Released: September 20, 2005

Featuring: Dead Prez

Songwriter: 2Pac

Producer: Fabrizio Sotti

[Intro]
There was a little and a pur... [*BEEP*]
Through two Suburbans and... [*BEEP*]
There was a little and a pur... [*BEEP*]
Through two Suburbans and... [*BEEP*]
There was a little and a pur... [*BEEP*]
Through two Suburbans and... [*BEEP*]
There was a little and a pur... [*BEEP*]
Through two Suburbans and... [*BEEP*]
There was a little and a pur... [*BEEP*]
Through two Suburbans and... [*BEEP*]
There was a little and a pur... [*BEEP*]
Through two Suburbans and... [*BEEP*]

[Hook]
Word is bond, bond is life
I give my life before my word shall fail
A soldier's oath, freedom of death
And I won't stop if I fail
Word is bond, bond is life
I give my life before my word shall fail
A soldier's oath, freedom of death
And I won't stop if I fail

[Refrain: Stic.man]
If I fail get back, can't be soft got to be tough
If I fall get back, can't be soft got to be tough
If I fail get back, can't be soft got to be tough
If I fall get back, can't be soft got to be tough

[Verse 1: Stic.man]
Failure, it's not an option
Real recognize real let's get it poppin'
With mathematics you can solve any problem
That's how we make it from the top to the bottom
Keep ya head up homie and stay confident
It's negativity around but I'm positive
Cuz I'm givin' everything that I got to give
Stayin' true to myself, that's how I keep it real

[Hook]
Word is bond, bond is life
I give my life before my word shall fail
A soldier's oath, freedom of death
And I won't stop if I fail
Word is bond, bond is life
I give my life before my word shall fail
A soldier's oath, freedom of death
And I won't stop if I fail

[Verse 2: M-1]
If I fail then I'll rise
Like a phoenix before yo eyes
Out the ashes and from the dirt
Report for duty and put in work
Eternal life, an iron will
Man sharpens man, steel sharpens steel
The hate you gave, we turn to love
Rest in peace, one thug one love

[Verse 3: Stic.man]
We can't be stopped if we don't give up
Even though they hold us back we still find ways to come up
A lot of people make promises with no plans to keep 'em
But me, no matter what I'm ridin' 'til I get my freedom
If I fail, then it's only a challenge to go harder
Don't want to be no martyr so I adapt to things smarter
It's death before dishonor
And I put that on my son and my momma
And don't take it as a threat, that's a promise

[Hook]
Word is bond, bond is life
I give my life before my word shall fail
A soldier's oath, freedom of death
And I won't stop if I fail
Word is bond, bond is life
I give my life before my word shall fail
A soldier's oath, freedom of death
And I won't stop if I fail

[Verse 4: M-1]
If in my quest to achieve my goals
I stumble or crumble or even lose my soul
Those that knew me would easily co-sign
That there was never a life as hard as mine
No father, no money, no chance, no guide
I only follow my voice inside
If it guides me wrong and I do not win
I'll learn from mistakes and try to achieve again

[Bridge]
Dedicated to the youth, the truth is the seed
The stronger the root, the stronger the tree
If we eat from the fruit, the stronger we be
If we do it today, tomorrow we free
Dedicated to the youth, the truth is the seed
The stronger the root, the stronger the tree
If we eat from the fruit, the stronger we be
If we do it today, tomorrow we free

[Hook]
Word is bond, bond is life
I give my life before my word shall fail
A soldier's oath, freedom of death
And I won't stop if I fail
Word is bond, bond is life
I give my life before my word shall fail
A soldier's oath, freedom of death
And I won't stop if I fail
Word is bond, bond is life
I give my life before my word shall fail
A soldier's oath, freedom of death
And I won't stop if I fail
Word is bond, bond is life
I give my life before my word shall fail
A soldier's oath, freedom of death
And I won't stop if I fail

[Outro]
Yeah, y'all put ya twos up for 2Pac
Dead Prez collaboration
It's only two choices man, ball or fall
Rose that grew from concrete
And we still growin'

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.