2Pac

Released: November 21, 2000

Featuring: Nikki Giovanni

Songwriter: 2Pac

Producer: Femi Ojetunde

* Poems written by Shakur as ~ interpreted by other artists

[Intro: 2Pac]
You try to plant somethin in the conrete, y'knowhatImean?
If it GROW, and the and the rose petal got all kind of
Scratches and marks, you not gon' say, "Damn, look at
All the scratches and marks on the rose that grew from concrete"
You gon' be like, "Damn! A rose grew from the concrete?!"
Same thing with me, y'knahmean? I grew out of all of this
Instead of sayin, "Damn, he did this, he did this,"
Just be like, "DAMN! He grew out of that? He came out of that?"
That's what they should say, y'knowhatImean?
All the trouble to survive and make good out of the dirty, nasty
Y'knowhahatImean unbelievable lifestyle they gave me
I'm just tryin to make somethin...

[Refrain 1: Nikki Giovanni]
When no one even cared
The rose it grew from concrete
Keepin all these dreams
Provin nature's laws wrong
It learned how to walk without havin feet
It came from concrete

[Verse 2: Spoken Word]
Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete?
Provin nature's laws wrong it learned how to walk without havin feet
Funny it seems but, by keepin its dreams
It, learned to breathe FRESH air
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
When no one else even cared
No one else even cared...
The rose that grew from concrete

[Verse 3: Spoken Word]
Did you hear..
Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete?
Provin' nature's laws wrong
It learned to walk without having feet
Funny it seems but by keeping its dreams
It learned to breathe FRESH air
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
When no one else, even cared

[Refrain 2: Nikki Giovanni]
Keepin all these dreams
Provin nature's laws wrong
It learned how to walk without havin feet (to breathe the fresh air)
It came from concrete (to breathe the fresh air)
(to breathe the fresh air, to breathe the fresh air)

[Outro: 2Pac]
You see you wouldn't ask why the rose that grew from the concrete
Had damaged petals. On the contrary, we would all celebrate its
Tenacity. We would all love it's will to reach the sun
Well, we are the roses - this is the concrete - and these are
My damaged petals. Don't ask me why, thank God nigga, ask me how!
Hahahaha..

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.

more tracks from the album

The Rose That Grew From Concrete, Vol. 1

From the album

The Rose That Grew From Concrete, Vol. 1 (2000)

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The Rose That Grew From Concrete, Vol. 1