Released: October 7, 1997

Featuring: Outlawz

Songwriter: 2Pac E.D.I. Mean Young Noble Mic Murphy David Frank

Producer: Sean “Barney” Thomas QDIII

[Intro: 2Pac]
'Cause I hate to spend my life, my life, my life, my life
Duckin' one-time (lost soul)
How it start, how it start?

[Verse 1: 2Pac]
Started off with runnin' from coppers
Duck and hide from helicopters
We open fire, who can stop us?
Livin' the life of trife juveniles, hopin' for Rikers
Gettin' 25 to life if the judge don't like us
In my clearest pictures, I see authorities itchin' to get us
ATF state Feds, scandalous bitches
How was it promised to us, wasn't bitter or sweet
See, if a nigga don't hustle, then the nigga don't eat
On these streets, livin' do or die, circle complete
Repetitive motions of felons in a rush for G's
Please understand my history, a man of many hats
Livin' Thug Life, comin' equipped with plenty gats
Maybe I was just a lost soul, trapped in time
Livin' in between life, in the cracks, but blind
Even though we have hope for dreams that never came
Yet and still we all feel pain

[Hook: 2Pac]
Just wait until rain turn to sunshine
‘Cause I hate to spend my life
My life, my life, my life duckin' one-time
Stranded in the County in the worst way
Hell of a way to spend my 21 birthday
Born in the ghetto as a street thug
It's for the neighborhood and weed spots that we love
Lost souls… lost souls, nigga
For my homeboys that passed on
Words from the mind of a lost soul
Just wait until rain turn to sunshine
‘Cause I hate to spend my life
My life, my life, my life duckin' one-time

[Verse 2: Young Noble]
My brother Sean, first on my list, he stuck with a three-five
When he get out, would I be dead or alive?
He taught me the rules so much, but still In Thugs I Trust
When in danger never hesitate to keep my fuckin' trap shut
My mom dukes got a little bit of thug in her
The devil loves sinners: crackheads and drug dealers
Sometimes I feel like the streets are takin' over
Never stayin' sober, the brain over and over
Backtrack, my stack's fat, I used to take new
One love to my crew, ayo, this one's for you

[Interlude: 2Pac]
R.I.P. … rest in peace to Mu grandmother
Know what we gotta do, baby, one-time

[Hook: 2Pac]
Just wait until rain turn to sunshine
‘Cause I hate to spend my life
My life, my life, my life duckin' one-time
Just wait until rain turn to sunshine
‘Cause I hate to spend my life
My life, my life, my life duckin' one-time!
One-time! One-time! One-time!

[Verse 3: EDI Mean]
I was born 22 years ago yesterday
But see, I saw no reason for me to celebrate
Let me demonstrate
Entered the world from out a poisonous womb
Heroin bein' consumed, already predictin' my doom
Soon to be one of the many misguided
Always the first one on the block to be done, tried it and liked it
Lost before I had a chance to find my way
Now I travel through life, not knowin' the time of day
Crime for pay, I'm on my way
But don't know where I'ma end up
I swear to God, it's just a set-up
And these are the words from the mind of a lost soul

[Hook: 2Pac]
Just wait until rain turn to sunshine
‘Cause I hate to spend my life
My life, my life, my life duckin' one-time
Just wait until rain turn to sunshine
‘Cause I hate to spend my life
My life, my life, my life duckin' one-time

[Outro: 2Pac]
All of y'all, keepin' y'all in hell
To all of y'all, keepin' y'all in hell
Just to see you smile and enjoy yourself
To all of y'all, keepin' y'all in hell
Just to see you smile and enjoy yourself

For all my dogs, keepin' y'all in hell
Just to see you smile and enjoy yourself
For all my dogs, keepin' y'all in hell
Just to see you smile and enjoy yourself
For all my dogs, keepin' y'all in hell
Just to see you smile and enjoy yourself

Throw your hands up!
Throw your hands up!
Throw your hands up!
Throw your hands up!

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.