all about survival
Just stay smart, keep your mind on your bank roll
Always stay ahead of these stank hoes these days
It's an all out rat race
And look at me just caught another cat case
That makes three
My lawyers getting cash up the ass
Don't even ask, why I'm buck wild?
Don't smile, don't laugh
To the young G's comin' up, peep game
Don't let the money make you change or act strange
Stay broke, it's all in together now
Keep pumping loud till the crowd bring the top down
Is that Tupac Thug Life ? Hell yeah
Try to dirty up my name but it's still here
Which way do I turn?
I'm strapped
Lost in the storm
I can't turn back with that
Thug Life, y'all know the rules
Gotta do whatcha gotta do, stay true
Thug Life, y'all know the rules
Gotta do whatcha gotta do, stay true
Thug Life, y'all know the rules
Gotta do whatcha gotta do, stay true
Thug Life, y'all know the rules
Gotta do whatcha gotta do, stay true
The lyrics to Thug Life's song Stay True ft. 2Pac Stretch & Mopreme are a representation of the lifestyle of a thug on the West Coast. The song begins with a boastful line where the singer tells his audience to drop the top on their ride as that is how they do it on the West Coast. The song then jumps into a series of lines that talk about the artist's experiences on the street, including "Rollin' down the Four O Five / Gettin' high / White boys done wrecked their shit / Tryin' to check my ride".
The song has a laid-back, easygoing feel to it, which is natural for a West Coast gangsta rap song. The lyrics also contain a lot of slang, which demonstrates the music's connection to street life. The song is essentially about staying true to oneself, no matter what obstacles are faced. The rapper stresses the importance of keeping one's hand on the strap and taking all the craps.
Ultimately, the song is a celebration of the Thug Life philosophy, which emphasizes toughness, resilience, and a sense of camaraderie among people who are struggling to get ahead. The song's lyrics also suggest that the artist is endlessly hustling, trying to make it in a difficult and often unforgiving world.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah nigga, drop the top on your muthafuckin' ride
Get in your car and let's go cruising with the top down, West Coast style.
Rollin' down the Four O Five / Gettin' high
Driving on the 405 freeway while smoking marijuana.
White boys done wrecked their shit / Tryin' to check my ride
White guys tried to race Thug Life's car and crashed their own in the process.
I ain't being bootsy / Crusin' in a Six-o Impala / Drivin' like I'm in a Hooptee / Car full of ballin' caps
Thug Life doesn't care about being flashy; they're driving a modest Chevy Impala and have a car full of baseball caps.
Keep yo hand on the strap / And take all the craps / Niggas know my steel-lo, all legit / But I'm drapped like a nigga movin' kilo
Thug Life keeps a gun handy for protection, but everything they do is legal. They dress like drug dealers to show off their wealth and status.
Shit don't stop / 'cause I can make that ass drop / Make the front pop / And hit the three wheel motion
Thug Life can make their car bounce and spin its front wheels, showing off their skills and intimidating others.
All day / Hit the freeway / Take it easy, uh / Let's slide
Thug Life spends all day driving on the freeway and enjoying life, taking it easy and relaxing.
And pick-up some hoochies / Ride right back to the movies / High talking back to the screen drinkin' liquor / Havin' big dreams of gettin' richer, I'm livin' that
Thug Life picks up some girls and goes to the movies, getting drunk and talking loudly. They dream of getting rich, and feel like they're already living the life they want.
Thug Life, y'all know the rules / Gotta do whatcha gotta do, stay true, yeah
Thug Life has a code of conduct that they follow; they do what they need to do to survive and stay true to themselves.
Big Stretch represent the real nigga / Flex, Live squad and this muthafucker catch wreck
Big Stretch represents the real gangsters and has backup with the Live squad, ready to cause trouble if needed.
Thug Life, sharp as a roughneck / Shakin' the dice, we roll long, ain't nothin' nice / So the vice wanna follow us around / Got 'em runnin' as we clown through the town
Thug Life is tough and ready to take risks, gambling and causing trouble. The police want to follow them but they always stay one step ahead, making fools of them in the process.
Another one, had to throw another gun / Don't need another case, you can see it on my face son / But I ain't fallin' yet / And I gotta give a shout to where my ball is at Mophreme
Thug Life had to get rid of another gun to avoid being caught by the police. They aren't giving up yet and give a shoutout to their friend Mophreme.
Tell 'em why the hoes dream / Gettin' high off a nigga like a dope fiend / 'cause I'm non-stop, and I'm always hustlin' / Twenty four seven, ain't nothin' buck
Thug Life knows that girls dream of getting high with them and being part of their dangerous lifestyle. They are always working hard and never stop hustling, 24 hours a day.
But when a young G's flippin' keys for a livin' / Try to make a mill off the time I'm givin' / Trippin', mad, I'm crazy, can't nobody fade me / And I been goin' insane lately
When a young gangster is making money by selling drugs, they try to make as much as possible in a short amount of time. Thug Life is getting anxious and emotional, feeling invincible and crazy.
And everybody tryin' ta hold me back / I'm about to snap / You better move back / You know I led a
Thug Life feels like everyone is trying to stop them from succeeding, and they're about to lose control. They have a lot of experience and have been through a lot in their lives.
Man, I don't worry about the Five-O / If they start 'cause it's all about survival / Just stay smart, keep your mind on your bank roll / Always stay ahead of these stank hoes these days
Thug Life isn't scared of the cops because they know they need to survive in their harsh way of life. They advise others to stay smart and keep their focus on making money, and to avoid being taken advantage of by women.
It's an all out rat race / And look at me just caught another cat case / That makes three / My lawyers getting cash up the ass
Life is tough and everyone is competing for money and power. Thug Life just got caught by the police for another crime, bringing the total to three. Their lawyers are expensive but they're worth every penny.
Don't even ask, why I'm buck wild? / Don't smile, don't laugh / To the young G's comin' up, peep game / Don't let the money make you change or act strange
Don't question why Thug Life is always wild and reckless. They are warning young gangsters to be careful and not let money change them or make them act strangely.
Stay broke, it's all in together now / Keep pumping loud till the crowd bring the top down / Is that Tupac Thug Life ? Hell yeah / Try to dirty up my name but it's still here
Stay poor and keep working hard and sticking together. Keep making music and performing until the crowd loves you. Tupac is part of Thug Life, and even though people try to tarnish his reputation, he's still remembered and respected.
Which way do I turn? / I'm strapped / Lost in the storm / I can't turn back with that
Thug Life is feeling lost and confused, but they're always armed and ready for any danger. They can't turn back from their lifestyle and the choices they've made.
Thug Life, y'all know the rules / Gotta do whatcha gotta do, stay true
Thug Life has a set of rules they live by, which includes doing what needs to be done to survive and staying true to themselves.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CURTIS MAYFIELD, MAURICE S. HARDING, RANDY WALKER, TUPAC AMARU SHAKUR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DirtyDDO
Thuf 4 Life