Released: November 12, 1991

Songwriter: Raw Fusion 2Pac

Producer: Raw Fusion

[Verse 1]
They claim that I'm violent just cause I refuse to be silent
These hypocrites are havin' fits ’cause I'm not buyin' it
Defyin' it, envious because I will rebel against
Any oppressor - and this is known as self-defense
I show no mercy, they claim that I'm the lunatic
But when the shit gets thick, I'm the one you go and get
Don't look confused, the truth is so plain to see
’Cause I'm the nigga that you sell-outs are ashamed to be
In every jeep and every car, brothers stomp this
I'm Never Ignorant, Getting Goals Accomplished
The Underground Railroad on an uprise
This time the truth's gettin' told, heard enough lies
I told 'em fight back, attack on society
If this is violence, then violent's what I gotta be
If you investigate you'll find out where it's comin' from
Look through our history, America's the violent one
Unlock my brain, break the chains of your misery
This time the payback for evil shit you did to me
They call me militant, racist, 'cause I will resist
You wanna censor somethin', motherfucker censor this!
My words are weapons and I'm steppin' to the silent
Wakin' up the masses, but you, claim that I'm violent

[Chorus]
"They claimin' that I'm violent"
"Fuck the damn cop!"
"Just because we play what the people want"
"They claimin' that I'm violent"
"Fuck the damn cop!"
"Just because we play what the people want"
"They claimin' that I'm violent"
"Fuck the damn cop!"
"Just because we play what the people want"

[Verse 2]
The cops can't stand me, but they can't touch me
Call me a dope man, cause I rock dope beats
Jacked by the police, didn't have my ID
I said, "Excuse me, why you tryin' to rob me?"
He had the nerve to, say that I had a curfew
("Do you know what time it is?
Get out the fucking car, or I'll hurt you!")
Get out the car - or I'lI hurt you
So here I go, I better make my mind up
Pick my nine up or hit the line-up
I chose B, stepped into the streets
The first cop grabbed me, the other ripped my seat
They grabbed my homie and they threw him to the concrete
(Ay man... Aiyyo... Ay man, just c'mon?)
("What you doin man?")
They tried to frame me
They tried to say I had some dope in the back seat
But I'm a rap fiend, not a crack fiend
My homie panicked ("I'm out") he tried to run
(Freeze nigga!) I heard a bullet fire from the cop's gun
My homie dropped, so I hit the cop
I kept swingin', yo, I couldn't stop
Before I knew it, I was beatin' the cop senseless
The other cop dropped his gun, he was defenseless
(Argh, fuck you! Ungh!)
Now I'm against this cop who was racist
Givin' him a taste, of trading places
And all this, cause the peckerwood was tryin' this
Frame up, but I came up
Now they claimin' that I'm violent

[Chorus]
"They claimin' that I'm violent"
"Fuck the damn cop!"
"Just because we play what the people want"
"They claimin' that I'm violent"
"Fuck the damn cop!"
"Just because we play what the people want"
"They claimin' that I'm violent"
"Fuck the damn cop!"
"Just because we play what the people want"

[Verse 3]
As I was beatin' on a cop, I heard a gun click (uh-ohh)
Then the gun shot, but I wasn't hit
I turned around it was my homie with the gun in hand
He shot the cop (Damn!) now he's a dead man
I said, come on, it's time for us to get away
(Let's go, we gotta get the fuck outta here.)
They called for backup, and they'll be on their way
Jumped in the car and tried to get away quick
The car wouldn't start (Damn!) we in deep shit
So we jumped out (C'mon, let's take the cop's car)
We drove a little ways thinkin' that we got far
But I looked up and all I saw was blue lights
(that's a lotta of one time)
If I die tonight, I'm dying in a gunfight
I grabbed the AK, my homie took the 12 gauge
(yeah, it's on now)
Load 'em up quick, it's time for us to spray
We'll shoot 'em up with they own fuckin' weapons
And when we through sprayin' then we steppin'
This is a lesson, to the rednecks and crooked cops
You fuck with real niggas, get ya fuckin' ass dropped
So here we go, the police against us
Dark as dusk, waitin' for the guns to bust
(What's next man?) What's next, I don't know and I don't care
One thing fo' sho', tommorrow I won't be here
But if I go, I'm takin' all these punks with me
(Pass me a clip) Pass me a clip, G, now come and get me
You wanna sweat me, never get me to be silent
Givin' them a reason, to claim that I'm violent

[Chorus]
"They claimin' that I'm violent"
"Fuck the damn cop!"
"Just because we play what the people want"
"They claimin' that I'm violent"
"Fuck the damn cop!"
"Just because we play what the people want"
"They claimin' that I'm violent"
"Fuck the damn cop!"
"Just because we play what the people want"

2Pac

Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an actor and a highly influential rapper who is considered by many to be the greatest of all-time due to the revolutionary spirit and thug passion he mixed into his music. During his music career, he made appearances in movies such as his acclaimed debut in Juice (1992), Poetic Justice (1993), and Above the Rim (1994).

Born in Harlem, New York City to Black Panther Party members Billy Garland and Afeni Shakur, Tupac would later move to Baltimore before settling in the Bay Area cities of Oakland and Marin City in the late 1980s. There, he joined his first rap group Strictly Dope with Ray Luv before connecting with Shock G and Digital Underground. He was a roadie and backup dancer for the group before his breakthrough performance on their 1991 song “Same Song.”

2Pac released his debut album 2Pacalypse Now in 1991, which featured intense storytelling on singles such as “Trapped” and “Brenda’s Got a Baby.” His sophomore album Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z featured one of his signature songs, the Digital Underground-assisted “I Get Around.” After working on the Thug Life group album in 1994, 2Pac released Me Against the World the following year, which is considered by many to be his best album, peaking at #1 on the Billboard 200 and receiving a Grammy nomination—all while he sat in prison.