Born in the East Harlem section of Manhattan in New York City, Tupac frequently found his family changing place of residence. In 1988, his family moved to the state of California where he would continue to reside for the rest of his life. In 1990 he was hired as a back-up dancer for the alternative rap group Digital Underground. Tupac's debut album, 2Pacalypse Now, gained critical recognition and a ranged amount of backlash for its controversial criticism of the police force. Shakur soon began to experience various law suits and legal troubles--most notably, he was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman in 1993. The day before the guilty verdict was issued, Shakur was shot five times in a recording studio lobby in Manhattan. Following the incident, Shakur grew suspicious that other rappers were involved in his shooting; the controversy would help spark the later East Coast-West Coast feud. After serving 8 months of his sentence for the assault, Shakur was bailed from prison by Marion "Suge" Knight, the CEO of Death Row Records. In exchange, Shakur would release three records under the label, with his fifth, being the double disc album All Eyez on Me counting as two albums. On September 7, 1996, Tupac was shot four times in a drive by shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada. On September 13, 1996, six days after the shooting, Tupac died of respiratory failure and cardiac arrest in a Las Vegas local hospital. Many posthumous albums have been released under Shakur's name.
Tupac's music addresses such topics as the hardships of growing up around violence in United States ghettos, poverty, racism, and his feuds with fellow rappers. He is known for the messages of political, economic, and racial equality that pervade his work as well as the "thug life" that he raps about living in. His music has attracted a large amount of controversy and was showcased in the media a number of times. He has gained a large amount of publicity for being one of the main figures in the East Coast vs. West Coast feud between his Death Row Records label and Bad Boy Records. During his lifetime, Tupac released five albums and played roles in several films.
Early life
Tupac Amaru Shakur was born in the Harlem section of Manhattan in New York City. He was named after TΓΊpac Amaru II, an Incan revolutionary who led a Peruvian uprising against Spain and was subsequently sentenced to death. His last name Shakur comes from the Arabic word thankful (to God). Fearing someone might hurt her son, Afeni put the name Parish Lesane Crooks on his birth certificate but changed it a year later. Shakur's mother Afeni was an active member of the Black Panther Party in New York in the late 1960s and early 1970s; Shakur was born just one month after his mother's acquittal on more than 100 charges of "conspiracy against the United States government and New York landmarks" in the "New York Panther 21" court case.
Shakur's godfather, Elmer "Geronimo" Pratt, was convicted of murdering a schoolteacher during a 1968 robbery. His stepfather, Mutulu Shakur, spent four years at large on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list beginning in 1982, when Tupac was a pre-teen. Mutulu was wanted in part for having aided his sister Assata Shakur, Tupac's godmother, to escape from prison in New Jersey, where she had been incarcerated for the murder and wounding of two state troopers in 1973. Mutulu was caught in 1986 and imprisoned after being found guilty of the attempted robbery of a Brinks armored car in which two police officers and a guard were killed. Tupac has a half-sister, Sekyiwa, two years his junior, and an older step-brother, Mopreme "Komani" Shakur, who appeared on many of his recordings.
At age 12, Shakur was enrolled in Harlem's famous "127th Street Ensemble". His first major role with this acting troupe was as Travis in the play A Raisin in the Sun. In 1984, his family relocated to the Roland Park section of Baltimore. In that neighborhood he was not liked and was a social outcast because of his lack of trendy fashion, his name and looks. However, he had one friend there Dana "Mouse" Smith. In his sophomore year he transferred from Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School to the Baltimore School for the Arts, where he befriended a young Jada Pinkett. The two developed a close friendship. In the documentary Tupac: Resurrection, Shakur says, "Jada is my heart. She will be my friend for my whole life." Also in this documentary, Smith calls Shakur "one of my best friends. He was like a brother. It was beyond friendship for us. The type of relationship we had, you only get that once in a lifetime." In Tupac's book, The Rose That Grew From Concrete, there is a poem written by Shakur titled "Jada" including another one titled "The Tears in Cupid's Eyes" which is dedicated to her. The two remained close friends until Shakur's death in 1996. At the School for the Arts, he studied ballet, poetry, jazz, and acting, performing in Shakespearean plays and landing the role of the Mouse King in The Nutcracker.
In June 1988, he and his family moved once again, this time to Marin City, California, where Shakur continued to pursue his career in entertainment. At the age of 17, he moved out of his mother's house to seek his music career. In 1990 he was hired as a back-up dancer and roadie for up-and-coming rap group Digital Underground. His professional entertainment career began in early 1991, when he debuted his rap skills on the single "Same Song" from the group's album This is an EP Release. Also in 1991, he appeared in the music video for "Same Song" and made a brief appearance as himself in the movie Nothing But Trouble.
Rise to fame
In late 1991, after his rap debut, Tupac Shakur performed with Digital Underground again on the album Sons Of The P. Later that year, he released his first solo album, 2Pacalypse Now. Initially he had trouble marketing his solo debut, but Interscope Records executives Ted Field and Tom Whalley eventually agreed to distribute the record.
Shakur claimed his first album was aimed at the problems facing young black males, but it was publicly criticized for its graphic language and images of violence by and against police. In one incident, a young man claimed his killing of a Texas trooper was inspired by the album. Former Vice President Dan Quayle publicly denounced the album as having "no place in our society". 2Pacalypse Now did not do as well on the charts as future albums, spawning no top ten hits, and only being certified gold nearly 4 years later. His second album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., was released in 1993. Heavily produced by Stretch and the Live Squad, the album generated two hits, Keep Ya Head Up and I Get Around, the latter featuring guest appearances by other members of the Digital Underground crew.
In addition to rapping, Shakur began acting in films. His first starring role was in the 1991 movie Juice, in which he was hailed by Rolling Stone's Peter Travers as "the film's most magnetic figure." He went on to star in Poetic Justice (with Janet Jackson), Above the Rim, Gridlock'd (with Tim Roth), Bullet, and Gang Related. He had also been slated to star in the Hughes brothers' Menace II Society but was replaced by Larenz Tate after assaulting the directors. Director John Singleton claimed that he wrote the film Baby Boy with Shakur in mind for the leading role. It was eventually filmed with Tyrese Gibson in his place and released in 2001, five years after Shakur's death. The movie features a mural of Shakur in the protagonist's bedroom as well as featuring one of his songs.
In late 1993, Shakur formed the group Thug Life with a few of his friends, including Big Syke, Macadoshis, his step-brother Mopreme, and Rated R. The group released their first and only album Thug Life: Thug Life Vol. 1 on Interscope in 1994 which went on to be certified as a gold record.
Legal issues
Even as he garnered fame as a rapper and actor, Shakur gained notoriety for his conflicts with the law. On October of 1991 he filed a $10 million lawsuit against the Oakland Police Department, alleging they brutally beat him over a jaywalking incident. The suit was later settled for $42,000.
In October 1993, in Atlanta, Shakur shot two off-duty police officers (one in the leg, one in the buttocks) that were harassing a black motorist. Charges against Shakur were dismissed when it was discovered that both officers were intoxicated and were in possession of stolen weapons from an evidence locker during the incident.
In December 1993, however, Shakur was charged with sexually abusing a woman in his hotel room. According to the complaint, Shakur sodomized the woman and then encouraged his friends to sexually abuse her. Shakur vehemently denied the charges. Tupac had prior relations days earlier with the woman who was pressing the charges against him. She had performed oral sex on him on a club dance floor and the two had later had sex in his hotel room. The allegations were made after she revisited his hotel room for the second time where she engaged in sexual activity with his friends and claimed Tupac's entourage had gang-raped her, saying to him while leaving, "How could you do this to me?" Tupac states he had fallen asleep shortly after she arrived and later awoke to her accusations and legal threats. He later said he felt guilty for letting anything occur in the first place, and did not want anyone else to go to jail, but at the same time did not want to go to jail for a crime he didn't commit. On February 7, 1995, he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for sexual assault; specifically, the conviction offense was for "sexual abuse (forcibly touching the buttocks)."
In 1994, he was convicted of attacking a former employer while on a music video set. He was sentenced to 15 days in jail with additional days on a highway work crew, community service, and a $2000 fine. In 1995, a wrongful death lawsuit was brought against Shakur in the 1992 shooting of 6-year old Qa'id Walker-Teal of Marin City, CA. The child had been the victim of a stray bullet in a shootout between Tupac's entourage and a rival group, though the bullet was not from Tupac's gun. Criminal charges were not sought, and Shakur settled with the family for an amount estimated between $300,000 and $500,000. After serving part of his sentence on the sexual abuse conviction, he was released on bail pending his appeal. On April 5, 1996, a judge sentenced him to serve 120 days in jail for violating terms of probation.
The November 30, 1994 Shooting
On the night of November 30, 1994, the day before the verdict in his sexual abuse trial was to be announced, Shakur was shot five times in the lobby of the Quad Recording Studios in Manhattan by two black men in an apparent robbery attempt. He would later accuse Puff Daddy (now Diddy) and Notorious B.I.G. whom he saw after the shooting of setting him up. Shakur believed that Biggie and Puffy knew about the plans of the shooting beforehand but had not warned Shakur ahead of time. According to the doctors at Bellevue Hospital, where he was admitted immediately following the incident, Shakur was shot 5 times. He checked out of the hospital, against doctor's orders, three hours after surgery. The day following the incident, December 1, 1994, Shakur entered the courthouse in a wheelchair and was found guilty of forcibly touching her buttocks.
Prison sentence
Shakur began serving his prison sentence at Clinton Correctional Facility in February 1995. Shortly afterwards, he released his multi-platinum album Me Against the World. Shakur is the only artist ever to have an album at number one on the charts while serving a prison sentence. He married his long-time girlfriend, Keisha Morris, while serving his sentence. This marriage was later annulled. He also spent time reading the works of NiccolΓ² Machiavelli (which inspired his later use of the name "Makaveli"), Sun Tzu's The Art of War and other works of political philosophy and strategy. He also wrote a screenplay titled Live 2 Tell while incarcerated.
In September 1995, Shakur was released on bail after serving 11 months of his 4 year sentence, due in large part to the help and influence of Marion "Suge" Knight, CEO of Death Row Records. Knight posted $1.4 million bail pending appeal of the conviction, in exchange for which Shakur was obligated to release three albums for the Death Row label.
Post-prison/Death Row Records
After his release from prison, Shakur immediately went back to work recording. He began a new group, Tha Outlawz, and with them released the notorious diss track "Hit 'Em Up", a scathing lyrical attack on the Notorious B.I.G (Christopher Wallace) and others associated with him. In the track, Shakur claims to have had sex with Faith Evans, Wallace's wife at the time, and attacks his street cred. Though there is no hard evidence suggesting that they did, Tupac was convinced that Wallace and Sean "Puffy" Combs had known about the shooting beforehand based on their behavior that night and what his sources told him. He also believed that the lyrics in Biggie's track "Who Shot Ya" were disrespectful and shouldn't have been released at such a time.
Shakur aligned himself with Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight, who was already bitter toward Combs and his successful Bad Boy label; this added fuel to the building East-West feud. Wallace and Shakur would remain bitter enemies until Shakur's death.
In February 1996, Shakur released his fourth solo album, All Eyez on Me. This double album was the first and second of his three-album commitment to Death Row Records. It sold over 9 million copies. The album was a general departure from the introspective subject matter of Me Against the World, being more oriented toward a thug and gangsta mentality. Shakur continued his recordings despite increasing problems at the Death Row label. Dr. Dre left his post as house producer to form his own label, Aftermath. CEO Suge Knight was under investigation for illegal and unethical activities and business practices. Despite these problems, Shakur produced hundreds of tracks during his time at Death Row, most of which would be released on posthumous albums such as Better Dayz and Until the End of Time. He also began the process of recording an album with the Boot Camp Clik and their label Duck Down Records, both New York-based, entitled One Nation. The goal of this project was to bring closure to the East Coast-West Coast feud by bringing together what Shakur thought were the best rappers from both coasts. This project remains unreleased, though some of Tupac's contributions to the album have been used in various other posthumous releases.
By the end of his life, Tupac was in the middle of starting his film production company Euphanasia, and was going to start writing and directing films. Tupac wanted to host concerts that would be free for students who get a C or above, and wanted to build community centers and start baseball and football leagues for inner-city children. Tupac and Johnny "J" were starting up 24/7 Productions and Tupac was starting up Non-Stop Productions. Thug Passion was a drink that Tupac was planning on bottling and selling; the song "Thug Passion" was made to be a theme song for the drink. Tupac was going to step back from rapping by releasing albums every five years or so on his new record label, Makaveli Records, which would have been distributed by Death Row Records. Tupac and Suge Knight were in the process of expanding Death Row to the East, establishing a Death Row East. Tupac died before this could be fulfilled.
The Fatal September 7, 1994 shooting
On September 7, 1996, Shakur attended the Mike Tyson-Bruce Seldon boxing match at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. After the boxing match, Shakur spotted 21 year-old Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, a member of the Southside Crips in the MGM Grand lobby. Shakur rushed him and knocked Anderson down, and Shakur's entourage beat him. The incident was captured on the hotel's video surveillance. Anderson had allegedly beaten up one of Shakur's bodyguards in a shopping mall a few weeks earlier, precipitating Shakur's attack. After the fight with Anderson, Shakur met up with Suge Knight to go to Death Row-owned Club 662 (now known as restaurant/club Seven). Shakur rode with Knight in Knight's 1996 black BMW 750i sedan, as part of a larger convoy of cars including some of Shakur's friends, tha Outlawz, and bodyguards.
At 11:14 P.M., while stopped at the intersection of East Flamingo Road and Koval Lane, Shakur was shot in a drive-by shooting. Shakur was hit four times, twice in the chest, and once each in his arm and thigh, while Knight was scratched in the head by a piece of flying glass.
At the time of the shooting, Shakur was riding alongside with Suge Knight, with his bodyguard following behind in a vehicle belonging to Kidada Jones, Shakur's then-girlfriend. The bodyguard, Frank Alexander, stated that while he was about to ride along with the rapper in Suge Knight's car, Shakur asked him to drive Kidada Jones' car in case they were too drunk and needed additional vehicles from Club 662 back to the hotel. Shortly after the shootings, the bodyguard reported in his documentary, Before I Wake, that one of the convoy's car drove off after the assailant but he never heard back from the occupants.
After arriving on the scene, police and paramedics took Shakur and Knight to the University Medical Center. Shakur was placed on life support until his death six days later, on September 13, 1996, at 4:03 PM. He was 25 years old. The official cause of death was respiratory failure and cardiac arrest. After his death, Shakur's body was cremated. Family and friends reportedly spread his ashes over the Pacific Ocean near Los Angeles, CA.
Theories of the crime
Although no one has ever been formally charged, nor publicly identified by the police as a suspect, police sources have indicated they believe that Anderson (who has since been murdered himself) and his fellow Southside Crips were behind the shooting. Officers in the Compton, CA Police Department Gang Unit claimed the Crips were bragging about the killing soon after Anderson returned from Las Vegas. Officers further indicated they were disappointed with the lack of initiative shown by the Las Vegas Police Department in pursuing Shakur's killer(s).
Due largely to the perceived lack of progress on the case by law enforcement, many independent investigations and theories of the crime have emerged. Because of the acrimony between Christopher Wallace (aka The Notorious B.I.G.) and Shakur, there was speculation about the possibility of Wallace's involvement in the murder from the outset. Wallace vehemently denied involvement. However, in a notable 2002 investigation by the Los Angeles Times, writer Chuck Phillips claimed to have uncovered evidence implicating Wallace in the murder. In the article, Phillips quoted unnamed gang-member sources who claimed Wallace had ties to the Crips, often hiring them for security during West Coast appearances. Phillips' informants also state that Wallace gave the gang members one of his own guns for use in the attack on Shakur, and that he put out a $1 million contract on Tupac's life. By the time Phillips' specific allegations were published, however, Wallace himself had been murdered.
Wallace's family and associates have vehemently denied Wallace's involvement in Shakur's death. In support of their claims, Wallace's family submitted documentation to MTV indicating that Wallace was working in a New York recording studio the night of Shakur's murder. Wallace's manager Wayne Barrow and rapper James "Lil' Cease" Lloyd made public announcements denying Wallace's involvement in the murder and claiming further that they were both with Wallace in the recording studio the night of the shooting.
The high profile nature of the killing and ensuing gang violence caught the attention of British filmmaker Nick Broomfield who made the documentary Biggie & Tupac, which examines the lack of progress in the case by speaking to those close to Wallace, Shakur, and the investigation. Shakur's close childhood friend and member of the Outlawz, Yafeu "Yaki Kadafi" Fula, was in the convoy when the shooting happened and indicated to police that he might be able to identify the assailants. He was killed shortly thereafter in a housing project in Irvington, New Jersey.
It was believed by many listeners that in the first few seconds of the album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, one could hear a voice saying "Suge shot me," or "Suge shot 'em", closer listening indicates that the words are "Should'a shot me" (You should have shot me), directed towards his enemies at the time. This, along with reports of Knight's strong-arm tactics with artists and other illegal/unethical business tactics gave rise to a theory that Knight was implicit in Shakur's murder, as it was reported that Suge Knight owed Tupac up to seventeen million dollars in back royalties, but no evidence has been provided to support this theory.
Other theories have been put forth, including a theory that Shakur is alive and well, but in hiding. Many supporters of these theories point to the symbolism in Shakur's The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory album and in the video for the single "I Ain't Mad at Cha".
Style and influences
Shakur's first album, 2Pacalypse Now, revealed the socially conscious side of Tupac. On this album Shakur attacked social injustice, poverty and police brutality on songs like "Brenda's Got a Baby", "Trapped" and "Part Time Mutha". His style on this album was heavily influenced by the social consciousness and Afrocentrism pervading hip-hop in the late 1980s and early 1990s. On this initial release, Shakur helped extend the legacy of rap groups like Boogie Down Productions, Public Enemy, X-Clan, and even Grandmaster Flash, as he became one of the first major socially conscious rappers from the West Coast.
On his second album, Shakur continued to rap about the social ills facing African-Americans, with songs like "The Streetz R Death Row" and "Last Wordz". He also showed his compassionate side with the inspirational anthem "Keep Ya Head Up", while simultaneously putting his legendary aggressiveness on display with the title track from the album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. He even added a salute to his former group Digital Underground by including them on the playful track "I Get Around." Throughout his career, an increasingly aggressive attitude can be seen pervading Shakur's subsequent albums.
The contradictory themes of social inequality and injustice, unbridled aggression, compassion, playfulness, and hope all continued to shape Shakur's work, as witnessed with the release of his incendiary 1995 album Me Against the World. Few albums represent the perfect storm of street wisdom, intelligence and the sea of conflicting emotions that is Tupac Shakur better than his 1996 release, the critically acclaimed All Eyez on Me. With several tracks considered classics, including "I Ain't Mad At Cha", "California Love (Remix)" and "Picture Me Rollin'", many critics consider this album to be not only Shakur's best, but one of the crown jewels of 1990's rap.
The album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, released under Tupac's pseudonym "Makaveli", presents a stark contrast to previous works. In 7 Day Theory, Tupac continued focusing on the themes of pain and aggression, making this album one of the emotionally darker works of his career. Tupac wrote and recorded all the lyrics in only 3 days and the production took another 4 days a total of 7 days to complete the album. Tupac had complete creative input on the album from the name of the album to the cover which Tupac chose to symbolize how the media has crucified him.
Shakur's work has influenced many modern rap artists. Artists like Eminem and 50 Cent freely admit his influence on their work. Still others, like DMX, have been compared to Shakur based on their style and public persona.
Legacy
To preserve Shakur's legacy, his mother founded the Shakur Family Foundation (later re-named the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation or TASF) in 1997. The TASF's stated mission is to "provide training and support for students who aspire to enhance their creative talents." The TASF sponsors essay contests, charity events, a performing arts day camp for teenagers and undergraduate scholarships. The Foundation officially opened the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts (TASCA) in Stone Mountain, Georgia on June 11, 2005.
On November 14, 2003, a documentary about Shakur entitled Tupac: Resurrection, was released under the supervision of his mother and narrated entirely in his voice. The movie was nominated for "Best Documentary" in the 2005 Academy Awards. Proceeds will go to a charity set up by Afeni Shakur.
On April 17, 2003, Harvard University co-sponsored an academic symposium entitled "All Eyez on Me: Tupac Shakur and the Search for the Modern Folk Hero." The speakers discussed a wide range of topics dealing with Shakur's impact on everything from entertainment to sociology.
Many of the speakers discussed Shakur's status and public persona, including State University of New York English professor Mark Anthony Neal, who gave the talk "Thug Nigga Intellectual: Tupac as Celebrity Gramscian" in which he argued that Shakur was an example of the "organic intellectual" expressing the concerns of a larger group. Professor Neal has also indicated in his writings that the death of Shakur has left a "leadership void amongst hip-hop artists." Neal further describes Tupac as a "walking contradiction", a status that allowed him to "make being an intellectual accessible to ordinary people."
Professor of Communications Murray Forman, of Northeastern University, spoke of the mythical status surrounding Shakur's life and death. He addressed the symbolism and mythology surrounding Shakur's death in his talk entitled "Tupac Shakur: O.G. (Ostensibly Gone)". Among his findings were that Shakur's fans have "succeeded in resurrecting Tupac as an ethereal life force."
In "From Thug Life to Legend: Realization of a Black Folk Hero", Professor of Music at Northeastern University, Emmett Price, compared Shakur's public image to that of the trickster-figures of African-American folklore which gave rise to the urban "bad-man" persona of the post-slavery period. He ultimately described Shakur as a "prolific artist" who was "driven by a terrible sense of urgency" in a quest to "unify mind, body, and spirit."
Michael Dyson, University of Pennsylvania Avalon Professor of Humanities and African American Studies and author of the book Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur, indicated that Shakur "spoke with brilliance and insight as someone who bears witness to the pain of those who would never have his platform. He told the truth, even as he struggled with the fragments of his identity."
Other academics at the Harvard Conference spoke of Shakur's impact on entertainment, race relations, politics and the "hero/martyr" status to which he was elevated by fans after his death.
The University of California, Berkeley introduced a new course in 1998 called "History '98: Poetry and History of Tupac Shakur...."
Life Goes On
Tupac Amaru Shakur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How many brothas fell victim to tha streetz?
Rest in peace young nigga, there's a Heaven for a 'G'
It'd be a lie, If I told ya that I never thought of death
My niggas, we tha last ones left
but life goes on.....
Rest in peace young nigga, there's a Heaven for a 'G'
It'd be a lie, If I told ya that I never thought of death
My niggas, we tha last ones left
but life goes on.....
Verse One:
As I bail through tha empty halls
breath stinkin' in my draws
ring, ring, ring
quiet y'all
incoming call
plus this my homie from high school
he's getting bye
It's time to bury another brotha nobody cry
life as a baller
alchol and booty calls
we usta do them as adolecents
do you recall?
raised as G's
loc'ed out and blazed the weed
get on tha roof
let's get smoked out
and blaze with me
2 in tha morning
and we still high assed out
screamin' 'thug till I die'
before I passed out
but now that your gone
I'm in the zone
thinkin'
'I don't wanna die all alone'
but now ya gone
and all I got left are stinkin' memories
I love them niggas to death
i'm drinkin' Hennessy
while tryin' ta make it last
I drank a 5th for that ass
when you passed....
cause life goes on
Chorus
Verse Two:
Yeah nigga
I got tha word as hell
blew trial and tha judge gave you
25 with an L
time to prepare to do fed time
won't see parole
imagine life as a convict
that's getten' old
plus with tha drama
we're lookin out for your babies mama
taken risks, while keepin' cheap tricks from beatin on her...
life in tha hood...
is all good for nobody
remember gamin' on dumb hotties at your party
Me and you
No true a two
while scheming on hits
and gettin tricks
that maybe we can slide into
but now you burried
rest nigga
cause I ain't worried
eyes blurry
sayin' goodbye at the cemetery
tho' memories fade
I got your name tated on my arm
so we both ball 'til my dying days
before I say goodbye
Kato and Mental rest in peace
Thug till I die
Chorus
Verse Three:
Bury me smilin'
with G's in my pocket
have a party at my funeral
let every rapper rock it
let tha hoes that I usta know
from way before
kiss me from my head to my toe
give me a paper and a pen
so I can write about my life of sin
a couple bottles of Gin
in case I don't get in
tell all my people i'm a Ridah
nobody cries when we die
we outlaws
let me ride
until I get free
I live my life in tha fast lane
got police chasen' me
to my niggas from old blocks
from old crews
niggas that guided me through
back in tha old school
pour out some liquor
have a toast for tha homies
see we both gotta die
but ya chose to go before me
and brothas miss ya while your gone
you left your nigga on his own
how long we mourn
life goes on...
(Chorus repeats to end)
(Spoken over repeating chorus:)
Life goes on homie
gone on, cause they passed away
Niggas doin' life
Niggas doin' 50 and 60 years and shit
I feel ya nigga, trust me
I feel ya
You know what I mean
last year
we poured out liquor for ya
this year nigga, life goes on
we're gonna clock now
get money
evade bitches
evade tricks
give players plenty space
and basically just represent for you baby
next time you see your niggas
your gonna be on top nigga
their gonna be like,
'Goddamn, them niggas came up'
that's right baby
life goes on....
and we up out this bitch
hey Kato, Mental
y'all niggas make sure it's popin' when we get up there
don't front.
The song βLife Goes Onβ by Tupac Amaru Shakur is a contemplation on the inevitability of death, particularly for young black men living in violent neighborhoods. The chorus of the song repeats the question, βHow many brothas fell victim to tha streetz?β followed by an acknowledgement that there is a Heaven for βGsβ or gangsters. The first verse reflects on memories of a deceased friend, drinking Hennessy to cope with his absence, and feeling the weight of the fact that he may die alone. The second verse imagines going to jail, looking after the loved ones of a friend who is killed, and reminiscing about the past. The third verse presents some of Tupac's final wishes, such as being buried with βG's in my pocketβ and having a party at his funeral.
The song reflects on the impermanence of life and the difficulty of living in a world where death seems to be just around the corner. Tupac raps about the pain of losing friends to violence and the fear of being left alone when they are gone. He also imagines a life after death, where he can continue to party and write about his past experiences. Ultimately, the song suggests that while death is an inevitable part of life, it is still possible to honor the memories of those who have passed on and carry on with one's own life.
Line by Line Meaning
How many brothas fell victim to tha streetz?
Reflecting on the number of individuals who have lost their lives to the dangers of the streets.
Rest in peace young nigga, there's a Heaven for a 'G'
Acknowledging the deceased and expressing the belief that even as a gangster, there is a place in heaven for them.
It'd be a lie, If I told ya that I never thought of death
Admitting that thoughts of death have crossed the mind, so denying it would be insincere.
My niggas, we tha last ones left
Recognizing that among their group, they are the only ones remaining.
but life goes on.....
Despite loss and tragedy, life continues to move forward.
As I bail through tha empty halls
Moving swiftly through deserted spaces.
breath stinkin' in my draws
Having foul breath due to neglect or lack of self-care.
ring, ring, ring
The sound of a telephone ringing.
quiet y'all
Requesting silence from others.
incoming call
Receiving a phone call.
plus this my homie from high school
Referring to the caller as a close friend from their earlier years.
he's getting bye
Stating that the friend is managing or coping with their circumstances.
It's time to bury another brotha nobody cry
Recognizing the need to mourn the loss of another individual, despite the lack of visible emotional display.
life as a baller
The experience of living a lavish lifestyle.
alchol and booty calls
Engaging in excessive drinking and casual sexual encounters.
we usta do them as adolecents
Remembering engaging in these activities during their teenage years.
do you recall?
Posing a question to verify if the listener remembers these past experiences.
raised as G's
Growing up as gangsters or individuals associated with street life.
loc'ed out and blazed the weed
Displaying a tough and aggressive demeanor while smoking marijuana.
get on tha roof
Climbing to the top of a building.
let's get smoked out
Suggesting to consume marijuana together.
and blaze with me
Inviting others to join in smoking marijuana together.
2 in tha morning
Referring to the time of day as very late or early in the morning.
and we still high assed out
Despite the late hour, they are still under the influence of drugs.
screamin' 'thug till I die'
Proudly proclaiming their loyalty to the street lifestyle until death.
before I passed out
Before losing consciousness or falling asleep.
but now that your gone
Referring to the absence or death of someone close.
I'm in the zone
Being focused or mentally engrossed in one's thoughts or emotions.
thinkin'
Engaging in deep contemplation.
'I don't wanna die all alone'
Expressing a fear or desire not to face death in isolation.
but now ya gone
Acknowledging the permanent absence of someone.
and all I got left are stinkin' memories
Having only unpleasant or haunting memories remaining.
I love them niggas to death
Expressing deep affection or loyalty towards the deceased friends.
i'm drinkin' Hennessy
Consuming the alcoholic drink, Hennessy, as a way to cope with the pain or mourning process.
while tryin' ta make it last
Attempting to stretch or prolong the consumption of Hennessy.
I drank a 5th for that ass
Consuming an entire bottle of alcohol in memory of the deceased.
when you passed....
Referring to the moment of the friend's death.
cause life goes on
Recognizing that despite the pain of loss, life continues to progress.
Yeah nigga
An expression of agreement or acknowledgment.
I got tha word as hell
Being deeply upset or angered by the news or situation.
blew trial and tha judge gave you
Failing to succeed in a legal trial, resulting in a judge issuing a lengthy prison sentence.
25 with an L
Receiving a 25-year prison sentence with no possibility of parole.
time to prepare to do fed time
Getting ready to serve a lengthy sentence in a federal prison.
won't see parole
Expecting to serve the entire sentence without the chance for early release.
imagine life as a convict
Picturing the realities and hardships of living as a prisoner.
that's getten' old
Referring to the idea of being imprisoned becoming tiresome or monotonous.
plus with tha drama
In addition to the complications and conflicts that arise in prison.
we're lookin out for your babies mama
Watching out for the mother of the friend's children while he is incarcerated.
taken risks, while keepin' cheap tricks from beatin on her...
Putting oneself in danger to protect the mother of the friend's children from abusive or disrespectful individuals.
life in tha hood...
Describing the everyday experiences and challenges faced while living in a disadvantaged neighborhood.
is all good for nobody
Asserting that life in the hood is difficult and not beneficial for anyone.
remember gamin' on dumb hotties at your party
Recalling the enjoyment of flirting and pursuing attractive individuals at their friend's gatherings.
Me and you
Referring to the close bond and camaraderie between the artist and the friend.
No true a two
The two of them being loyal and genuine partners in crime.
while scheming on hits
Making plans and plotting criminal activities together.
and gettin tricks
Manipulating or deceiving others to achieve personal gain.
that maybe we can slide into
Referring to the desire to enter into a sexual relationship with certain individuals.
but now you burried
Referring to the friend's burial after their death.
rest nigga
Wishing for the friend to rest in peace.
cause I ain't worried
Expressing a lack of concern or fear due to their perception of the friend's post-death state.
eyes blurry
Having red or watery eyes, potentially due to crying or substance use.
sayin' goodbye at the cemetery
Bidding farewell to the friend's remains at the burial site.
tho' memories fade
Despite the fading of memories over time.
I got your name tated on my arm
Having the friend's name permanently tattooed on the artist's arm as a form of tribute or remembrance.
so we both ball 'til my dying days
Continuing to live a lavish lifestyle until the artist's own death as a way to honor the friend's memory.
before I say goodbye
Before they have to bid their own farewell to the world.
Kato and Mental rest in peace
Paying homage to other deceased friends named Kato and Mental.
Thug till I die
Pledging allegiance to the thug lifestyle until the artist's own death.
Bury me smilin'
Expressing the desire to have a cheerful demeanor even in death.
with G's in my pocket
Having money or valuable possessions with them even after death.
have a party at my funeral
Requesting a lively and celebratory atmosphere at their funeral in order to commemorate their life.
let every rapper rock it
Allowing various rappers to perform or showcase their skills at the funeral.
let tha hoes that I usta know
Inviting women from their past to attend the funeral.
from way before
Referring to a relationship with these women from a distant past.
kiss me from my head to my toe
Symbolically displaying affection and farewell to the singer's entire body.
give me a paper and a pen
Providing writing materials for the artist to document their life experiences or thoughts.
so I can write about my life of sin
Enabling the artist to reflect on their past mistakes or immoral actions through writing.
a couple bottles of Gin
Requesting to have a few bottles of gin at the funeral as a way to commemorate their love for alcohol.
in case I don't get in
Preparing for the possibility of not being allowed into heaven and needing alcohol as a source of comfort instead.
tell all my people i'm a Ridah
Informing their loved ones that they will always be a rider or loyal to their gangster lifestyle.
nobody cries when we die
Emphasizing that in their world, it is not common for individuals to mourn or shed tears when someone dies.
we outlaws
Identifying as outlaws or individuals who operate outside of the law's boundaries.
let me ride
Allowing the singer to engage in their desired lifestyle until their death.
until I get free
Continuing to live as a gangster until they are liberated or no longer constrained by their circumstances.
I live my life in tha fast lane
Choosing to lead a fast-paced and risky lifestyle.
got police chasen' me
Being pursued by the police in an attempt to apprehend or arrest the singer.
to my niggas from old blocks
Addressing their friends from previous neighborhoods or areas they were associated with.
from old crews
Referring to past gangs or groups the artist and their friends were affiliated with.
niggas that guided me through
Expressing gratitude towards friends who provided support and guidance during difficult times.
back in tha old school
Reflecting on their shared experiences and friendships from earlier times.
pour out some liquor
Symbolically pouring alcohol as a tribute to the deceased friends.
have a toast for tha homies
Raising a glass in honor of their fallen friends.
see we both gotta die
Recognizing that death is inevitable for everyone, including themselves.
but ya chose to go before me
Acknowledging that the friend passed away first, leaving the artist behind.
and brothas miss ya while your gone
Expressing the sadness and longing felt by the singer and their friends in the absence of the departed friend.
you left your nigga on his own
Leaving the artist to face life's challenges without the friend's support.
how long we mourn
Questioning how much time should be spent grieving and mourning the loss.
life goes on...
Reaffirming that even in the face of loss and grief, life continues to progress.
Life goes on homie
Reiterating the idea that life continues despite the death of their friend.
gone on, cause they passed away
They are no longer present because they have passed away.
Niggas doin' life
Referring to individuals who are serving life sentences in prison.
Niggas doin' 50 and 60 years and shit
Acknowledging that some people are facing extremely long prison sentences.
I feel ya nigga, trust me
Understanding and empathizing with their friends who are incarcerated.
I feel ya
Expressing understanding and empathy towards their friends.
You know what I mean
Assuming that their friends can relate or understand their perspective.
last year
In the previous year.
we poured out liquor for ya
Having a ceremonial act of pouring alcohol as a tribute to their friends.
this year nigga, life goes on
Emphasizing that despite their absence, life continues to move forward.
we're gonna clock now
Earning money or hustling is now their priority and focus.
get money
Working towards acquiring wealth or financial stability.
evade bitches
Avoiding or evading problematic or deceitful women.
evade tricks
Avoiding or outsmarting deceptive or cunning individuals.
give players plenty space
Allowing individuals who play or engage in dishonest activities enough room to operate without interference.
and basically just represent for you baby
Acting in a way that honors and pays homage to their deceased friend.
next time you see your niggas
Referring to the afterlife or the next time they are reunited with their friends.
your gonna be on top nigga
Asserting that their friend will be successful or prominent in the afterlife.
their gonna be like, 'Goddamn, them niggas came up'
Describing the reaction of their friends in the afterlife when they witness their success or progress.
that's right baby
Affirming their own accomplishments and growth.
life goes on....
Reiterating the idea that life continues despite the loss and grief.
and we up out this bitch
Expressing the desire to leave their current environment or situation.
hey Kato, Mental
Addressing and bidding farewell to their friends named Kato and Mental.
y'all niggas make sure it's popin' when we get up there
Requesting their friends to ensure a lively and exciting atmosphere upon their arrival in the afterlife.
don't front
Entreaty to their friends to not deceive or lie about the situation.
Contributed by Madison H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@damenstuntz
2001 My mother passed. I was 16. My father passed when I was 2 Β½ years old. I still cry when I find the strength to listen to this song. "All eyes on me" was about all I listened to in 99-01, until my mom passed. My uncle, my father's twin brother passed in 2000, we played this at his funeral.. He was my "Uncle Dad" as he was identical to my father.
Tears push buttons on my phone as I type this and listen to my man, I miss my family, and I miss 2pac and his music. So many wonderful people gone so early, and such a profound sense of loss felt so early in life.
I still mourn their loss and the affect it's had on my life. It's a cruel and unusual world sometimes and sometimes I just wish I'd had them growing up. I made so many poor choices.
I've run myself into the ground. I am so beat down from being in this prison that I've created for myself, from having made so many poor choices. Im keeping my head above water, but only just. I dont have much of a choice as after all...
Life goes on.
@bonganibooi2848
1999 At 15 years lost both my parents, used cry every time I listened to this song but today I'm married with two beautiful boys... Life goes on
@Sky-zg8lz
I feel you bro
@raybejar7074
Stay strong!!!!
@youngdollo2430
Sky 007 amen ππ½π―
@Frmda76
Be strong for your boyz you got this broπͺπΎπͺπΎ
@qedydu5946
Sieg
@MisheckKambobe-ov1fn
2pac life goes on,,,,,,,, it's 2024 and we still missing you my guy β€β€πππ π God be with you π legendary forever π
@ceantelmorehead3072
Imma stay here till Iβm goneπ―β€
@bryandunwell
I lost my dad when I was small now Iβm highly protected by Jesus Christ after all life goes on πππ½
@christopherjames3174
Amen brother.