Released: August 15, 1995

Songwriter: 2Pac

Producer: Easy Mo Bee

[Verse 1]
They got a nigga shedding tears, reminiscin' on my past fears
'Cause shit was hectic for me last year
It appears that I've been marked for death
My heartless breath, the underlying cause of my arrest
My life is stressed, and no rest forever weary
My eyes stay teary for all the brothers that are buried in the cemetery
Shit's scary, our black on black crime legendary
But at times unnecessary, I'm gettin' worried
Teardrops and closed caskets, the three strikes law is drastic
And certain death for us ghetto bastards
What can we do when we're arrested, but open fire
Life in the pen' ain't for me, 'cause I'd rather die
But don't cry through your despair
I wonder if the Lord still cares, for us niggas on welfare
And who cares if we survive
The only time they notice a nigga is when he clutchin' on a four-five
My neighborhood ain't the same
'Cause all the little babies goin crazy and they sufferin' in the game
And I swear it's like a trap
But I ain't given up on the hood it's all good when I go back
Hoes show me love, niggas give me props
Forever hop 'cause it don't stop... on my block

[Richie Rich & 2Pac mini skit]

[Verse 2]
Now shit's constantly hot, on my block, it never fails to be gunshots
Can't explain a mother's pain, when her son drops
Black male living in hell when will we prevail
Fearin' jail but crack sales got me livin' well
In a sense I'm suicidal with this Thug's Life
Stayin' strapped, forever trapped in this drug life
God help me, 'cause I'm starvin', can't get a job
So I resort to violent robbings, my life is hard
Can't sleep 'cause all the dirt make my heart hurt
Put in work and shed tears for my dead peers
Misled from childhood where I went astray
Till this day I still pray for a better way
Can't help but feel hopeless and heartbroke
From the start I felt the racism 'cause I'm dark
Couldn't quit, the bullshit make me represent
Hit the bar and played the star, everywhere I went
In my heart, I felt alone out here on my own
I close my eyes and picture home... on my block

[Richie Rich & 2Pac mini skit once again]

[Verse 3]
And I can't help but wonder why
So many young kids had to die
Caught strays from AK's in a drive-by
Swollen pride and homicide, don't coincide
Brothers cry for broken lives, mama come inside
'Cause our block is filled with danger
Used to be a close knit community but now we're all cold strangers
Time changes us to stone, them crack pipes
All up and down the block exterminatin' black life
But I can't blame the dealers
My mama's welfare check has brought the next man chrome wheels
Shit's real, I know ya feel, my tragedy
A single mother with a problem child, daddy free
Hangin' out pickin' up game, sippin' cheap liquor
Gamin' the hoochies hopin' I can get to sleep with her
It's a man's world, stayin' strapped
Fantasies of a nigga livin' phat, but held back
Pipe dreams can make the night seem hopeless
Wide eyed and losin' focus... on my block

[Richie Rich & 2Pac skit once again]

[Verse 4]
And block parties in the projects lastin' way past daylight
A young nigga learned to break night
Used to play fight with my homies but they stuck in the pen'
I send them ends, but it's tough on a friend, in my mind
I see the same motherfuckers ballin'
Alcohol will make a lazy nigga slip and fall, misses call
I know the young niggas understand this
Growing up in this world where everything is scandalous
I reminisce on tha fast times, past crimes
Tryin' to cop a slice of pizza with my last dime
Can't explain, just what attracts me to this dirty game
Gold chains, some extra change, and the street fame
And what's strange is that everybody knows my name, swear they all know me
And lots of cash make a nigga change
I hit the green just to maintain, feelin' pain
For all the niggas that I lost to the game... from my block

[2Pac & Richie Rich]
Muh fucka can't lie, tho
Outta all them...
Rest in peace to all the motherfuckers who passed away
From all the blocks that I’m from
One-twelve street, 7th Avenue, New York, Uptown, knahmsayin'?
183rd and Walt, my block, that’s right
122nd and Morningside, my block, that’s right
Decatur Avenue, Baltimore, my block, that’s right
In the jungle of Marin City, that’s my block, that’s right
Los Angeles, haha, that’s my block too
Oakland, can’t forget Oaktown, that’s my block for sure
And all the other blocks around this motherfucker
Houston, Florida, St. Louis, Tennessee, Miami, Chicago
All y'all niggas stay kicking up dust

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.