2Pac

Released: November 25, 1997

Songwriter: Curtis Mayfield Tony Pizarro 2Pac

Producer: Tony Pizarro

[Intro]
Are you still down?
Are you still down?
Are you still down?

[Verse 1]
Now up and at 'em it's on, I was raised to be strong
And mama told me be a thug, since the day I was born
I came up, out the gutter never changed my style
Got for real about my papers, 'cause the game was wild
And the fame was a plot to try to change me
And what's strange is, nobody knew my name 'fore it came
Now the whole world is calling me a killer
All I ever did, was try to reach the kids with the real
All the time I was ballin', never heard my friends callin'
Couldn't stop myself from fallin', I'm all in
Shit's gettin' sleazy, believe me
Best to take what ya need, but don't be greedy
'Cause in my mind, I see sunshine
I thought I didn't have to run
Now I'm duckin' from the gun yellin' "One time!"
Take your time to feel my record
And if you did, chill a second
My blind method, will still wreck it
My young homies stay strong
I wonder if they'll listen to a nigga when he gone
Are you still down?

[Chorus]
Raise 'em up ... are you still down?
Raise 'em up ... are you still down?
Raise 'em up ... are you still down?
Raise 'em up ... are you still down?
Raise 'em up ... are you still down?

[Verse 2]
I'm gettin' high, so a nigga think, he touch the sky
Turn tough inside, in the rush to die
Livin' life as a thug, time to face the truth
What's goin' on with the wasted youth, please God
Come and save me, had to work with what ya gave me
And got a nigga goin' crazy
I can't read the signs
I'm blind, but a nigga know he need his nine
'Cause times, they ain't what they used to be
Ain't a penitentiary built big enough for me
And my niggas on the streets, man, listen
'Cause these ain't the old days
Ain't no way, I'm bustin' my ass and gettin' no pay
It seems I can't find my focus and homie, I ain't paranoid
I seen the future and it's hopeless
Lord knows, it's hard on a young scrub
It seems I had less problems when I slung drugs
But since I'm tryin' lace, niggas with the game
Wanna see me locked in chains, tryin' to dirty up my name
And them same motherfuckers that was callin' me
Will be the first to turn their backs, when I'm fallin', see
I should have seen it from the jump, but now it's clear
This one nigga got the town in fear, but are you still down

[Chorus]
Raise 'em up ... are you still down?
Raise 'em up ... are you still down?
Raise 'em up ... are you still down?
Raise 'em up ... are you still down?
Raise 'em up—

[Verse 3]
I wrote this for my critics and my enemies
Last year ya used to love me, huh, remember me
Now ya hate me with a passion, tryin' to get me stuck in the mix
I'm stayin' sharp, got no time for them tricks
And now they wonder if I'm goin' to jail
Just as well, 'cause my life on the streets - a livin' hell
And I can't sleep, they got my phone tapped
And mercy Lord, come get me 'fore they hurt me
Ran outta tears, and through the years couldn't change me
My daddy left me alone and so I'm angry
I never did nothin' wrong, my mama told me, "Baby, it's on!"
And now I'm hustlin' and bustin' them bones
Never said it came easy, I'm makin' G's
Buyin' all the things on TV, and gettin' skeezed
Wish my homeboys could see me now
Little bad motherfucker runnin' wild through the town
Please tell me, are you still down?

Are you still down? Raise 'em up. Remember me
Are you still down? Raise 'em up. Remember me
Are you still down? Raise 'em up
Are you still down? Raise 'em up. Remember me
Are you still down? Raise 'em up. Remember me
Are you still down? Raise 'em up. Remember me
Are you still down? Raise 'em up
Are you still down? Raise 'em up. Remember me
Are you still down? Raise 'em up. Remember me
Are you still down? Raise 'em up. Remember me
Are you still down? Raise 'em up

[Outro]
That's right y'all, give them bitches the motherfuckin' middle finger
Raise 'em up
These hoes can't fade me, don't these bitches know we crazy?
Thug life niggas be the sickest
You feel me?
Now get that shit written down
God damn!
Took four years and a motherfuckin' case for these motherfuckers to feel me
Ain't that a bitch?
Are you still motherfuckin' down?
Old ho ass fake ass niggas
We out this motherfucker though

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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R U Still Down? (Remember Me)

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R U Still Down? (Remember Me) (1997)

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