2Pac

Released: March 14, 1995

Songwriter: 2Pac Shock G Eric Baker Stretch Stevie Wonder

Producer: Shock G

[Intro]
I shall not fear no man but God
Though I walk through the valley of death
I shed so many tears
If I should die before I wake
Please God walk with me
Grab a nigga and take me to Heaven

[Verse 1]
Back in elementary, I thrived on misery
Left me alone, I grew up amongst a dyin' breed
Inside my mind couldn't find a place to rest
Until I got that Thug Life tatted on my chest
Tell me, can you feel me? I'm not livin' in the past
You wanna last? Be the first to blast
Remember Kato, no longer with us, he's deceased
Call on the sirens, seen him murdered in the streets
Now he rest in peace
Is there a heaven for a G? Remember me
So many homies in the cemetery, shed so many tears

[Refrain]
I suffered through the years
And shed so many tears
Lord, I lost so many peers
And shed so many tears

[Verse 2]
Now that I'm strugglin' in this business, by any means
Label me greedy gettin' green, but seldom seen
And fuck the world 'cause I'm cursed
I'm havin' visions of leavin' here in a hearse
God, can you feel me?
Take me away from all the pressure and all the pain
Show me some happiness again
I'm goin' blind, I spend my time in this cell, ain't livin' well
I know my destiny is Hell, where did I fail?
My life is in denial and when I die
Baptized in eternal fire, shed so many tears

[Refrain]
Lord, I suffered through the years
And shed so many tears
Lord, I lost so many peers
And shed so many tears

[Verse 3]
Now I'm lost and I'm weary, so many tears
I'm suicidal, so don't stand near me
My every move is a calculated step
To bring me closer to embrace an early death
Now there's nothin' left
There was no mercy on the streets
I couldn't rest, I'm barely standin'
About to go to pieces, screamin' peace
And though my soul was deleted, I couldn't see it
I had my mind full of demons tryin' to break free
They planted seeds and they hatched, sparkin' the flame
Inside my brain like a match, such a dirty game
No memories, just a misery
Paintin' a picture of my enemies killin' me in my sleep
Will I survive 'til the morning to see the sun?
Please Lord, forgive me for my sins, 'cause here I come

[Refrain]
Lord! (God!)
I suffered through the years
And shed so many tears
God, I lost so many peers

[Verse 4]
And Lord knows I tried, been a witness to homicide
Seen drive-by's takin' lives, little kids die
Wonder why as I walk by
Broken-hearted as I glance at the chalk line, gettin' high
This ain't the life for me, I wanna change
But ain't no future bright for me, I'm stuck in the game
I'm trapped inside a maze
See this Tanqueray influenced me to gettin' crazy
Disillusioned lately, I've been really wantin' babies
So I could see a part of me that wasn't always shady
Don't trust my lady 'cause she's a product of this poison
I'm hearin' noises, think she's fuckin' all my boys
Can't take no more, I'm fallin' to the floor
Beggin' for the Lord to let me in to Heaven's door
Shed so many tears

[Refrain]
Lord, lost so many peers
And shed so many tears
I lost so many peers
And shed so many tears
Lord, I suffered many years
And shed so many tears
God, I lost so many peers
And shed so many tears

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.

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