Released: November 25, 1997

Songwriter: 2Pac E.D.I. Mean Kastro Ricky Rouse

Producer: Ricky Rouse We Got Kidz

[Skit]
-[Prison Gaurd:] Inmate 'Pac, C57797, you got a visitor
Right there, star three
-[Girl:] Hi baby
-[Prisoner:] What's up honey?
-[Girl:] Hey you know it's just only one more week until family visit
-[Prisoner:] Yeah I'ma rock them drawers. Yeah but you did you take care of that business I asked you to do?
-[Girl:] I made those deposits
-[Prisoner:] Okay that's cool you bring that shit?
-[Girl:] Yeah I got it
-[Prisoner:] Alright see that guard over there?
-[Girl:] Mmm-hmm
-[Prisoner:] When you get done just hand him the shit, he know whassup
-[Girl:] Alright, hey you know E just got cracked, he's in jail now
-[Prisoner:] What?
-[Girl:] Yeah, Go-Go's out. I just saw him running around the other day
-[Prisoner:] Ahh, fuck that fool. But anyway, what's happening with my moms?
-[Girl:] She gave me a message for you. She said she's sorry she couldn't be here today, but she'll be here next week
-[Prisoner:] Alright well check this out, I got something real important I want you to tell her
-[Guard:] C'mon c'mon this shit's over with
[commotion breaks out:]
-[Guard:] C'mon boy, back to your cell
-[Girl:] I'm not done talking to him
-[Guard:] Shut that shit up bitch! He's outta here, c'mon
-[Prisoner:] Don't be calling my woman no bitch! Nigga I'll fuck you up!
-[Guard:] Yeah yeah fool, what?
-[Prisoner:] Let me out these chains....with your broke ass sucka
-[Guard:] Yeah yeah, that's what they all say fool
-[Prisoner:] Yeah what! Let me out then
-[Guard:] Institutionalized, and this is your home...

[Verse]
Guess who's back, and ready to knock off a cop or two
Cause me and the crew could still get our rocks off
The Penitentiary don't stop a nigga cause he's in jail
Hell I'm makin' more money on the street from here in a cell
I'm livin' proper, the coppers is havin' fits
I just made the profit, you punks ain't stoppin' shit
I still remember my momma told me
Find the cop who killed your brother
Send him to Hell lookin' homely
'Cause a real nigga love the law
What's raw is a nigga that's above the law
Keep pressin' your luck and get fucked, huh
Think a nigga don't know what's up 'cause he's locked up
But in the meantime, it's get swole get clean time
Concentrate on gettin' green time
And as the years go by, they forgot
About the small time soldier from the block, huh
To kill the crook they threw the book at me
Don't worry be nappy, don't even look happy
Put me in the hole, gave me cold cuts
Did push-ups until I swole up
And then they offer me a furlough
But what they don't know as soon as I get free I'm killin' five mo'
They asked me if I changed much
I told 'em 'Yeah' even though I'm still the same nut
They started askin' me questions about my brother
And makin' remarks about my mother, hmm
Wait a minute, hold up
Makin' jokes about my folks'll get yours blown up
They sent me back to the hole for what I told 'em
I guess he didn't believe me, so I showed him
He went home to find a tragedy
Nigga, that's what you get for tryin' to badger me
And anybody else that wanna sweat me
I'm already in jail so you punks can't get me
You better pray they never see me
'Cause if they let me free, prepare for trouble on the streets

[Chorus]
When I get free, huh
When I get free, huh
When I get free
When I get free, huh
When I get free, huh
When I get free
When I get free

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.