Released: March 14, 1995

Songwriter: 2Pac Johnny J

Producer: Johnny J

[Intro]
Child: Why you by the window? What's wrong daddy?
Mother: I know what's wrong with that crazy motherfucker
He just stand by the goddamn window
With that fuckin' AK all day (there you go)
You don't work, you don't fuck, you don't eat
You don't even do a goddamn thing

[Verse 1]
I see death around the corner, gotta stay high while I survive
In the city where the skinny niggas die
If they bury me, bury me as a G nigga, no need to worry
I expect retaliation in a hurry
I see death around the - corner, any day
Tryin to keep it together, no one lives forever anyway
Strugglin' and strivin', my destiny's to die
Keep my finger on the trigger, no mercy in my eyes
In a ball of confusion, I'm thinkin' 'bout my daddy
Madder than a motherfucker, they never shoulda had me
I guess I seen too many murders, the doctors can't help me
Got me stressin' with my pistol in my sheets, it ain't healthy
Am I paranoid? - Tell me the truth
I'm out the window with my AK, ready to shoot
Ran out of indo and my mind can't take the stress, I'm out of breath
Make me wanna kill my damn self; but I see death around the corner

[Hook]
("When we were kids, belonging felt good..")
I see death around the corner
("But having respect, that feels even better..")
I see death around the corner
("When we were kids, belonging felt good..")
I see death around the corner
("But having respect, that feels even better..")

[Verse 2]
I see death around the corner, the pressure's gettin' to me
I no longer trust my homies - them phonies tried to do me
Smokin' too much weed, got me paranoid, stressed
Pack a gat and my vest, under my clothes when I dress
Here's hopin' I die the way I lived, straight thuggin'
Huggin' my trigger for all them niggas that was buggin'
My homie told me once, don't you trust them other suckers
They front like they your homies but they phony motherfuckers
And even if I did die young, who'd care
All I ever got was mean mugs and cold stares
Got homies in my head that done passed away screamin' "Please!"
Young nigga, make G's
I can't give up, although I'm hopeless, I think my mind's gone
All I can do is get my grind on, death around the corner

[Hook]
("When we were kids, belonging felt good..")
I see death around the corner
("But having respect, that feels even better..")
I see death around the corner
("When we were kids, belonging felt good..")
I see death around the corner
("But having respect, that feels even better..")

[Verse 3]
(I was raised) I was raised in the city, shitty
Ever since I was an itty bitty kiddy
Drinkin' liquor out my momma's titty
And smokin' weed was an everyday thang in my household
And drinkin' liquor til' you out cold
And though I'm grown now, nigga it's still on - Pow!
Bustin on them niggas 'til they gone
How many more jealous ass bitches, comin' for my riches
Now I gotta be suspicious when I bone
Cause if I ain't sharp and heartless, them bitches'll start shit
Excuse me, but this is where we part bitch
No more game for free, please explain to me
Why niggas trip bitch, who you came to see?
Murder me now but see me later man, that's on my pops
I got homies that will hunt you 'til you drop
I hope the Lord can forgive me
I was a G and gettin' high was a way of bein' free
I see death around the corner

[Hook]
("When we were kids, belonging felt good..")
I see death around the corner
("But having respect, that feels even better..")
I see death around the corner
("When we were kids, belonging felt good..")
I see death around the corner
("But having respect, that feels even better..")

[Outro]
This is for all the real motherfuckin' niggas out there
I know you ain't scared to die; we all gotta go, y'know?
A real motherfucker will pick the time he goes
And make sure he handles his motherfuckin' business
(You think you're gonna live long enough to spend that money
You fuckin hump?)
Y'all niggas stop actin' like pussies out there, all right
If any of you..
Are tired of gettin' ripped off by guys like that...
I want his family dead! I want his house burnt to the ground!
I wanna go there in the middle of the night I wanna piss on his ashes!
I want his family dead! I want his house burnt to the ground!
I wanna go there in the middle of the night I wanna piss on his ashes!
I want that son of a bitch dead, I want him dead!
I want him dead, I don't care...

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.