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- Order:
- Duration: 59:03
- Updated: 20 Aug 2013
- published: 07 May 2013
- views: 2205
- author: brett smith
(feat. 50 Cent)
[GUNSHOT]
Yo Redd Spyder (ooh-wee) is that 50 Cent/Pac joint ready?
[gun cocking] Let me know, holla]
[2Pac - from the song 'Smile']
There's gon' be some stuff you gon' see
That's gon' make it hard to smile in the future
[50 Cent]
Yeah nigga! Ha ha
Let's go nigga, this is what it is
Tupac cut his head bald
Then you wanna cut yo' head bald (you PUSSY nigga!)
Tupac wear a bandana
You wan' wear a bandana
Tupac put a cross on his back
You wanna put crosses on yo' back
Nigga you ain't Tupac - THIS Tupac!
[Verse One: 2Pac]
Is it, money or women to funny beginnings, tragic endings
I can make a million and STILL not get enough of spending
And since my life is based on sinnin, I'm hellbound
Rather be buried than be worried, livin held down
My game plan to be trained and, military
Mind of a Thug Lord, sittin in the cemetary
Caught, I've been lost since my adolescence, callin to Jesus
Ballin as a youngster, wonderin if he sees us
Young black male, crack sales got me three strikes
Livin in jail, this is hell, enemies die
Wonder when we all pass is anybody listenin?
Got my, hands on my semi shotty, everybody's bitchin
Please God can you understand me, bless my family
Guide us all, before we fall into insanity
I make it a point, to make my peep bumpin warlike
Drop some shit, to have these stupid bitches jaws tight.
[Chorus: 50 Cent + (2Pac)]
'Til Makaveli returns, it's +All Eyez On Me+
(What do we have here NOWWW?)
And you can hate it or love it, but that's what it's gon' be
{oooooooooohhhh}
You shoulda listened, I told you not to fuck with me
(What do we have here NOWWW?)
Now can you take the pressure, that's what we gon' see
[click clack, GUNSHOT]
[Verse Two: 50 Cent]
Now since you're cryin for mercy I promise
My success'll be the death of you
Lo and behold you sold your soul
Nigga there's nuttin left of you
Look in the mirror, ask yourself who are you?
If you don't know who you are, how could your dreams come true?
Motherfucker, I sat back and watched
You pretended to be 'Pac, you pretended to be hot
But you're not (NOWWWW) - I see it so clear
You can't take the pressure, you pussy
I warned you not to push me
You see me and chills run up your spine
Hardly even in the same war, but your heart ain't like mine
Press, they look at me like I'm a menace
I was playin with guns
while your momma had your punk ass playin tennis
I'm a nightmare, you see me when you dream
Wake up, turn on your TV and see my ass again
You cowardly hearted, you couldn't make it on your own
Fuck THE SOURCE, I'm on cover of Rolling Stone
(YOU PUSSY!)
[Chorus]
G-G-G-G-Unit!
[Chorus]
[gunshot]
One love, one love, one thug
One nation, twenty-one gun salute
I'm hopin my true motherfuckers know
This be the realest shit I ever wrote
Against all odds, up in the studio, gettin blowed
To the truest shit I ever spoke
Twenty-one gun salute, dressed in fatigue, black jeans and boots
Disappeared in the crowd, all you seen was troops
This little nigga named Nas thinks he live like me
Talkin bout he left the hospital took five like me
You living fantasies, nigga I reject your deposit
We shook Dre punk ass, now we out of the closet
Mobb Deep wonder why nigga blowed them out
Next time grown folks talk, nigga close your mouth
Peep me, I take this war shit deeply
Done seen too many real players fall to let these bitch niggas beat me
Puffy lets be honest you a punk or you will see me with gloves
Remember that shit you said to Vibe about me bein a thug
You can tell the people you roll with whatever you want
But you and I know what's going on
Payback, I knew you bitch niggas from way back
Witness me strapped with Macs, knew I wouldn't play that
All you old rappers trying to advance
It's all over now, take it like a man
Niggas lookin like Larry Holmes, flabby and sick
Tryin to player hate on my shit, you eat a fat dick
Let it be known this is how you made me
Lovin how I got you niggas crazy
Against all odds
Hopin my thug motherfuckers know
This be the realest shit I ever wrote
Against all odds, up in the studio, gettin blowed
To the truest shit I ever spoke, against all odds
Hopin my true motherfuckers know
This be the realest shit I ever wrote
I heard he was light skinned, stocky with a Haitian accent
Jewelery, fast cars and he's known for flashing (What's his name???)
Listen while I take you back (NIGGA SAY HIS NAME!) and lace this rap
A real live tale about a snitch named Haitian Jack
Knew he was workin for the feds, same crime, different trials
Nigga, picture what he said, and did I mention
Promised a payback, Jimmy Henchman, in due time
I know you bitch niggas is listenin, The World Is Mine
Set me up, wet me up, niggas stuck me up
Heard the guns bust but you tricks never shut me up
Touch one of mine on everything I own
I'll destroy everything you touch, play the game nigga
All out warfare, eye for eye
Last words to a bitch nigga, 'WHY YOU LIE?!?'
Now you gotta watch your back, now watch your front
Here we come, gunshots too tight, now you stuck
Fuck the rap game, nigga this M-O-B
So believe me we enemies, I go against all odds
I'm hopin my true motherfuckers know
This be the realest shit I ever wrote
Against all odds, up in the studio, gettin blowed
To the truest shit I ever spoke
I'm hopin my true motherfuckers know
This be the realest shit I ever wrote
Against all odds
Puffy gettin robbed like a bitch, to hide the fact
he did some shit he shouldn't have did, so we ride em for that
And that nigga that was down for me, restin dead
Switch sides, guess his new friends wanted him dead
Probably be murdered for the shit that I said
I bring the real, be a legend, breathin the dead
Lord listen to me
God don't like ugly, It Was Written
Hey Nad, your whole damn style is bitten
You heard my melody, read about my life in the papers
All my run-ins with authorities, felonious capers
Now you wanna live my life, so what's the answer Nas?
Niggas that don't rhyme right, you've seen too many movies
Load em up against the wall, close his eyes
Since you lie you die, GOODBYE
Let the real live niggas hear the truth from me
What would you do if you was me nigga
Against all odds
I'm hopin my true motherfuckers know
This be the realest shit I ever wrote
Against all odds, up in the studio, gettin blowed
To the truest shit I ever spoke
[repeat]
Against all odds
[Twenty-one gun salute]
One love to my true thug niggas (Outlaw! Outlaw! Outlaw!)
Twenty-one gun salute to my niggas that die in the line of duty
Representin to the fullest bein soldiers with military minds
that play the rules of the game, twenty-one gun salute
I salute you my niggas, stay strong
I ride for you, I rhyme for you, I roll for you, it's all for you
To all you bitch made niggas, I'm comin for you
Against all odds, I don't care who the fuck you is, nigga
You touch me I'm at you
I know you motherfuckers think that I forgot
Hell no I ain't forgot nigga
I just remember what you told me
You said don't go to war unless I got my money behind me
Aight, I got my money right here, now I want war
Yo 'Pac yo, I heard you got beat up by the police
Got a big fat lawsuit and everything
Niggaz just wanna know
if you still gon' be on some crooked-ass sheeeit
[2Pac]
Please tell me what's a nigga to do, and it's true
Ain't nuttin new, so I do, what I can to get through
Now first they had me trapped and now I'm pissed
A loaded AK-47 lay under my head so I don't trip
One motherfucker from the Underground
And Big Stretch buckin niggaz if they fuck around
Yo why I got beef with police?
Ain't that a bitch that motherfuckers got a beef with me
They make it hard for me to sleep
I wake up at the slightest peep, and my sheets are 3 feet deep
I guess it's hard for you to see
But now I'm pointin the finger at police
instead of them motherfuckers blamin me
I got the right to bear a pistol
And when the punk motherfuckers get to trippin I got shit too
And maybe then you'll see the truth (hell yeah)
But until then, I gotta do what I do
and stay a crooked nigga too
[Chorus: Raphael Saadiq]
I've got to do, what I'm gon' do
I'm gon' say what I'm gon' say
I'm gon' live how I live - how else you want a nigga to live?
I'm gon' do, what I do
I'm gon' say, what I say
I'm gon' live how I live - how do you want a nigga to live?
[2Pac]
Y'know you really can't say that ya blame niggaz
Fuck bein tame, set aflame, time to aim triggers
2Pac'll spark a revolution, fuck the Constitution
I want my bucks for restitution
This time you got a bigger problem
Time to face the niggaz from South Central, Oakland, Brooklyn and Harlem
And we ain't shootin at each other
That's my motherfuckin brother, so Dave Duke, run for cover
And all the bitches from the Klan
Come feel the wrath of a black man that doesn't smoke crack and
I don't drink St. Ides (fuck that!)
Genuine Draft, ganja ganja, and my fuckin tec-9
They know they scared to see us sober
Stop drinkin King Cobra, and niggaz'll take the world over
It's all up to you (up to you)
Blame the Korean, blame the jew, or be a crooked nigga too
[Chorus]
[2Pac]
Aiyyo! Why me? Play like Jasmine Guy and try me
I'll be damned if I die, come look at the rage in my eyes G
They got my homies in a jail cell
And it's the Rebel and the Devil, and one of us is goin to Hell
I got the whole place covered, with loc'd out brothers
And nuttin but love for each other
So motherfucker make a motion
I give a fuck, slice you up, and throw your ass in the ocean
Temperatures drop; see it's cool to shoot a nigga
but they hate it when we pop the cops
That's when they gettin petrol
You better watch your step or you'll be left on death row
But I learn to look ahead of me
Stay strapped watch your back keep your eyes on the enemy
We blowin up precincts and OOOH
You can't fuck with the crew, of crooked nigga too
[Chorus]
[Raphael Saadiq]
It's the coldest town from here to Georgia
(I'm a crooked nigga too)
It's the coldest town from here to Georgia
It's the coldest town from here to Georgia
(I'm a crooked.. crooked nigga too)
It's the coldest town from here to Georgia
Y'all gon' stop fuckin with me
[Chorus - repeat to fade]
[Snoop Talking]
Up out of there
[Daz, repeated several times until first verse begins]
Ain't Nothin' but A Gangsta Party
[Tupac Talking]
Ahh shit
you've done fucked up now
you done put 2 of Amerikaz most wanted in the same muthafuckin' place
at the same muthafuckin' time
ya'll niggas about to feel this
break out the champange glasses and muthafuckin' condoms
have one on us aight
[Tupac]
Picture Perfect
I paint a perfect picture
bombin' hooties with percision
Mind intensions to get with ya
with the S-N double-O-P dogg
to help my fuckin' homie
you's a cold ass nigga on them all
[Snoop]
Sure enough I keep my hand on my gun
cause they got me on the run
Now I am back in the court room waitin' on the outcome
Free Tupac is all that's on a niggas mind
but at the same time
it seem they tryin' to take mine
so I am get smart and get the best of this shit
and put together a million march plus some gangsta shit
[Tupac]
So now they got us laced
Two multi millionaire muthafuckas catchin' cases
Bitches get ready for the throw down
the shits about to go down
Uhh, me and Snoop about to clown
I am losin' my religion
I am vicious on these stool pigeons
you might be deep in this game
but you got some rules missin'
niggas be actin like we savage
See i'm a get the cabbage
I got nutin' but love for my niggas livin' lavish
[Snoop]
I got a pet named P she niggarino
I got a house out in the Hills right next to Chino
and I think I got a Black Beama'
but my dream is to own a fly casino
like Bugsy Segal, and do it all illegal
and get scooped up, by the little homie in a Regal
Uhh it feel good to ya Baby bubba
you see this is for the G's and the Ki's muthafucka
[Tupac]
Now follow as we Ride
muthafuck the rest
two of the best from the westside
and I can make you famous
Niggas been dying for years
so how could they blame us
I live in fear of a felony
I never stop ballin' these
mutha fuckin' G's
If ya got it better flaunt it
another warrant
2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted
Chorus
[Daz]
Ain't Nothin' but a Gangsta Party (x2)
[Tupac]
Nothin' but a gangsta party
[Daz]
Ain't Nothin' but a Gangsta Party
[Tupac]
Ain't Nothin' but a Gangsta Party
It ain't nothin' but a muthafuckin' gangsta party
[Daz]
Ain't Nothin' but a Gangsta Party
[Tupac]
Ain't Nothin' but a Gangsta Party
It ain't nothin' but a muthafuckin' gangsta party
[Daz]
Ain't nothin but a gangsta party
[Tupac]
Now give me 50 feet
The feet is not my destiny
release me to the streets
and keep what evers left of me
Jealousy is misery, suffery is grief
Better be prepared when you cowards fuck with me I
I busta free, these niggas must be crazy (What)
there ain't no mercy mutha fuckas
who can fade the thugs
you thought it was but it wasn't
now disappear
bow down in the presence of a Boss playa
[Snoop]
It's like cuz, blood, gang banging
everybody in the party doing dope slangin'
you got to have papers in this world
you might get your first snatch before your eyes swirl
ya doing ya job
every day
and then you work so hard till ya hair turn gray
let me tell you about life and 'bout the way it is
see we live by the gun so we die by the gun.
[Tupac]
They tell me not to roll with my glock
So now I got to throw away
floating in the black Benz
trying to do a show a day
they wonder how I live with 5 shots
niggas is hard to kill on my block
Scheme for currency and dough related
affilliated with the hustlas
so we made it
Your answer to the question
tryin' to get up on it
my nigga dogg and me eternally the most wanted
Chorus
[Daz]
Ain't Nuttin But A Gangsta Party (Until Fade)
Death Row
That's where motherfuckers is endin up
Dear mama, I'm caught up in this sickness
I robbed my adversaries, but slipped and left a witness
Wonder if they'll catch me, or will this nigga snitch
Should I shoot his bitch, or make the nigga rich?
Don't wanna commit murder, but damn they got me trapped
Hawkin while I'm walkin, and talkin behind my back
I'm kind of schizophrenic, I'm in this shit to win it
Cause life's a Wheel of, Fortune here's my chance to spin it
Got no time for cops, who trip and try to catch me
Too fuckin trigger happy, to let them suckers snatch me
Niggaz gettin jealous (jealous) tryin to find my stash
Whip out the nine, now I'ma dive and pump your ass
Peter picked a pepper, but I can pick a punk
Snatched him like a bitch, and threw him in the trunk
The punk thought I was bluffin, but swear I'm nothin nice
Before I take your life, first wrestle with these, mics
I listen to him scream, Tray Deee went insane
I guess the little, mites had finally found his brain
New Rovers pull me over, I'm sentenced to the pen
Remember that little, bird, he snitched and told a, friend
It's trouble on my mind, I'm with the old timers
And fuck five-oh, blaow blaow.. turn em into forty-niners
[Tupac sings]
Bye bye, I was never meant to live
Can't be positive, when the ghetto's where you live
Bye bye, I was never meant to be
Livin like a thief, runnin through the streets
Bye bye, and I got no place to go...
Where they find me? 16 on Death Row
Dear mama, these cops don't understand me
I turned to a life of crime, cause I came from a broken family
My uncle used to touch me, I never told you that
Scared what you might do, I couldn't hold you back
I kept it deep inside, I done let it fuel my anger
I'm down for all my homies, no mercy for a stranger
The brother in my cell, is 16 as well
It's hard to adapt, when you're black and you're trapped in a livin Hell
I shouldn'ta let him catch me
Instead of livin sad in jail I coulda died free and happy
And my cellmate's raped on the norm
And passed around the dorm, you can hear his asshole gettin torn
They made me an animal
Can't sleep, instead of countin sheep, niggaz countin cannibals
And that's how it is in the pen
Turn old and cold, and your soul is your best friend
My mama prayed for me
Tell the Lord to make way for me, prepare any day for me (why?)
Cause when they come for me they find a struggler
To the death I take the breath from your jugular
The trick is to never lose hope
I found my buddy hangin dead from a rope, 16 on Death Row
[Tupac sings]
Bye bye, I was never meant to live
Can't be positive, when the ghetto's where you live
Bye bye, I was never meant to be
Livin like a thief, runnin through the streets
Bye bye, and I got no place to go...
Where you find me? 16 on Death Row
Dear mama, they sentenced me to death
Today's my final day, I'm countin every breath
I'm bitter cause I'm dyin, so much I haven't seen
I know you never dreamed, your baby would be dead at 16
I got beef with a sick society that doesn't give a shit
And they too quick to say goodbye to me
They tell me the preacher's there for me
He's a crook with a book, that motherfucker never cared for me
He's only here to be sure
I don't drop a dime to God bout the crimes he's commitin
on the poor, and how can these people judge me?
They ain't my peers and in all these years, they ain't never love me
I never got to be a man, must be part of some big plan
to keep a nigga in the state pen
And to my homies out buryin motherfuckers
Steer clear of these Aryan motherfuckers
Cause once they got you locked up
They got you trapped, you're better off gettin shot up
I'm convinced self-defense is the way
Please, stay strapped, pack a gat every day
I wish I woulda known while I was out there
Now I'm straight headin for the chair
[Tupac sings]
Bye bye, I was never meant to live
Can't be positive, when the ghetto's where we live
Bye bye, I was never meant to be
Livin like a thief, runnin through the streets
Bye bye, and I got no place to go...
Where you find me? 16 on Death Row
16 on Death Row
It's to all my partners in the penitentiaries
16 on Death Row
(Intro)
Yeah nigga
Yo Pac (That's right)
Yo, I heard you got beat up by the police
Got a big fat lawsuit and everything (yeah)
Niggaz just wanna know if your still gonna be on some crooked ass nigga shit
(2pac Verse 1)
Please tell me what's a nigga to do and it's true
Ain't nuttin' new so I do what I can to get through
Now first they had me trapped and now I'm pissed
A loaded AK47 layin on my hips so don't trip
One motherfucker from the underground
And Big Stretch buckin' niggaz if they fuck around
Yo, why ya'll got beef with police?
Ain't that a bitch them motherfuckers gotta beef with me
They make it hard for me to sleep
I wake up at the slightest peep and my sheets are 3 feet deep
I guess it's hard for you to see
But now I'm pointin the finger at police instead of motherfuckers blamin' me
I got the right to bear a pistol
And when them punk motherfuckers get to trippin' I got shit too
And maybe then you'll see the truth
But until then I gotta do what I do and stay a crooked nigga too
(Chorus)
It's all up to you
But until then I gotta do what I do and stay a crooked nigga too
And maybe then you'll see the truth (awwwwww)
But until then I gotta do what I do and stay a crooked nigga too
It's all up to you
But until then I gotta do what I do and stay a crooked nigga too
And maybe then you'll see the truth (awwwwww) Oooh!
You can't fuck with the crew, a crooked nigga too
(2pac Verse 2)
You know you really can't say that you blame niggaz
Fuck bein' tame, set a flame, tryin' to aim triggaz
2pac'll spark a revolution, fuck the constitution
I want my bucks for restitution
This time you got a bigger problem
Time to face the niggas from South Central, Oakland, Brooklyn and Harlem
And we ain't shootin' at eachother (fuck no), that's a motherfuckin' brother
So save two, run for cover
And other bitches from the clan
Come feel the wrath of a black man that doesn't smoke crack and
I don't drink St. Ides (fuck that!)
Genuine draft ganja ganja and my fuckin' Tec-9
They know their scared to see us sober (awwwww)
Cobra - And niggaz will take the world over
It's all up to you (up to you) Blame the Korean (fuck that)
I'll be a crooked nigga too
(Chorus)
It's all up to you
But until then I gotta do what I do and stay a crooked nigga too
And maybe then you'll see the truth (awwwwww)
But until then I gotta do what I do and stay a crooked nigga too
It's all up to you
But until then I gotta do what I do and stay a crooked nigga too
And maybe then you'll see the truth (awwwwww) Oooh!
You can't fuck with the crew, a crooked nigga too
(2pac Verse 3)
Pardon me, ??? has been God and try me
I'll be damned if I die come look at the rage in my eyes G
They got my homies in a jail cell
Now it's the rebel and the devil and one of us is goin' to hell
I got the whole place covered with loc'ed out brothers
And nothing but love for eachother
So motherfucker make a motion
I give a fuck, slice you up, and throw your ass in the ocean
Temperatures drop
See it's cool to shoot a nigga but they hate it when we pop the cops
That's when they gettin' petrol
You better watch your step or you'll be left on deathrow
But I learned to look ahead of me
Stay strapped, watch your back, keep your eyes on the enemy
We blowin' up precincts and oooohhhh you can't fuck with the crew
A crooked nigga too
(Chorus)
It's all up to you
But until then I gotta do what I do and stay a crooked nigga too
And maybe then you'll see the truth (awwwwww)
But until then I gotta do what I do and stay a crooked nigga too
It's all up to you
But until then I gotta do what I do and stay a crooked nigga too
And maybe then you'll see the truth (awwwwww) Oooh!
You can't fuck with the crew, a crooked nigga too
(feat. Live Squad, Treach, Apache)
(Yeah hehehahaha, we goin platinum nigga! Plaahahatinum.)
Yeah, you got the Live Squad in this motherfucker
We got my nigga Treach from Naughty by Nature in this motherfucker
My nigga Apache up in this motherfucker
[Verse One: Tupac]
My Mossberg goes boom, gimme room, can I catch it
Talkin quick and then I vic just tryin to keep from gettin blasted
I had enough I put a hit upon them bastards
Boo-yaa! Turned a snitch into a casket
Now they after me, prowling for a niggaz bucks
Time to see, who's the G, with the bigger nuts
Buck buck, big up and livin reckless
Niggaz with a death wish step in with a Tec and I'll wet this
Yeah this shit is hyper
Two to one I'm writing representing and I'm striking like a viper
Huh, I got my mind made up, I got my nine
Ring the alarm, and strong arm must run
Some niggaz need to feel me with a passion
I'm old fashioned, run up on me nigga and get blasted
With five deadly venomz
(Yeah 'Pac, fuck that, still hittin em up with
that old deadly shit. Aiyyo Treach where you at?
Step up and hit they ass up with the wickedness.)
[Verse Two: Treach]
We come to hit you with a sock full of Brooklyn
to the Onyx of your nose, punk is funky like skunk blunts
Stunk like funk cunt
I come to take you on a war rough and rugged route
And if another doubts I blow your fuckin mother out
And that's the street scarred style
I shout I'm-de-MC-wit-de-nasty-mouf, and kick the bitch out
Sue me? I pay the lawyer for ya oh boy yeah
Plus my style's ten to twenty fuckin pounds more
I take you quicker than a picture of a punk ya pickin shit
pickin pockets with a razor stoppin Russian rockets
Not shoplift, I'm liftin shop
Once you sound hot, cause if you ain't a perfect ten
my sign is stop!
It's twenty mother-crooked-fuckin styles in em
Like women I did em I'm in for deadly ready venom
[Verse Three: Live Squad]
Yeah, as I take a puff I get rough, Big Mad
To put it on, can't none come tougher see
I'm down with the sound of the Squad hard, boom!
Breakin em down, I make em see their doom
Coming straight from the dome where I roam it's a job to
rob and steal and runnin from the coppers
Who hold a, boulder, turn the gun controller
Started from a punk now to be a high roller
Youngest, reckless, crazy, disaster
Mac-11 blaster, and I run faster
Than a lot of cops I can't be stopped till my head gets popped
A lot of fuckin bodies will drop
It's a disaster, I'm coming for the blood splatter
I make you scatter, leavin trails of brains and bladders
Blowin em out the frame with no shame
Game tight, drop a body then get out of sight
Count my loot after I shoot, leave my kicks up and it's
something I don't wanna do, somethin that I never did
I try to get him, I think I hit em, I lit him
He's out! A poison, a deadly venom
(Yeah Mad, fuck that! You know how we do.
KnowhatI'msayin? Squad in effect, YG'z in effect.
Now you know a nigga like me gotta represent)
[Verse Four: Live Squad]
Once again, back to rip shit, quick on the flip tip
The psycho, represent the real to take the mic flow
Deadly, rock a head G, check the melody
Niggaz can't touch me when I wreckin G you better flee
Cause I'm gifted with a jab and a forty-four Mag
So nigga flip or take a trip in a body bag
Uhh, boom you slipped up, now you're zipped up
Yeah one more statistic, fronted and got ripped up
No joke, you be yolk, no matter how it sound
We're taking over eight niggaz back to the stomping grounds
Line em up single file, dome runnin in em
A nigga hit em with the venom, the fourth deadly venom
(Nigga, yaknowhatI'msayin? Fuck that!
I told you, we takin over, yo 'Pac.)
[Verse Five: 2Pac]
Five deadly venomz verse five be the livest
Strugglin and strive, keep a nine in my waistline
Take mine, you better bury me, G
Punk ass niggaz don't even worry me, see
I got a glock that say 'Pac run the block
Fuck the cops cause my gauge gets me... PAID
As I sit and reminesce about the old days
Hugging on my AK, fuck getting played, hey
I say niggaz need to get they mind right
Until they do I pop a clip and grip my nine tight
Now it's on everday could be my last day
That's why I blast on they ass as I past let the glass spray
First you had a mouth full of fronts
Now you're mouth's full of chunks, Pac's out puffin blunts
Deadly venomz
(Hahaha, yeah pass that shit over here.
Apache bout to clean shit up.)
[Verse Six: Apache]
Throw up your middle finger! Start the track for the maniac
Only thing I'm givin out is black donuts and dirty backs
Let me tell how you rough I get
I pop shit behind your back get in your face and pop the same shit
You can't get in because my gate's bigger I'ma snake nigga
My act guards me so hard I pull the fuckin trigger
I'm a section to clinch your porch is like a pinch
Test a rhyme I'll knock your hairline back an inch
Fuckin up pooh-butts, cut em like cold cuts
Choke em with my boot lace, then leave em hangin like old nuts
Clip up and move out, time to get em
That's the results of fuckin with the fifth venom in denim
(Yeah, yaknowhatI'msayin?
Five motherfuckin deadly venomz, in effect for ninety-three
ninety-four ninety-five all that other shit.
We takin this motherfucker over this larger hit.
YaknowhatI'msayin? Follow us, come along. YaknowhatI'msayin?
We takin this motherfucker over. TRUST. We out.)
Yo Mo Bee main, drop that shit!
'Heyyyy! Heyy-ayyaahhyy' -- [Erick Sermon] (Redman's 'Watch Yo' Nugget')
[sample repeats until first verse]
You know what time, boo-yaow
I know it's time for you
So grab one by the hand youknowhatI'msayin
And uhh, throw up that finger
Ay yo yo yo throw y'all fingers up!
Thug style baby, Thug style y'know?
[Verse One:]
Tell me baby are you lonely? Don't wanna rush ya
I can help ya if ya only, let me touch ya
If I'm wrong love tell me, cause I get caught up
and the life I live is Hell see, I never thought I'd see
the day when I would calm down, you ain't heard
I've been known to clown and Get Around, that's my word
See you walkin and you lookin good, yes indeed
Got a body like a sex fiend, you're killin me
witcha attitude to match right, don't be phony
cause I hate when you act like, you don't know me
I've be stressin in the spotlight, I want the fame
but the industry's a lot like, a crap game
Ain't no time for commitment, I gotta go
Can't be wit you every minute miss, another show
And even though I'm known for my one night stand
I wanna be an honest man, but temptations go...
'Heyyyy! Heyy-ayyaahhyy' -- [Erick Sermon] (Redman's 'Watch Yo' Nugget')
[sample repeats until second verse]
Throw up the finger!
And all my homies go..
Throw them the finger!
Ya know what baby it's like
[singing]
I know you've been searchin for someone
To make you happy, and get the job done
You say you need it, a man with money
But I can't be there, and will you still care
[Verse Two:]
Will I cheat or will I be committed, heaven knows
Gettin weak and I wanna hit it, so here I go
in my ride and I'm all in, gettin high
I can hear the people callin, I'm passin by
Everybody knows I'm ball-in, and to God
Gotta keep myself from fall-in, but it's hard
All the cuties know I'm under pressure, what do I do
Gettin shaky when she pull the dress up, and say it's cool
Should I stroke or should I wait a while, you decide
If you tell me that you don't want it, that's a lie
Move close and let me whisper, some dirty words
in your ears as I kiss ya, on every curve
Slow down baby don't rush, I like it slow
Can't hold it any longer, so let it go
Open the gates, do you wanna fall up in heaven
Don't worry, I let myself in, all I heard was...
'Heyyyy! Heyy-ayyaahhyy' -- [Erick Sermon] (Redman's 'Watch Yo' Nugget')
[sample repeats until third verse]
Give em the finger!
All my homies go..
Throw your fingers up!
That's just the Thug in me girl, you know
Peep out all my homies, y'know, it's like
[singing]
I know you've been searchin for someone
To make you happy, and get the job done
You say you need it, a man with money
But I can't be there, and will you still care
[Verse Three:]
A lot of people think it's easy, to settle down
Got a woman that'll please me, in every town
I don't wanna but I gotta do it, the temptation
got me ready to release the fluid, sensation
sit down and conversate like you know me, take my hand
Cause even Thugs get lonely, understand
Even the hardest of my homies need attention
Catch you blowin up the telephone, reminiscin
I wanna take you to the movies, and the park
Let's find a spot for you to do me, in the dark
Now that it's passion, hold me tight
Don't need lights, I can see you by the moonlight
I know your man ain't lovin you right
You're lonely and depressed you need a Thug in your life
Enough talkin, you want me to leave, I'll get to walkin
See you later, cause baby I'm a player, and all I heard was
'Heyyyy! Heyy-ayyaahhyy' -- [Erick Sermon] (Redman's 'Watch Yo' Nugget')
[sample repeats until the end]
Give em the finger
And all my homies go.. yo this how we gonna do this in the nine-trey y'know?
Throw your fingers up
Y'know? They gonna peep this, this how we run game on you
[singing]
Everybody, heyy, alright
Heyy, heyyyeah, heyyyayyy, ohh
[2Pac]
All my niggaz go
Uptown in the
Give em the finger!
Throw your hands up
Give em the finger!
[2Pac]
Live back at 'cha Westside baaaaby
Aight fuck it, we gone flip some new shit now
You heard 'All Eyez on Me,' niggaz know what time it is
(Makaveli the Don) 'Pac do it like that
Rhymin and stealin, sellin five million
(Outlaw.. ninety-nine)
Fresh out on bail, niggaz still can't see me
(Napoleon, E.D.I, Young Noble, Fatal Hussein)
That's how it is
Now we got a new motherfuckin plan, and a new mission
(Makaveli the Don, Greg Nice, Outlaw - Outlaw)
Competition, so they say, these niggaz is gay
(Outlaw - Outlaw)
Blast me? It could never happen
At least not while I'm walkin and rappin
Heard of some niggaz on the other side of town who wanna ride wit me
(Throw ya hands up, hands up)
They can't hide, listen to the rough shit, my click
(Throw ya motherfuckin hands up)
I said many times busters still can't see
Y'all niggaz can't fuck with me (Outlaw)
I been, handlin stress in this shit for years
Blazed out sheddin tattooed tears; now, I
said many times busters still can't see
Y'all niggaz can't fuck with me (Outlaw)
I been, handlin stress in this shit for years
Blazed out sheddin tattooed tears
Now, Rock-a-bye baby, I'm thugged out and so crazy
Don't want to hurt a soul nigga, so don't make me
I got a dream to see my whole team in Lexus Coupes
My enemies dead n buried, now the stress is through
But that's a dream, though it seems like reality; there'll
never be peace long as there's fiends on these Cali streets
Even on the other side brothers die, but ride
Niggaz get high off a slow form of suicide
Hide the closest thoughts, the war is fought as casualties
I live my life to fuckin mo', exposin tragically
How can we find some peace and niggaz still ain't get a piece
I know I'm probably hellbound, but we got to eat
I'm seeing Satin infiltratin; my military mind
make me hustle all the time, go out for cash makin
Forgive my adversaries they don't understand what we go through
to become a man, we sheddin tattoed tears
Chorus: 2Pac + Young Noble
I said many times busters still can't see
Y'all niggaz can't fuck with me (Outlaw)
I been, handlin stress in this shit for years
Blazed out sheddin tattooed tears; now, I
said many times busters still can't see
Y'all niggaz can't fuck with me (Outlaw)
I been, handlin stress in this shit for years
Blazed out sheddin tattooed tears
[2Pac] Thugged out baby!
[Young Noble]
We don't shed tears we shed blood
Do you still wanna be a thug? HUH? WHAT?
We don't shed tears we shed blood
Do you still wanna be a thug?
Yo, criminal ways of thinkin made me crave Abe Lincolns
The days I spent stinkin caught victims on the weekends
Seeking a better path, expose a better half of me
Blast for me, the task after me
For a few years sheddin tattooed tears
like Gram' Sammy, we feudin for the whole damn family
We scarred up, homies is barred up for mad time
Outlawz locked down for some past crimes
Fast dimes made my stash grow smaller
Your block ain't no harder, fake baller
[Napoleon]
Nigga it's like this
I been thuggin just for the cause of it
Out to get all of it, but I'll never loose my balls and shit
And it's all for the pressure
that'll make me cock my shit up off the dresser
Made nigga mafia of course my niggas gonna test ya
Answers to the questions, bullets to my Smith N' Wesson
Still stucked up in a fuck session, Jersey where the niggaz flexin
Po-po's guessin if the stolen car gonna do a drive-by
Wet em up from his shoulders, leave him bye-bye
Now mama cry-cry, but it ain't my time to either die-die
So ask me why-why, but I feel that God owe me my life
for the things he did, but I turn my pleasure into sin
Blazed out sheddin tattoed tears
Chorus
[Kadafi]
Shit.. ain't no unity in my community it's do or die
Seein my opprunities through these bars of hell while gettin high
as life replays like time; underhanded schemes
to get that cream and thangs while livin this life of crime
My enemies want me squeezed
They get dumped like 3's, with 57 wasted at they knees
Please beware we thugs revolution size
Criminals dare be last mental me intitutionalize
Locked down, got many shell shocked, now
Holdin down fort like I'm stuck in court cell block style
[Kastro]
Yo I been loosin sleep, stay awake way past late
Visions of killers en masse at the blast mayne
As I lay here gatted down and tatted
Knowin now it's hard to slow down for a addict
It's been years of stugglin, guzzlin beers
Beefin and never even, ain't no love in the air
And I suffer my shit in hell, talkin to the heavens
Walkin thru the valley of death with my fellas
I lost a lot, startin with hope I tried
And for every tattoo I got a moment I cried
I'm thru with the lies, the two in my eyes, yell pain
Step in my shoes, nuttin to lose, but my brain
I'ma hold it down tho', with all the struggle to bear
Ain't nothing to fear, cryin these tattooed tears
Come on...
Chorus (repeats to fade)
(feat. Live Squad)
(Eat a dick up)
'Stick up, stick up, stick up kids...
still don't nothin move but the money' -- [Rakim]
[Verse One: Live Squad]
Strugglin, jugglin, got it to the black man
Eatin the scams like I was motherfuckin Pac Man
Cops step off, you know the flavor
They fear the ruffneck niggaz with the lunatic behavior
And now we gotta eat, gotta make ends meet
Stabbin for a fee, it gets hard on the fuckin streets
It's like a madness, fuck making gravy
I rhyme and do crimes, cuz either way pays me
A little rough with a hardcore... theme
Couldn't rough something rougher in your... dreams
Mad rugged so you know we're gonna... rip
With that roughneck nigga named 2Pacalypse
Representing YG'z yo
Flip Stretch Homicide and my nigga Gambino
Seek and Po can't forget Money Bags
Stickin up spots and jumpin in Jags
Gotta get ahead and always stay bumblin
And always keep a hand on the gat
Cuz a niggaz straight strugglin
[Verse Two: Live Squad]
I used to be on tour, but now I'm sick of strugglin
I thought about bumpin, but mother-fuck jugglin
I know it lasts longer, gets my pockets thicker
But I'd rather use my gun cause I get the money quicker, so bust it
Look as I cut the records hard to eject
A quick clip threw my body down uhh! it's another hit
I got energy to blast now you want the task here
Cuz of the light a motherfucker shot that ass up
But rugged and rough is how I'm steppin
Mac is the weapon, and it's always kept in
Eye on the Mac cause the dogg got it goin on
If you come up steppin you'll be lit like a hick
So you better chill, cause I got too much money to get
A street thug in the motherfuckin house, I'm strugglin
Get drunk but I don't think
I'm just in it for the money, don't be a punk snitch
When I yank up my gun, don't run don't bitch
Cause ya know if you do, you'll be layin in a ditch
You'll get your stupid ass blown out the frame
Cause I'm playing to win, and survive in the game
I'm strugglin
[Verse Three: 2Pac]
Big up, big up, got him in the frame, bang
Ain't nothin changed set it off I let the brains hang
Guess who's back, to put niggaz on they back
Till I call back, niggaz runnin free better fall back
I'm fifty niggaz deep beat sleep
with a Mossberg wrapped in my seats
three deep in my Jeep chief run with the Young Gunz
Strugglin and strivin, that's how the dough come
Now get gunned by the one with the gun for the low goal
Throw a bolo so low when I flow yo
Much too high to read the signs, I'm blind
Clickin on the nine, out to get mine
I go big up, big up, gotta make the room, boom
Blowin motherfuckers to the moon
Niggaz need to feel me a real G, home from the bumblin
See me on the block, strugglin
And rollin with the roughnecks nuff checks cashed
I get in niggaz ass, blast
Straight strugglin
f/ Outlawz
Uhh.. world wide mob figgaz..
World wide mob figgaz.. we world wide mob figgaz
World wide mob figgaz.. (check game you little young punk)
We world wide mob figgaz.. (all you niggaz is jealous cats)
[Verse One: E.D.I. Amin]
What, what? Uhh, put them hands up
Rich niggaz throw the grands up, and what?
I got a plot to get what's mine in the nine nine
It's my time motherfucker try to stop it gon' see nine nines
(??) that's all I see when I open up
Baby girl, fuckin you now before I blow up
You know what? I seen your kind before, high saditty
but really like it raw in the closet
Like the rider type of whore, by the shore, I could (?) trick on her
But I'm collectin these vicks when I put the dick on her
O.U.T., L.A.W.Z.
You fuckin with a nigga livin destructively, pump and pee
Tuckin T's up in the house when I jump on
I'm tryin to handle my business full grown
This shit is on, it's gettin crazy after dark
Where the real thug niggaz here you are
We world wide mob figgaz
[Chorus - Young Noble: repeat 2X]
We got homies on the front line livin it up
We got ladies in the back straight givin it up
It ain't nothin but a thug thang
World wide mob figga let me see a nigga nuts hang
World wide mob figga let me see a nigga nuts hang..
World wide mob figga let me see a nigga nuts hang..
[Verse Two: Napoleon]
Nigga duck down bust first, make 'em feel somethin
Shouldn't shot your gun if you ain't kill nuttin
Now you gotta face the death man got flow heavily armed
Outlawz did that, heavily gone
Took a ride with the left of us, best of us
Plus we wake up with our tec on us
We test yo' nuts in a heartbeat, sleep on the street
Obey the rules of the ones who want yo' beef I'll eat
Y'all niggaz weak, in a motherfuckin way it's so pitiful
I'll leave you motherfuckers critical
We heard the slick shit you said on fuckin Too $hort tape
But you only stepped your way into an early wake, early grave
That's what you brave niggaz get for fuckin with this
You had your chance to mob first you didn't you missed
Just switched to fake
Napolean be the motherfuckin last nigga with the gat to break
The last to fade, earthquake aftershock, is what you got
Fuckin with niggaz that give a damn about hip-hop
This how it go in our family
Cause this Outlaw shit is what we stand for gradually
We world wide mob figgaz
[Chorus]
[2Pac over Chorus]
World wide motherfuckin mob figgaz
Weed smokin, gun-totin, drinkin
Ridin on our motherfuckin enemies
Y'all know how we do it
[Verse Three: Young Noble]
I be the Young N-O, to the B-L-E
Last name O-U-T-L-A-W-Z
M-A-R was the for starters, flee the whole cartridge
Your lady blew out the squad and the whole sausage
(??), hittin donuts in a 6
Sip Coronas when we bendin the corner, brothers hit
Urban legend, dirty third still reppin
Still double-S to bumrush your session
I get it dirty and burn ya just a nigga in a skirt
Drinkin Squirt, punk duck, hit the dirt
Sprint to the church that you got comin
Outlawz on the ride picture God runnin
Ain't nuttin but a thug thang, bust your brains
Pac passed the rock so we tucked the game
Under our belt, we huntin the wealth, you fuckin yourself off
Don't you know not to go against the Outlawz
[Chorus]
World wide mob figga let me see a nigga nuts hang..
World wide mob figga let me see a nigga nuts hang..
[Verse Four: 2Pac]
Hey watch out man, look out
Known for doin scandalous deeds, no handlin me
Hypnotic to drugs it's the straight thug nigga in me
I swoop down and cause havoc
My rapid delivery, is automatic lettin niggaz have it
I've been labelled as a thug nigga
Since they don't sell my shit to white folks
ship it to the drug dealers
And catch a catch a nigga world wide
A fuckin mob figga West coast, who-ride
When we rob niggaz money make my squad bigger
But we ain't sell our souls
Bustin on my enemies, murder my foes
At my shows I'm a nut, lights camera time for action
Now get to clappin to my cuts, a world wide mob figga
[Chorus]
[2Pac ad libbing]
[Tupac]
Under Pressure
Yeah, Babyyy
When tha pressures on...
[Thug Life]
when it's on it's on
[Tupac]
One of these days i'll
learn
don't fuck with trick ass niggas
cause they
turn into bitch ass niggas
i'm sick of bein stuck in tha county jail
my niggas clown
bring a pound
when they posten bail
smokein' blunts in tha driveway
my four-five screamin
fuck tha police
won't fly away, thug, till I die
you wonder why I'm made this way
I wasn't
turned out
I was raised this way
of thinkin
these are tha dreams of a young teen
sceam, and stack green on tha crack fiends
one time can't hold me
one of these days
we gotta bust back for tha homies
locked down in tha penitentry
finaly loose my mind
if tha pigs succeed
stress, smoken weed and nicoteen
but what a nigga really need is Thorozine
right before I die
i'll be curseing tha law
reincarnated bitch even worse than before
my four-four's givin payback
my underhanded plan
to get them niggas while they laid back
and big stretch hit tha scene with tha mini 14
servin suckers like dope fiends
and lead tha whole team
Under Pressure Nigga
That's right
[Stretch]
Never run
throw your gun in tha air
oh yeah
nigga bust ain't no time to spare
called tha ruffest mothafucker and we fuck shit up
and with tha stainless steel [???], we cut shit up
flash and blast a nigga with tha quickness
cock tha four pound motherfucker when I spit this and rip this
damn, my mind is in tha depths of hell
but when i'm walking on tha street kid my name rings bells
and I never fell
nigga I stand to tall
i'm just a thug motherfucker who was born to brawl
givin my all
so niggas wanna bring it to me
so i'ma sell my cocain
and lay they ass down 'G'
Under Pressure
[Tupac]
yeah, look here tho
Runnin wild
I never smiled as a juvenile
even now I keep a frown when I come around
don't ask me about tha past
it was all bad
shots blasted
will I last
in tha wrong path
in tha dark is where my heart saw tha most grief
mothafuckers is getten shanked over gold teeth
am I sick ?
cause i'm addicted to get splifted
watch tha stupid ass tricks get lifted
nothens changed
cause in tha came it's a steady aim
fuck friends
cause when in danger those niggas change
puff weed
and stuff G's in my sock G
call Ki's and Hennessy where tha glock be
Times passen will I last here another day
I put my gun away
and grab my AK
it's getten hectic
I can't call it
house full of alcoholics
now we're niggas under pressure
yeah, that's right...
Under Pressure, we're niggas under pressure
yeah
[Tupac and Stretch together repeated 11x]
When tha Pressures on it's a hit
Ski mask
Extra Gats
bring tha clips
don't nobody move when we walk tha streets
they stay silent
cause talk is cheap
(What y'all want?)
Unconditional Love (no doubt)
Talking bout the stuff that don't wear off
It don't fade
It'll last for all these crazy days
These crazy nights
Whether you wrong or you right
I'm a still love you
Still feel you
Still there for you
No matter what (hehe)
You will always be in my heart
With unconditional love
[Verse One:]
Come listen to my truest thoughts, my truest feelings
All my peers doing years beyond drug dealing
How many caskets can we witness
Before we see it's hard to live
This life without God, so we must ask forgiveness
Ask mama I got this urge to die
Witness the tears falling free from my eyes
Before she could reply
Though we were born without a silver spoon
My broken down TV, show cartoons in my living room (hey)
One day I hope to make it
A player in this game
Mama don't cry, long as we try
Maybe things change
Perhaps it's just a fantasy
A life where we don't need no welfare
Shit with our whole family
Maybe it's me that caused it
The fighting and the hurting
In my room crying cause I didn't want to be a burden
Watch mama open up her arms to hug me
And I ain't worried bout a damn thang, with unconditionl love
[Chorus: 2x]
In this game the lesson's in your eyes to see
Though things change, the future's still inside of me
We must remember that tomorrow comes after the dark
So you will always be in my heart, with unconditional love
[Verse Two:]
Just got the message you've been calling all week
Been out here hustling on these streets, ain't had a chance to speak
But you know, with you and me it's on G
We could never be enemies, cause you been such a good friend to me
Where would I be without my dogs
No wonder why when times get hard
Cause it ain't easy being who we are
Driven by my ambitions, desire higher positions
So I proceed to make Gs, eternally in my mission
Is to be more than just a rap musician
The elevation of today's generation
If could make 'em listen
Prison ain't what we need, no longer stuck in greed
Time to play and strategize, my family's gotta eat
When we make somethin out of nothing
No pleasure in the suffering, neighborhood would be good
If they could cut out all the busting
The liquor and the weed the cussing
Sending love out to my block
The struggle never stops (unconditional love)
[Chorus]
[Verse Three:]
I'll probably never understand ya ways
With everyday I swear I hear ya
Trying to change your ways while gettin paid at the same time
Just had a baby with the same eyes
Something inside, please let me die these are strange times
How come I never made it
Maybe it's the way the played it in my heart
I knew one day I gotta be a star
My hopes and all my wishes
So many vivid pictures, and all the currency
I'll never even get to see
This fast life soon shatters
Cause after all the lights and screams
Nothing but my dreams matter
Hoping for better days
Maybe a peaceful night, baby don't cry
Cause everythang gonna be alright
Just lay your head on my shoulder
Don't worry bout a thang baby
Girl I'm a soldier (huh)
Never treated me bad, no matter who I was
You still came with that, unconditional love
[Chorus 3x until fade]
Yo c'mon man, what do you mean you don't wanna ride with me nigga
C'mon, get in the car, get in the fuckin car man
Yo why you trippin man? Get in the fuckin car man
Get in the fuckin car.. get in the car
(Heh, say you, you scared to ride in my car
cause you, you think niggaz gon' be blastin at it
It ain't even that deep baby)
You don't have to worry you can ride with me now
Niggaz are quick to scream how they die for me now
Only got one click, we Outlawz on the Row
Fair exchange when we fuck them hoes
[2Pac]
Repetitive blows are thrown, to my foes
No love shown get disposed of blasted full blown
My unknown tendencies to mash my car
Getting wicked with my ski-mask, find the stash and dump
Why niggaz run I'm the last one standin the rest die
Victims of my lethal chrome cannon, Westside
Though it's worldwide no one can deny my views
Tracked it to my very fabric once the plastic blew
Five shots changed my whole life, throats were slit
Niggaz die by my orders when I wrote this shit
Though we go back like wild knights at Latin Quarters
Niggaz tried to kill me, and I fed they wife and they daughters
Blazed the weed, draped they seeds, gave 'em cash
Pass the fame and let the game go rollin past
Why you change, it's a cold world taught me life
Retaliation proves niggaz never caught me right
Say they shot me in my nuts, out of luck quick
Bullshit nigga cause I'm still fuckin yo' bitch
Niggaz got me twisted in a bad way, why you change?
Fuck with me, all this shit pay, nigga fuck the fame
[Young Noble]
Don't remember 'Hit 'Em Up,' don't make us do it once.. more
Yo' niggaz know, you ain't fucking with them Out..lawz
We keep souljas, souljas from Compton to Brooklyn
Your the type to get sniped, when the cops is lookin
Don't nobody give a fuck cause you done crossed the game
Lost in fame, and you should take, all the blame
You made yo' bed nigga lay in it
Scared to come up out that cell nigga stay in it
It's not a game only got one click we Outlawz from the do'
Dirt stains when I buck on the fo', you kissin the flo'
We dirty as the motherfuckin streetz of Jerz
We sweep niggaz with the words though the heat's preferred
Holla
[Chorus]
You don't have to worry you can ride with me now
Niggaz are quick to scream how they die for me now
Only got one click, they Outlawz on the Row
Fair exchange when we fuck these hoes, let the punks know
[Napoleon]
'Pac I wish I was in the motherfuckin car wit'cha
I'd have took every bullet that they threw, hand of God nigga
I only got one click, Outlawz 'til I'm gone
Heavy in the game and we coming for they fuckin throne
The love is gone well it is what it is
And plottin on us, they best be prayin for they kids, mayne
You don't have to worry cause I ride for ya
Like K said over loyal even tell bout a lie for ya
You put me in the game and dog I owe it all to ya
And when it get to poppin I'ma fuckin ball for ya
And everything I do gon' have your names on it
I'll never let them forget I put my seeds on it
[Kastro]
You gon' die before yo' time, come face the truth
In the middle of the desert nigga lace your boots
As a youth, hundred proof, tap my chest is a dead rest
You studio niggaz still remind your vest
Why the fuck you ain't done yet swallow yo' teeth
In the field you woulda been need a straw when you eat
Fuck a glock nine that shit is weak on the streets
And if you can't strategize then you just can't eat
If your life in another nigga hand, you deaded
And if it's beef and your man disappear then don't sweat it
Another fake nigga usin my strengths to get credit
I mean (?) face sound scared but your heartbeat said it
[Chorus]
[Young Noble]
I was born ugly, unlucky and dusty
But now I'm a rider, connivin gutsy
And I don't trust nobody, so don't nobody trust me
And that's how I'ma go about it 'til somebody bust me
I play for keeps like the OG's raised me
If I sleep I won't eat, who gonna feed my baby?
And I think I'm goin crazy cause my hair is gettin thiner
I've been drinkin on the daily, I can hardly remember
I got - bad nerves, paranoia destroyed me
I love the Lord but the church can't cure me
I sleep light, I wake peekin out my window
With guns under my mattress and guns under the pillow
And that's the way it's gonna be 'til they bury me
But don't twist it cause none of y'all niggaz worry me
[Outlawz]
What the fuck you didn't know?
Kizza-Kastro, Young Noble with the criminal flow
You nervous nelly ass niggas belly up in the river, no dizoubt
Y'all niggaz can't fade me with the clippers
We put it down, look around, 'til we find you we hound
Penitentiary bound, to remind you
[Kadafi]
Kadafi I bring the lingo to the click
Tasty like a Pringle, sneakin through your chimney like Kris Kringle
On some shit, get me free to let my ice click
Ka-pling, ka-plow, I been a thug shootin slugs since a child
[Chorus]
Let the punks know (repeat 3X)
(feat. Jazze Pha)
[Verse One: 2Pac]
Dear baby you the picture of perfection
Straight from your million dollar smile
to my attraction to your complexion
No hesitation needed; you got me
inhalin the aroma of your perfume, and feelin heated
I move closer to drop the lines of my introduction
Hold out my hand, and grab yo' hand, now we touchin
My lyrics are poetry
So baby get a ticket to go with me
Thugged out so you notice me
It's a positive attraction; see pictures of us
layin butt-naked on the beach kickin back relaxin
And only you can calm, the savage beast
Look in my eyes are you surprised, that it's me?
I wanna make you mine
I'm kissin on you tryin to make it different every time (that's right)
I'm so lonely in my bedroom, lookin at the walls
Withcha number in my hand, wonderin should I even call her tonight
[Chorus: Jazze Pha]
Anytime you like, baby you can call me
Need a thug up in yo' life, never find nobody like me
Cause I know what you want, and girl you know I got you
You got what I need, and shorty it's all on you
Baby call on me
[Verse Two: 2Pac]
Been gettin nuttin but bad news, ever since the day you left me
I sit and wonder is there a way, you could forget me
Remember my phone calls, my late visits
Us havin breakfast in bed, then we straight kick it
Me and you in satin sheets, 'til after two
Come take a walk on the wild side, enjoy the view
Whenever we collide; it's bound to be a pleasurable time
Makin love 'til the early light
Sweetheart don't fight the feelin
Come get a shot of this plain dealin and concentrate on the ceiling
It's my intention to brush up
Beware of the fireworks, cause everytime we touch..
.. it's bound to be, so relax, clown with me
As if you're down with me, get around and see
The brother with tattoos and no fears
Runnin my fingers through your hair if you call me
[Chorus]
[Verse Three: 2Pac]
Pardon me, but let's be specific
Baby cause if you down with me, nigga we can kick it
And let's take trips and ride airplanes
A hundred thousand dollar car on dem gold thangs, so can you hang?
Cause we can be real tight (right)
I got a big suite at the hot', if it feel right
My only wish is to be witcha
You got me steady strivin to getcha
Fantasizin of friendly pictures
The pressure's gettin major
I wonder will you answer my call, if I page ya
Got me goin wild with anticipation
Face to face with us locked up in strange places, what will it take
Cause the heartache be heatbreak, is my prediction
when you falsify and start fake, in my position
I'm a careful man, but a player when I ball
Got my eyes on you baby, can I call?
[Chorus - repeat 2X]
(Napoleon Talking)
Life...
What the fuck is life for niggaz like us?
Been waking up to another muthafuckin' day
I'm the type of soldier,
A nigga that seen
Everything in my muthafuckin eyes
I seen my parents get killed
To my muthafuckin eyes
I seen my brother kill his-self in my eyes
I seen Pac.. Yak.. die in the struggle in my eyes
So I know anybody can be touched
You know what I mean?
(Napoleon)
Oh God forgive me
Somebody please say a prayer for me
Needed my parents
But they was never there for me
Believe in everything they feed me
I'm seeing demons
I wake up screaming
Who believe me or was I dreaming?
Five fingers on the .45 chrome
Dead aim at my brain, infared with no lights on
I ain't afraid to die, I want to see what's after this
I'm living blind writing rhymes
Til they capture this
And if we die let the world understand why
Soldier my eyes hate to see a young thug cry
They seeing us inside a casket
That's how they see us
Oh God forgive us ghetto bastards
We human beings
They leaving us inside this hell-hole
Just waiting to fail so they tell us
That's what jail for
Adolescense young teens turned violent
It's floating, in a world turned silent
Cause you could be touched
(Chorus Makaveli)
Young niggaz in the wild life
Criminal mind of a juvenile still live a child life
Thinking he can make his pay
Too in a rush, niggaz better slow down
Cause you can be touched
Young niggaz in the wild life
Criminal mind of a juvenile still live a child life
Thinking he can make his pay
Too in a rush, niggaz better slow down
Cause you can be touched
(E.D.I)
I live life High Speed
Moving a million miles per hour
Towards my destiny
Making decesions carelessly
Yeah it's me, yo nigga man child
Bomb first stand proud
Ain't looking for hand-outs
Twenty-five years up in this bitch
And I'll be damned if I ain't leaving rich
And leave my kids a grip
I let my blood drip off in this thug shit
You can be touched, I catch you slippin' while I'm on a money mission
Like right now, 30 dollars to my John Hancock
Try to get mo' so my shit don't flock
I lick off shots for everything they owe me
And when it's my time to go
I pray the Lord hold me
(U can be touched)
(Kastro)
I was born in the city that never sleeps
Schooled by the realest of the real niggaz
That ever breathed
And I was big when I was young
And now I see that I was dumb
My nigga.. Lonnie just got hit with 10... 10 years
For trusting a friend
They left him stuck in the Penn
I love him, we all here just to die here, plus
Nobody cares what got here
Touched by a angel and kissed by the Lord
Praise the thug ways and I'll never be bored
Touched by a angel and kissed by the Lord
Y'all praise the thug ways
So forever it's on.. baby
(Chorus Makaveli)
My Young niggaz in the wild life
Criminal mind of a juvenile still live a child life
Thinking he can make his pay
Too in a rush, niggaz better slow down
Cause you can be touched
Young niggaz in the wild life
Criminal mind of a juvenile still live a child life
Thinking he can make his pay
Too in a rush, niggaz better slow down
Cause you can be touched
(Young Noble)
Why grieve this life
Planted by the fiends and pipes
Green lights so
I'm seeing-seeing everything twice
Pretty much of nothing nice
(naw) we sucking it up
Even when we get a job, we fucking it up
Like it can't happen to us
I could never be a bum
Yeah right, you wound up one
God forbid I'm touched, y'all keep living it up
Look and learn
Next it could be your turn... word
(Kadafi)
Yes this a felonies' hobby
That got me here thinking robbery
Day to day all year long
Teflon protects my body
It's such unimportant in this criminal cartel
I'm caught and supporting me
So in these streets of hockey
I play the goalie,
Secretz to war licks, and score shit
Share between clients and homies
Remember what Patcino told me
Before he past
Watch them clowns with them crocodile smiles
Cause they phony, I get that cash, stay lonely
And I'm point like a thong
And it's survive for the strong
Living outside the laws of this crooked world
I was born touched
(Chorus Makaveli)
My Young niggaz in the wild life
Criminal mind of a juvenile still live a child life
Thinking he can make his pay
Too in a rush, niggaz better slow down
Cause you can be touched
Young niggaz in the wild life
Criminal mind of a juvenile still live a child life
Thinking he can make his pay
Too in a rush, niggaz better slow down
Cause you can be touched
Straight outta Oakland, California where we spark it on ya
Give a shout out to my partners in the darkest corners
I remember drinkin Hennesey, smokin weed
Fantasize about the things we'd grow to be
Had a partner named Snoop, loved to clown a stank
Smoke a pound a day, commenced to down a drank
Shooting craps in the alley til they chased us off
Pour a little for my homies but don't waste it all
Oooohweee, who popped that coochie best?
On my tattooed chest is where the hoochies rest
Having house parties in a crowded spot
And you can tell it's hot, they talk loud a lot
Everybody wanna dance when the slow jam come
Lookin dumb, cause you waitin for your chance to hump
Straight grindin, everybody havin fun
And it's cool til a fool pull a loaded gun
Cause another dude kicked his Bacardi over
He had to act a fool now the party's over
Gun shots rang like it's thunder
And everybody bum rushing and I'm rushing to get a number
Says she got a man but she's lying
Why? I seen her talking to this other guy and..
he's a dealer so you know she gonna sweat him
I ain't trippin I just hope he get em, I got nuttin but love
[chorus]
[singers] Ain't got nuttin but love for ya
[2Pac] I'm down for yours, nuttin but love
[repeat 4X]
I love to go back, to the block I got my game from
Cause uh, old man still drinkin, his breath still stinkin
He'd love to tell ya what he's thinkin
But I can't diss him he's my elder
He been livin here longer what that tell ya?
And little girls playin double dutch
Still blush, cause she don't get in trouble much
It's uhh, ponytails and barrettes
I gotta make it back home, before the sun decides to set
And little boys playin stick ball, quick y'all
Get out the street before they hit y'all
And as I reminisce, I think about my ghetto bliss
And wonder how we came to this
I help an old lady across the street, the cost is free
I can't take what she offers me
And this is how the world could be
This is how the world should be
Feels good to be back on the streets
Cause I know they got love for me, nuttin but love
[chorus]
When I was young I used to want to be a dealer see
Cause the gold and cars they appealed to me
I saw our brothers getting rich slangin crack to folks
And the square's getting big for these sack of dope
Started thinking bout a plan to get paid myself
So I made myself, raised myself
Til the dealer on the block told me, "That ain't cool
You ain't meant to slang crack, you a rapper fool"
I got my game about women from a prostitute
And way back used to rap on the block for loot
I tryed to make my way legit, haha
But it was hard, cause rhymes don't pay the rent
And uhh, it was funny how I copped out
I couldn't make it in school, so finally I dropped out
My family on welfare
I'm steady thinking, since don't nobody else care
I'm out here on my own
At least in jail I have a meal and I wouldn't be alone
I'm feelin like a waste, tears rollin down my face
Cause my life is filled with hate
Until I looked around me
I saw nothing but family, straight up down for me
Panthers, Pimps, Pushers and Thugs
Hey yo, that's my family tree, I got nuttin but love
[chorus repeats for a while w/o 2Pac]
Oaktown -- [singers] ain't got nuttin but love for ya
ain't got nuttin but love for ya [repeats to fade]
[Verse 1]
The only way to change me is maybe blow my brains out
stuck in the middle of the game to get the pain out
Pray to my God everyday but he don't listen
the poverty bothers me but mama's working wonders in the kitchen
Listen I can hear her crying in the bedroom
praying for money we never think would she be dead soon
Am I wrong for wishing I was somewhere else
at 13 can't feed myself
Can I blame daddy 'cause he left me
wish he would've helped me
too much like him 'til my mama don't love me
On my own at a early age gettin' paid
and I'm strapped so I'll never be afraid
Where did I go astray I'm hanging in the back streets
running with G's and dope fiends will they jack me?
Can't turn back my eyes on the prize
I got nothing to lose
everybody gotta die
say good-bye to the bad guy
that one you fucked when you passed by
Buck buck [gunshots] from a Glock
tempured glass fly
Do or Die walk a mile in my shoes
and you'd be crazy too
with nothing to lose
[Chorus]
I got nothing to lose
(that's why I got gang related)
got nothing to lose [5x]
nothing to lose
[Verse 2]
I thank the Lord for my many blessings
though I'm stressin' keep a vest for protection
from the barrel of the Smith Wesson
and all my niggas in the pen'
here we go again
Ain't nothing seperating us from a mack 10
Born in the ghetto as a hustla older
straight soldier bucking at them bustas
No matter how you try niggas never die
We just retaliate with hate then we multiply
see me striking down the block hittin' co'ners
Mobbin' like a muthafucka livin' like I wanna
Ain't no stoppin' at the red lights I'm sideways
Thug Life muthafucka criiime pays
Let the cops put they lights on
chase me nigga
zig-zaggin' through the freeway
race me nigga
In a high speed chase with the law
the realest muthafucka that you ever saw
I'm livin' raw 'til they bury me don't worry me
I'm high livin' like I ain't afraid to die
And you could walk a mile in my shoes
and you'd be crazy too
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
Ain't no escape from a deadly fate
and everyday there's a million black bodies put away
I'm startin' to lose hope
it seems everybody's on dope
Mama told me to leave 'cause she was broke
Sometimes I choke on the indo
peepin' out the window alone on my own
I'm a criminal
Got no love from the household I'm out cold
in the streets give me muthafucking peace
I got nothing to lose
and something to prove
What do I do live Thug Life nigga stay true
I wonder when they kill me
is there a Heaven for a real G
Lord forgive me if you feel me
'Cause all my life I was dirt broke
with no hope li'l skinny muthafucka wantin' dough
I hated cutting suckers with my razor blade
but everyday it's a struggle to get major paid
Anyway it's so hard on a nigga in this city
no pity and ain't no love for the scrubs that be buyin' time
If you could walk a mile in my shoes you'd be crazy too
with nothing to lose
[Chorus]
[Outro]
It was a what type nigga be a Thug Life nigga
We be the craziest...Muthafucka!
You know!
It was a what type nigga be a Thug Life nigga
We be the craziest!
(Tupac speaking)
Hey Devante...
don'tcha' know we're gonna sow up every bitch in tha country
Me and you...up in tha same muthafucken room
on tha same level...with this shit here....please
...No more Pain...
that's right nigga
and guard that shit boy
(Tupac)
My adversaries cry like hoes
fully eradicate my foes
My lyrics explode on contact
Gamin' you hoes
who else, but Mama's only son
Fuck phony niggas on the run
Say my name, watch bitches cum
Now fire when ready
Stay watchin'
now figure
Increase speed
Make you mutha-fuckas bleed
from your mouth quicker
Plus all these niggas that you run with
Be on some dumb shit
Trick on the hoes
I ain't the one bitch
Hollar my name and witness game official
It's so sick
Have every single bitch
that came with yah, on my dick
Plus this alcohol increases the chance
to be deceased
I'm movin' you stupid bitches
This is telekeniousis
Am I reachin your brain
Nigga How can I explain
How vicious this thug mutha-fucka came
When I die
I wanna be a livin' legend
Say my name
Affiliated with this mind fuckin' game
with no more pain
Chorus(4X)
I came to bring the pain
Hardcore to the brain
Let's go inside, my astroplane
Line up my adversaries, blast on sight
And fuck your boyfriend
Bitch, I want some ass tonight
You know my stilo
Alazhay and chrystal weed
sure you've heard of all the
freaky shit they say about me
Plus all you Bustas is jealous
Pull your gun out and blast
I dare you niggas to open fire
I'll murder that ass
And disappear before the cops come runnin'
My glocks spittin' rounds
niggas fallin' down clutchin' their stomach
It's west side, death row,
Thug niggas on the rise
Plus they shot my five times
Real niggas don't die
Can ya hear me
Laced with this game
I know you fear me
Speak and seek what you want
So cowards fear me
My only fear of death
is reincarnation
heart of a solider
with a brain to teach your whole nation
And feelin' no more pain
Chorus(4X)
I came to bring the pain
Hardcore to the brain
Let's go inside, my astroplane
Bury me that's what they all say
It's time to make a killin'
Sure to make a million
With Devante
Bitch I know you want me
What your mouth say
Now, watch your eyez
You don't wanna get with me
that's a lie
I got my hands on your hips
No time to bullshit
freaky bitch, come give me kiss
Tell niggas from other areas
Brothas from here
so obsessed with this money makin'
there's nothin' we fear
Now they label me a trouble-maker
Cuz, I'm a ridah
Death to you playa-haters
Don't let my find yah
Mama made me rugged
Baptised the public
Now you hard thugs, nigga don't you love it
It's similar to multiple gunshots
Retaliation is a must
Wasn't to sure what yah facin'
So watch the guns bust
You niggas will bleed
fuckin' with me
You'll be deceased
Never restin' in peace nigga
with no more pain
Chorus(4X)
I came to bring the pain
Hardcore to the brain
Let's go inside, my astroplane
I wanna dedicate this one to Robert 'Yummy' Sanderford
and all other lil' young niggaz that's in a rush to be gangstas
As a young nigga, I'm almost ?swellin? in the wind
Give anythang, to be that innocent again, when I was ten
I didn't bang but I was hangin with the homies
tell them niggaz started slangin that they don't know me
I got my hustle on, learned to ignore what couldn't pay me
Lately I've been tryin to make a bill-ion, can you play me
with that jealousy they need to miss me, don't sweat me
If them cowards really want me, come get me, and even I
someday will die but I'm cautious, I'm fin' to ride
Put down the top, now we flossin
Hit the freeway, let the wind blow, drop the window
Workin with a twenty sack of indo, feelin good
Stop through the hood, grab the young thugs
And I can't help but reminisce back when we slung drugs, know it's bad
but all we had was our hopes and dreams
Couldn't see unless we learned to slang dope to fiends
as young niggaz
He's the kind of G like everybody knows
As a young nigga
He's always G'd up, from head to toe
My memories as a young nigga
Always got it blown like Al Capone
Young nigga
He's the downest G I've ever known
Back in Junior High, when we was barely gettin by, when daddy died
That's when my momma started gettin high
My neighborhood was full of drivebys, couldn't survive
All our homies livin short lives, I couldn't cry
Told my momma if I did die, just put a blunt in my casket
let me get my dead homies high
Come follow me throughout my history, it's just
_Me Against the World_ stuck in misery; as a young nigga
My only thing was to be paid
Life full of riches avoid snitched cause they shady, back in the days
We always found the time to play,
but that's before they taught them gangbangers how to spray
Not just L.A., but in the Bay and in Chicago and even St. Louis
Every stadium that I go, when will they change?
Stuck in the game like a dumb nigga
Remember how it was, to be a young nigga
He's the kind of G like everybody knows
As a young nigga
He's always G'd up, from head to toe
My memories as a young nigga
Always got it blown like Al Capone
Young nigga
He's the downest G I've ever known
I'm tellin you..
.. to be young, have your brains and have every ? and all that
Yo, y'all niggaz don't know how good you really do got it
Muh'fuckers need to just calm down
and peep what the fuck they wanna do for the rest of the life
'Fore you end your life before you BEGIN your life
You dumb nigga
Now that I'm grown, I got my mind on bein somethin
Don't wanna be another statistic, out here doin nuttin
Tryin to maintain in this dirty game, keep it real
and I will even if it kills me, my young niggaz
break away from these dumb niggaz
Put down the guns and have some fun nigga, the rest'll come nigga
Fame is a fast thang, that gangbangin
puttin niggaz in a casket, murdered for hangin
at the wrong place at the wrong time, no longer livin
Cause he threw up the wrong sign, and every day
I watch the murder rate increases, and even worse
the epidemic and diseases, what is the future?
The projects lookin hopeless, where
more and more borhters givin up and don't care
Sometimes I hate when brothers act up, I hit the weed
and I proceed to blow the track up, for young niggaz
He's the kind of G like everybody knows
For these young niggaz
He's always G'd up, from head to toe
My memories as a young nigga
He always got it blown like Al Capone
Take it slow nigga, it's for the young niggaz
He's the downest G I've ever known
As a young nigga
He's the kind of G like everybody knows
He's always G'd up, from head to toe
Memories as a young nigga
He always got it blown like Al Capone
He's the downest G I've ever known
['Pac talking overlaps singing last four lines]
This go out to the young thugs, the have-nots (you know)
Little bad motherfuckers from the block (that's right)
Them niggaz that's thirteen and fourteen
Drivin Cadillacs, Benzes and shit (I see you boy)
Young motherfuckin hustlers (make that money boy)
Stay strong nigga
You could be a fuckin accountant, not a dope dealer
youknowhatI'msayin? (Go to school nigga, go to school)
Fuck around and, you pimpin out here
You could be a lawyer (really doe)
Niggaz gotta get they priorities straight
(Don't see Johnny Cochran out in this motherfucker)
Really doe.. young niggaz.. little RahRah
(sup nigga) Especially my little cousins don't be no dumb guy
(Don't be a dumb nigga, listen, young niggaz)
[singers freestyle and skat to the end of the song]
(Young Noble)
Yo, I can see
That you obviously don't know me or my homies
We O-U-T Lawz, fuck the phonies
A wise hustler once told me, it's on you
Though it was dreams when he first told me Now it's true
I got love for you only to a certain exstend
Niggas ain't worth shit
Cops and ride dick permits
I heard this and heard that
About them O-U-T Lawz
Some of them soldiers got shot
Some of them soldiers fell off
Fuck yall now everybody tied to us
Hollering out a nigga name
But never said what up
That shit critical, dispicable, unforgiveable
I too like Hot ??
Your own fan won't remember you
Thuggin but we still spriutual, clear lyrical
I'm like the fuckin Deff Squad
My ears ain't hearin' yall
Pump fearin' yall
But damn I ain't even wantin' to scare yall
Listen to what I tell yall
Fuck the world,
Your baby moms and your baby girl
You muthafuckas so fake,
Yo they made me wanna earl
Blake, hate snakes thug hatin the degree
Outlawz on a paper chase
Can you relate thug niggaz
(Napoleon Chorus)
We will never fall
Thru it all, we'll always stand tall
Cause in the end we'll be remembered as some young muthafucka soldiers
And if you believe in that shit that you heard
Y'all dont know us, y'all dont know us
(Napoleon)
Now I been trapped down
And fucked since day one
This industructional style of mine ain't no fun
Where I'm from
You sure to see about 10 niggaz in a bedroom
Eating off the same spoon
Sweeping with the same broom
It's hazard, it's you don't want yo life
Well give me grab it
I was born inside a love zone
With a glock-nine young marriage
It's critical
Then one of them sat down living so
Mystikal and empoious
With a heart full of anger it's so redicilous
So give me some with 21-gun soldier salute
With a 19-inch black handle snake knife in my boots
I'm straight from the strong, thug to your life
Right to yo wrong, I'll put the good to your evil
I'm the shells to your chrome, you dig that?
I'm life, I'll bring the moon to your night
I'll put the dick to your wife
And I'm the Jesuz of your Christ
You dig that? respect this
I'll bring the end to your claw
I'll bring the loc to your heart
And I'll put the snoop on yo dogs
You hear me?
We follow, this little bullet so hollow
I can promise that estacy ain't promised tomorrow
With this two man mades
Me and my soul death astrayed
I watch my parents get blowed away
Now look what it made
I'm something to face
This ludacy then with me, then with chemistry
Got my eyes on you, the first time you cross me
I'll be frying you, cause y'all don't know me
(Young Noble Chorus)
We will never fall
Thru the war, we'll always stand tall (Why)
Cause in the end we'll be remembered as some young muthafucka soldiers
(E.D.I)
When we was kids, the loving felt good
But of course have the respect
Though it's even better
Now for this chedder
Niggaz is laying deader
Then Malcom and Martin put together
Oh Lord only knows where we'll end up
Remember what Pac said
Watch the fuckin signs
But we wasn't listening
Too busy trippin off his shine
Now one time for my muthafuckin' Outlawz
Napoleon, Noble, and Kastro
May we all roll
And if you don't know
We got the rap game petro
Scared cause we bout to release
Like heavy metal
Nationwide, underground
We running the ghettos
Stealing all of ya fan base like we kleptos
Bitch I can't let go
I been strugglin' too long, thuggin' too long
And niggaz is stealing my shit
And busting it wrong
Hot shots holla back when you get 'em
Outlawz'll sic 'em, bustin back at the system
Military wisdom
Preparing myself for armegeddom
Breaking my balls at this game
Knowing it's a dead end
And my only weapon
Is my believe that I'm superior
Yeah we the muthafuckas
That you niggaz is liery off
Controling my steam
Knowing my team to deserve more
Fuck the reframe
Stick to the game and earn more
Holding my head, rolling the head with focus
Laughing inside
Cause deep inside y'all don't know us
(Young Noble Chorus)
We will never fall
Thru it all, we'll always stand tall (Why)
Cause in the end we'll be remembered as some young muthafucka soldiers
And if you believe in that shit that you heard
Y'all dont know us, y'all dont know us
We will never fall (Never)
Thru the war, we'll always stand tall
Cause in the end we'll be remembered as some young muthafucka soldiers
And if you believe in that shit that you heard
Y'all dont know us, y'all dont know us
(E.D.I Talking)
Ain't never know niggaz like us boy
They don't make niggaz like us no more
Thug in Peace.. to all my niggaz (Never)
See ya soon.. uhh
[Chorus: 2Pac]
You wonda why they call U bitch
You wonda why they call U bitch.
You wonda why they call U bitch
You wonda why they call U bitch.
You wonda why they call U bitch
You wonda why they call U bitch.
[Verse One: 2Pac]
Look here Miss Thang
hate to salt your game
but yous a money hungry woman
and you need to change.
In tha locker room
all the homies do is laugh.
High five's cuz anotha nigga
played your ass.
It was said you were sleeezy
even easy
sleepin around for what
you need
See it's your thang
and you can shake it how you wanna.
Give it up free
or make your money on the corner.
But don't be bad and play the game
get mad and change.
Then you wonda why these muthafuckas
call you names.
Still lookin' for a way out
and that's OK
I can see you wanna stray
there's a way out.
Keep your mind on your money,
enroll in school.
And as the years pass by
you can show them fools.
But you ain't tryin' to hear me
cuz your stuck,
you're headin' for the bathroom
'bout to get tossed up.
Still lookin' for a rich man
you dug a ditch,
got your legs up
tryin' to get rich.
I love you like a sista
but you need to switch
and that's why they called
U bitch, I betcha.
[Chorus]
[Verse Two: 2Pac]
You leave your kids with your mama
cuz your headin' for the club
in a skin tight miniskirt
lookin' for some love.
Got them legs wide open
while you're sittin' at the bar
Talkin' to some nigga
'bout his car.
I guess he said he
had a Lexxxus, what's next?
You headin' to his car for some sex
I pass by
can't hold back tears inside
cuz, lord knows
for years I tried.
And all the other people
on my block hate your guts
Then you wonda why they stare
and call you slut.
It's like your mind don't understand
you don't have to kill your
dreams ploten'
schemes on a man
Keep your head up, legs closed, eyes open
either a nigga wear a rubber or he die smokin'
I'm hearin' rumors so you need to switch
and niggas wouldn't call you bitch, I betcha.
[Chorus]
[Verse Three: 2Pac]
I guess times gettin' hard
even harder for you
cuz, hey now, got a baby
on the way now
More money from the county
and thanks to the welfare
you're about to
get your hair done.
Got a dinner date
can't be late
trick or treat, sweet thang
got anotha trick to meet.
The way he did it
it was smooth
plottin' while he gamin' you
So baby, peep tha rules.
I shoulda seen it in the first case
the worst case
I shoulda never called you back
in the first place.
I remember back in high school
baby you was fast
straight sex
and barely move your ass.
But now things change
cuz you don't look the same
let the ghetto get the best of you
baby, that's a shame
Caught HIV and now you 'bout to be deceased
and finally be in peace.
So where your niggas at now
cuz everybody left
they stepped
and left you on your own
See I loved you like a sista
but you died to quick
And that's why we called U bitch, I betcha.
[Chorus]
[Outro: 2Pac]
Dear Ms. Deloris Tucker
keep stressen me
fuckin' with a muthafucken mind
I figured you wanted to know
you know
why we call them hos bitches
and maybe this might help you understand
it ain't personal
strictly business baby
strictly business
So If you wonder why we call U bitch
You wonder why we call U bitch
If you wonder why we call U bitch
You wonder why we call U bitch
Killing us one by one
In one way or another
American will find a way to eliminate the problem
One by one
The problem is
the troubles in the black youth of the ghettos
And one by one
we are being wiped off the face of this earth
At an extremely alarming rate
And even more alarming is the fact
that we are not fighting back
Brothers, sistas, niggas
When I say niggas it is not the nigga we are grown to fear
It is not the nigga we say as if it has no meaning
But to me
It means Never Ignorant Getting Goals Acomplishes, nigga
Niggas what are we going to do
Walk blind into a line or fight
Fight and die if we must like niggas
This is for the masses the lower classes
The ones you left out, jobs were givin', better livin'
But we were kept out
Made to feel inferior, but we're the superior
Break the chains in out brains that made us fear yah
Pledge a legiance to a flag that neglects us
Honour a man that who refuses to respect us
Emmancipation, proclamation, Please!
Nigga just said that to save the nation
These are lies that we all accepted
Say no to drugs but the governments' keep it
Running through our community, killing the unity
The war on drugs is a war on you and me
And yet they say this is the Home of The Free
But if you ask me its all about hyprocracy
The constitution, Yo, it don't apply to me
Lady Liberty still the bitch lied to me
Steady strong nobody's gonna like what I pumpin'
But its wrong to keeping someone from learning something
So get up, its time to start nation building
I'm fed up, we gotta start teaching childern
That they can be all that they wanna to be
There's much more to life than just poverty
This is defaintly ahhh words of wisdom
AMERIKA, AMERIKA, AMERIKKKA
I charge you with the crime of rape, murder, and assault
For suppressing and punishing my people
I charge you with robery for robbing me of my history
I charge you with false imprisonment for keeping me
Trapped in the projects
And the jury finds you guilty on all accounts
And you are to serve the consequences of your evil schemes
Prosecutor do you have any more evidience
Words of Wisdom
They shine upon the strength of an nation
Conquer the enemy on with education
Protect thy self, reach with what you wanna do
Know thy self, teach what we been through
On with the knowledge of the place, then
No one will ever oppress this race again
No Malcolm X in my history text
Why is that?
Cause he tried to educate and liberate all blacks
Why is Martin Luther King in my book each week?
He told blacks, if they get smacked, turn the other cheek
I don't get it, so many questions went through my mind
I get sweated, They act as if asking questions is a crime
But forget it, one day I'm gonna prove them wrong
Now every brother had to smother on the welfare line
The american dream, though it seems it attainable
They're pulling your sleave, don't believe
Cause it will strangle yah
Pulling the life of your brain, I can't explain
Beg as you can obtain from which you came
Swear that your mother is living in equality
Forgeting your brother that's living her apology
Thought they had us beat when they took our kids
But the battle ain't over till the black man sings
Words of Wisdom
But the battle ain't over till the black man sings
Words of Wisdom
NIGHTMARE thats what I am
America's nightmare
I am what you made me
The hate and evil that you gave me
I shine of a reminder of what you have done to my people
for Four hundred plus years
You should be scared
You should be running
You should be trying to silence me
ha ha
But you can not escape fate
Well it is my turn to come
Just as you rose you shall fall
By my hands
Amerika, You reap what you sow
2pacalypse America's Nightmare
Ice Cube and Da Lench Mob America's Nightmare
Above the Law America's Nightmare
Paris America's Nightmare
Public Enemy America's Nightmare
Krs-One America's Nightmare
Mutulu Shakur America's Nightmare
Geronimo Pratt America's Nightmare
Assada Shakur America's Nightmare
[Featuring Marvelouz, Storm]
(Tupac)
Now of course I want peace on the streets
but realisticly
painting perfect pictures ain't never work
my mysery was so deep
couldn't sleep through all my preasures
my quest for cash
I learned fast
you survive voilent measures
memorys of adalicent years
their was unity
but after puperty we roll over
to our community
so many bodies dropping
its got to stop
I want to help
but still I'm stepping
keeping my weapon
must protect myself
promise of a better tomorrow
ain't never reaching
plus my teachers were to petrfied in class to teach me
sipping thunderbird
and grape kool-aid
calling Earl since my stomach was empty
it suduced me to fuck the world
watch my lil homiez
lose there child hood to guns
nobody cries no more
cause we all die for fun
so why you ask me if I want peace
if you can't grant it
niggas fighting across the whole planet
so we can never be peace
(Chorus)
We'll never be peace, or all we all just headed for doom, still
casumed
by the peace, and i'll know there never be peace, thats why I keep my
pistol when i walk the streets cause there never be peace
(Marvelouz)
No time to rest
they stressed out
I can't remember the days my homie was here
now a days we live in fear
the stuggle is still here
so now who's grabbing there strap
who's getting bucked wild
representing the generation of killers
when I was a child had many dreams
reality kept me and my homiez stressing
tyring to raise my baby girl to be the strongest
know when I'm doing wrongest
I never had a bright day
just drunkless smoking blunts
getting faded
wishing my partna made it
if it was peace
or ???????????
I know there will never be
all my tears were shed
when I lost my homie number three
it's getting harder to see
impossibilty should we just face it
can't get through the pain
but still I can't erase it
so many trials and tribulations
things we facing
wicked days
can't see no brighter days
it's time to chase it
cross dreams
cause the scene is when you never get by
thats why I got to stay high
you'll never know when you'll die
my heart will never leave the ghetto
I know to rise only in peace
thats why I say
there ain't never going to be no peace
(Chorus)
(Storm)
Living life lonely
but I can't even cry
cause visions of diseption
all around me
got my eyes full of despise
who can I trust
why even try
they say the world is mine
but I know that's a lie
living to die
set up from birth
steady dreaming
wishing for better days
but all I see is demons
close my eyes
reminisence of my childhood
all I felt was pain from my arrival
no memories of nothing nice
nothing but blinded reminders of my future life
I'm freaking out
I'm getting closer to that other level
will I be strong with game
or just the heartless devil
I hope I'm able to find peace in me
cause theres a storm sixty four inches deep in me
and I try to do the right thing
but it's the wrong thing
that seems to bring me right back
to this dirty game
there never be peace
fuck peace
(Chorus) x3
(Tupac)
shit fuck peace, on the strength to my niggas get a peace, we can't
have
peace, how the fuck we gonna live happy when we ain't got none, tear
drops and closed caskets, these mothafuckas are smiling but don't mean
much, why cause I got to be a thug, see drugs gonna turn this
mothafuckn
head out, all us niggas acting up, wild ass mothafuckn adalicent,
these
niggas ain't got a childhood no more, how the fuck can you have a
childhood when your at the funeral every fuckn weekend, you
mothafuckas
are talking about peace, niggas it ain't no mothafuckn peace, you
ain't
seen the news mothafucka, you ain't heard, little babies getting
smoked,
mothafuckas killing their whole family, little kids getting thrown off
buildings, mothafuckas getting abused, peace, niggas you out your
mothafuckn mind, fuck peace, we can't never have peace until you
mothafuckas clean up this mess you made, Deathrow, until you clean up
the fuckn dirt you dropped, till we get a peace, fuck peace, westside,
Deathrow, Outlaw Immortals, Thug Life baby, you know we do this shit,
that was Storm, Marvelouz, and Pac
(Chorus)
(Ol' switcheroo-ass, bitch made motherfuckers..)
Outlaw nigga, Westside, throw it up
Hahaha.. had love for 'em, but why you turnin on me?
Why me? Westside, how you do it boy?
[2Pac]
I went from, nothin to somethin now they all wanna see me fall
And the player haters hate to see a thug nigga ball
And they say we hate the East coast, but that's funny
Got a lot of love for, any niggaz gettin money
I made a song about my enemies and niggaz tripped
It was hip-hop until Tupac fucked Biggie bitch
Y'all niggaz hypocrites and bitch made
Now either love me or hate me but real thug niggaz get paid
Have me catchin cases all across the nation
I went to jail to bail to barely on probation
They got a player facin three strikes, and we might
just blast God bless the child that can get cash
But all these niggaz turnin and never learn
Got a long line of niggaz player hatin me but gettin burned
Talk a lot of shit but youse a trick in drag
Like the Mack make you fall back and stick yo' ass for back pay
[Chorus: singers + 2Pac]
Why you wanna turn on me?
Never thought you would backstab me (Why y'all turnin on me?)
When you niggaz see me you flee (Why me?)
Cause I'm a T-H with the U-G.. (Why me?)
Why you wanna turn on me?
Never thought you would backstab me
When you niggaz see me you flee
Cause I'm a T-H with the U-G
[add to line seven of Chorus first time: 'Yeah nigga!']
[2Pac]
It, started so innocent, but ended in the fifth precinct
Approach the juvenile delinquent, we still decent
Playin catch and kiss, used to diss the herbs
Fuck school we was skippin drink a fifth on the curb
Me and you, no closer two, while drinkin brew
What you need nigga? Anything at all come to me nigga
You can wear my clothes and my gold for the hoes
Gave you the keys to the jeep, offered my home as an open door
But then you picked a new direction, in the blink of an eye
My time away just made perfection, did you think I'd die?
I never got a single visit yet I carry on
All my old friends too busy now my money gone
Said I got raped in jail, picture that? {*laughter*}
Revenge is a payback bitch, get your gat
Fuck {Wendy Williams} and I pray you choke
on the next dick down your throat, for turnin on me
[Chorus]
[2Pac]
I put Jenny Craig on your fat ass, you fat troll
Anybody ever seen {Wendy Williams} fat ass?
Why you always wearin Spandex you fat bitch?
I know your pussy stinks, you fat hoe
I'm puttin Jenny Craig on you bitch
I'm about to put a twenty-thousand dollar, hit
through Jenny Craig to come find yo' ass
and put you in a fat farm, you fat bitch!
Thug Life, Outlaw, Westside bitch
It's Tupac so you know who said it
And for everybody who didn't like what I said about that other trick
and Mobb Deep, fuck you too nigga!
If a nigga didn't want to get talked about
he shouldn'ta stepped in the fuckin ring
If Tyson don't want to get knocked out
he don't step in the fuckin ring, that's how the shit go
When Tyson get in the ring, he knock motherfuckers out!
Well that's what Tupac gon' do
When niggaz come against me, I'ma knock they punk ass out!
One way or the motherfuckin other
This old motherfuckin nigga in the South told me nigga
It's more than one way to skin a cat
It's more than one way to shoot a gat
It's more than one way to die nigga
When I'm through, everybody cry nigga
This is how we do it
[Chorus]
[2Pac]
Fuck you too nigga!
(feat. Kadafi (Outlawz))
[Intro: 2Pac]
Let us pray
Heavenly Father, hear a nigga down here
Before I go to sleep
Tell me, who do you believe in?
Who do you believe in?
[Verse One: 2Pac]
I see mothers in black cryin, brothers in packs dyin
Plus everybody's high, too doped up to ask why
Watchin our own downfall, witness the end
It's like we don't believe in God cause we livin in sin
I asked my homie on the block why he strapped, he laughed
Pointed his pistol as the cop car passed and blast
It's just another murder, nobody mourns no more
My tear drops gettin bigger but can't figure what I'm cryin for
Is it the miniature caskets, little babies
Victims of a stray, from drug dealers gone crazy
Maybe it's just the drugs, visions of how the block was
Crack came and it was strange how it rocked us
Perhaps the underlyin fact they hide explain genocide
It's when we ride on our own kind
What is it we all fear, reflections in the mirror
We can't escape fate, the end is gettin nearer
[Chorus 2X: 2Pac]
Who do you believe in?
I put my faith in God, blessed and still breathin
And even though it's hard, that's who I believe in
Before I'm leavin, I'm askin the grievin - who do you believe in?
[Verse Two: 2Pac]
Can't close my eyes cause all I see is terror
I hate the man in the mirror
Cause his reflection makes the pain turn realer
Times of Armageddeon, murder in mass amounts
In this society where only gettin the cash counts
I started out as a beginner
Entered the criminal lifestyle became a sinner
I make my money and vacate, evade prison
Went from the chosen one to outcast, unforgiven
And all the Hennessy and weed can't hide, the pain I feel inside
You know, it's like I'm livin just to die
I fall on my knees and beg for mercy, not knowin if I'm worthy
Livin life thinkin no man can hurt me
So I'm askin -- before I lay me down to sleep
Before you judge me, look at all the shit you did to me, my misery
I rose up from the slums, made it out the flames
In my search for fame will I change? I'm askin
[Chorus]
[Verse Three: Kadafi]
Faith in Allah, believe in me and this plastic
Cause so far I done witnessed to many dead niggaz in caskets
With they chest plates stretched like elastic
And what's worse I'm on front line, holdin down camp, still mashin
Heard my cousin, one of the old heads from the block
Just came home October of '95 back in Yardsville stuck
with a three to five, if he don't act up, now he realize
If you don't stay wise, then in this game you fucked
Talk to my baby girl, give me the word on what she heard
One of the grimmies is snitchin, Diamond a stool pigeon I talked to him
He said he didn't, my man said he did, in fact he's sure
Cause he just came home off of bail
[2Pac] Now tell me
[Chorus]
[Outro: spoken word]
Who do you believe in?
Is it Buddah, Jehovah, or Jah? Or Allah?
Is it Jesus? Is it God? Or is just yourself?
Definately not to be imposed, being a demon
Because this is the joy of believing!
Men, to believe in yourselves
But for sure, the higher power
Resides only to ride in the heart of the true
From the soul, of the man; for truth never has an alibi
In the poetry, or in it's realm
That's what pulls all words together
Just to understand, that every man, is his OWN man
And only man can satisfy the man
Only the soul of the man, the feelings of the man
The for realness of the man
You can't shake the man when you feel the man you know the man
And you gotta call yourself because you are that man
[2Pac]
Who do you believe in?
I put my faith in God, blessed and still breathin
[singing while 2Pac speaks]
Who do you believe in? Put my faith in God, and
Blessed and still breathin
[singer + (2Pac)]
Even though it's hard (Who do you believe in?)
That's who I believe in (Put my faith in God)
Before I'm leavin (Even though it's hard)
I'm askin the grievin
(Before I'm leavin I'm askin the grievin - who do you believe in?)
Who do you believe in? (Who do you believe in?)
Who do you (Blessed and still breathin)
Oh blessed, oh blessed
(Before I'm leavin I'm askin the grievin - who do you believe in?)
[singer]
Oh who do you
Do you believe in
Hohhhhh-ohhhhh
[2Pac over singer]
Who do you believe in?
I put my faith in God, blessed and still breathin
And even though it's hard, that's who I believe in
Before I'm leavin I'm askin the grievin - who do you believe in?
[singer + (2Pac)]
I'm askin (Who do you believe in?)
I'm askin you (Put my faith in God)
(That's who I believe in)
(Before I'm leavin I'm askin the grievin - who do you believe in?)
[2Pac]
Who do you believe in?
I'm blessed and still breathin
That's who I believe in
Before I'm leavin, I'm askin the grievin
Who do you believe in?
Who do you believe in? [echoes to fade]
I ain't saying I'm innocent of all this
I'm just saying
This song is for y'all
For all the times I mess up
when we mess up
Dear sister
Got me twisted up in prison
I miss yah
Crying
Looking at my nieces and nephews picture
They say don't let this cruel world get yah
Kinda suspicious,
Swearing one day you might leave me
for someone that's richer
Twist the cap off the bottle
I take a sip and see tomorrow
Gotta make if I have to Beg and Borrow
Reading love letters
late night, locked down, and quiet
If brothers don't receive their mail
Best believe we riot
Eating Jack mat
Staring at walls of Silence
Inside this cage
Where they captured all my rage and violence
In time I learned a few lessons
Never fall for riches
Apologizies to my TRUE sisters
Far from bitches
Help me raise my black nation
Reperations are due
Its true
Caught up in this world
I took advantage of you
So tell the babies how I love them
Precious boys and girls
Born black in this white mans world
and all I heard was
[Chorus]
Who knows what tomorrow brings
In this world where everyone lies
Where to go
No matter how far I find
To let you know
That You're not alone
Being born with less
I must confess
Only adds on to the stress
Two gunshots to my homies head
Died in his rest
Shot him to death
and Left him bleeding for his family to see
I pass his casket
Gently asking
Is there heaven for G's?
My homeboys doing life
Begging mama be stressing
Shedding tears
When her son finally ask that questions
Where my daddy at?
Mama, Why we live so poor?
Why you crying?
Heard you late night
Throught my bedroom door
Now do you love me mama?
Why do they keep calling me nigger?
Get my wieght up, with my hate
and pay 'em back when I'm bigger
Still thugging in this jail cell
Missing my block
Hearing brothers screaming all night
Wishing they'd stop
Proud to be black
But why do we act like
We don't love ourselves
Don't look around
busta (you sucka)
Check yourselves
know what if means to be black
whether a man or girl
we're still struggling in this
White man's world
[Chorus]
(we must fight)
Who knows what tomorrow brings
In this world where everyone lies
Where to go
No matter how far I find
To let you know
That You're not alone
So tell me why you changed
Choosing new direction
In a blink of an eye
My time away just made perfection
You think I'd die
Not gonna cry
Why should I care
Like we holding on to love
Thats no longer there
Can you please help me
God Bless me please
Keep my seeds healthy
Banging on my enemies Bleed
While my G's healthy
Hoping they bury me
With ammunition, weed, and shells
Just in case they trip in heaven
Ain't no G's hell
Sister sorry for the pain
That I caused your heart
I know I'll change
If yah help me
But Don't fall apart
Rest In Peace
To Latasha, Little Yummy, and Kato
To much for this cold world to take
Ended up being fatal
Every women in America
Especially Black
Bear with me, can't you see
We're under attack
I never meant to cause drama
To my sister and Mama
Will we make it
To better times
In this white man worlds
[Chorus]
[Along with revolutionary talking]
(feat. Outlawz)
[Outlaw Immortalz]
Bow down to somethin greater than yourself trick
Individuals capable of enormous amounts of chin checks and eye swolls
They know
You watchin but you ain't seein what lies before you, beatch
Picture if you will seven deadly human beings
blessed with the gift of speech, the power to reach
each nigga on every street
May the Heavenly Father look down and be proud
of what transpired since the day the seed was planted
The G grew but we knew he'd rise up quick
Smoked out, loc'ed out, all into shit
Just me and my dogs livin like hogs
Outlaw Immortalz
What follows is the story, what proceeded was the glue
What lies between is the fiction
Don't fuck around and make it true
[Tupac]
Hahahahahaha
My adversaries crumble when we rumble it's a catastrophe
I pull revenge on bitch niggaz that blasted me
Plus my alias is Makaveli
A loaded three-fifty-seven with hollow points to a nigga belly
Bust him to see if he bleed, he shoulda never fucked around
with a sick-ass nigga like me
They call my name out and niggaz run, best be prepared
for the Outlawz, here we come
[Hussein Fatal]
They call me Hussein Fatal, it's a two game table
I'm robbin ya niggaz cradle wit a knife in your navel
Rap-related criminally activated and evil
I wouldn't wanna be you behind my fuckin Desert Eagle
Till the end, I'm tellin all friends and enemies
You see what I got to make you freeze, to touch me you need ten of these
Complete most, wanted on the streets of the East coast
Young Gunz fire and niggaz bleed, I see Mo
[Kastro]
I be shinin like white diamonds and crystal, glistenin holdin pistols
The mission's simple, fold up and roll up dead presidentials
Sew up all the potential, million, billion dollar baller potential
Sort it, oughta call on a nigga I'll be sure to get you
Take cash bro, fast yo, for my Kastro
Blast and I'ma last yo past all these Glass Joes
and assholes who claim, like they be runnin thangs
I be gunnin those same niggaz runnin late, to their fate
[Napoleon]
My alias is motherfuckin Na-poleon, and I'd rather be
robbin again before these motherfuckers leave me sufferin
But the shit ain't nothin, and I got no time for no bluffin
befo' a nigga finish with puttin in work I betta end up with somethin
I think these niggaz got the game fucked up
If they don't believe, that a young nigga like me, would bust (Boo-Yaa!)
Perhaps it's a must, I'm facin cases, fuck probation
is what I'm screamin when these money hungry cops be chasin
[Chorus: Tupac]
Thug nigga till we die, no mercy
on these playa hatin bitches, ask me why - when we ride!
Thug nigga till we die, no mercy
on these playa hatin bitches, ask me why - when we ride!
[Mussolini]
It's the imperial serial killer, alias Mussolini
Mentally unstable G status, so you can't see me
Drug warlord, riding Concorde jets
Rag Vette's, shakin bitches and snitches and trippin on sets
Ingle-Watts banger, keepin one in the chamber
For the anger that I build inside, when it's time to ride
Suicidal thoughts lurk fuckin no end to revenge
Fuck any, my alias Mussolini
[Idi Amin]
They call me Idi, from the side of seedy
Young nigga greedy, so I'm runnin up on these niggaz easy
It ain't nuttin, cause if they wantin somethin, so I'ma commence
to dumpin stomp down and struck up while my beat is bumpin, Thuggin
to my fuckin last nut, with Lo-Pole and Kastro
Who you thought was on that asshole, don't ask though
Outlaw Immortalz doin this dit-nirt on the sli-zow
Ain't no chance to hide when we ride
[Khadafi]
My alias Khadafi, Trump tight so feds can't copy
Six-three and cocky quick to hit your bitch if she drop me
Severely addicted to livin like a fuckin felon
while beefin with rookie cops the cookie rocks a nigga sellin
Since a short I been livin life defiant, nickel plated chrome
Got this baby Capone lookin like a giant, and I ain't lyin
It's like it's me against myself with all these
backstabbin snakes grabbin at my fuckin wealth
[Mo Khomeini]
Mo Khomeini goes terrorist, mad man killer
The bottom of the river where the body lays and shivers
I'm that nigga with the fifty cap pouch, with the murderous stacks
that increase, while these motherfuckers eat beef
It's been a long road, a lot of episodes
And as the glock loads, I gotta teach hoes
Reach hoes, make em feel a nigga when I'm mashin
Now I'm surpassin any assassin
[Chorus 2X]
[Tupac]
Hahahaha, Outlaw Immortalz baby
Y'all niggaz can't fade this ol crazy shit
Makaveli, Hussein, Kastro, Khadafi, Mussolini
Amin, Naploleon, Khomani
What y'all really wanna do?
Haha like them niggaz said
'What would you do? If you could fuck with me and my crew'
Hehahahahaha, Thug Life, yeah nigga
Flashin on niggaz
Thug Life right? This year we Thug Life
But we Outlaw Immortalz
We die nigga, but we multiply, we like legends nigga
Like I'll make you famous motherfucker
I'm talkin about Newsweek and Time Magazine and all that ol good shit
My niggas make the papers baby
My niggas make the front page
Multiple gunshots [fades]
When thugs cry..
Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my guns to keep
If I die before I wake
I pray the Lord my soul to take
God (?), when thugs cry, too much is hard
[2Pac]
Born thuggin and lovin the way I came up
Big money clutchin, bustin while evadin cocaine busts
My pulse rushin, send my (?) into insanity
Shout at my cousin now we bustin if they yo' family
The coppers wanna see me buried, I ain't worried
I got a line on the D.A. cause I'm fuckin his secretary
I black out and start cussin, bust 'em and touch 'em all
They panic and bitches duckin, I rush 'em and fuck 'em all
I'll probably be an old man before I understand
why I had to live my life with pistols close at hand
Kidnapped my homey's sister, cut her face up bad
They even raped so we blazed they pad
Automatic shots rang out, on every block
They puttin hits out on politicians, even cops, I ain't lyin
They got me sleepin with my infrared beams
And in my dreams I hear motherfuckers screamin
What is the meaning, when thugs cry?
[Chorus: singers]
Oh why, children send your child off to die
In the streets of chalk where they lie
Let no wrongs cry out when thugs cry
Dear God..
Oh why, does it have to be this way, our
children of today won't stay wise
Let the children hear when thugs cry
Dear God.. oh why..
[('When thugs cry') on line 4, first time only]
[('thugs cry') on line 6, first time only]
[2Pac]
Heh.. maybe my addiction to friction got me buggin
Where is the love? Never quit my ambition to thug
Ain't shed a tear since the old school years of elementary
Niggaz I used to love, enclosed in penitentiaries
But still homey keep it real, how does it feel
to lose your life, over somethin that you did as a kid?
You all alone, no communication, block on the phone
Don't get along with yo' pop, and plus your moms is gone
Where did we go wrong? I put my soul in the song
to help us grow at times, but now our minds are gone
We went from brothers and sisters, to niggaz and bitches
We went from welfare livin, to worldwide riches
But somethin changed in this dirty game, everything's strange
Lost all my homies over cocaine.. mayne
See they ask me if I shed a tear, I ain't lie
See you gotta get high or die, cause even thugs cry
[Chorus]
[2Pac]
And all I see is these paranoid bitches, illegal adventures
Bustin motherfuckers with uppercuts, I leave 'em with dentures
Cause in my criminal mind, nobody violates the Don
I write your name on a piece of paper, now your family's gone
Why perpetrate like you can handle my team?
So merciless that my attack'll take command of your dreams
Leavin motherfuckers drownin in they own blood
Clownin takin pictures later
Laugh bout the punk bitches, that turned snitches
Regulate my area, the terror I represent
Makin yo' people disappear, you wonderin where they went?
Am I cold or is it just I sold my soul?
Addicted to these streets, never find true peace I'm told
Come take my body God, don't let me suffer any longer
Smoke a pound of marijuana, so I know it ain't long
Where is the end to all my misery, is there a close?
I suppose that's why I murder my foes, when thugs cry
[Chorus]
[2Pac over Chorus]
I shed tattooed tears for years
for my dead homeboys and my prison peers
Y'all ain't never heard my cries
Now you wonder why would you die?
[Chorus]
(Yawn)
(hahaha)
And ugh
I started out dumb
Sprung off a hood rat
Listening to the radio
Wishing that I could rap
But nothing changed
I was stuck in the game
Cause everybody in the industry was fucking me man
Listen
I've got a scheme
Break away do my own thing
Drop some conversation
Sit back and let the phone ring
Niggas they wanna see me rise
'97 watch me cut these motherfuckers down to size
And if I catch another case
Lord knows how they hate me
Got a playa in the court room
Please don't let them frame me
I've been dealt a lot of bad cards
Living as a thug
Count my blessings
Don't stress in this land with no love
Maybe if they see me rolling
Look at all this green I'm holding
I guess that's why the envious
Get their eye swollen
Hoping the heavenly farther love a hustler
Be the hardest nigga on earth to ever bust a nut
My homies tell me have a heart
Fuck they feelings
I've been trying to make a million since we started
We cold hearted
Niggas in masks that'll blast at the task force
Empty out my clip
Time to mash
They asked for it
Me Makaveli I'm a motherfucker
We break bread
Now we thug brothers (huhuh)
Niggas talk a lot of nonsense
I choose to ignore
A war
They ain't ready for it (huhuh)
[Chorus]
Now what cha gonna do? when my niggas come for you
(What ya gonna do)
Now what cha gonna do? when my niggas come for you
(What ya gonna do)
Now what cha gonna do? when my niggas come for you
(What ya gonna do)
Now what cha gonna do? when my niggas come for you
(What ya gonna do)
[Verse 2: Young Noble & Kastro]
My nine is thuglord
My mind on my grind
Outlawz is my heart
They shine when I shine
My ryhme is my grind
My team be on role
Proceed with the onslaught
Indeed they on top
They all marks
And its an outlaw holocaust
When I got the sawed-off
Niggas gettin' halved off
Yer, nigga beware
Stand clear
This nigga's scared
Man I don't really care
I've been lost loved (loved)
My heart need a hug (hug)
My bite leave blood (blood)
Fight with a grudge
The life of a thug nigga, might need gloves
But you will never know
With a price on your mug
And fight strips snug right around your hands
Niggas sure you can never grab the mic again
Dog you fucking with a grown man
And I can't afford to loose
Where we from niggas told to do
So what cha ya wann' do?
[Chorus]
Now what cha gonna do? when my niggas come for you
(What ya gonna do)
Now what cha gonna do? when my niggas come for you
(What ya gonna do)
Now what cha gonna do? when my niggas come for you
(What ya gonna do)
Now what cha gonna do? when my niggas come for you
(What ya gonna do)
[Verse 3: Tupac]
Watch me clown
Give me loving when I'm high
I'ma outlaw baby I'll be thugging 'till I die
In drop-top double r
Life as a rap star
Hustle like a crack fiend
'Till they catch me
Go ask somebody to your show
Watch them niggas out the sight of mah night scope
Cooking white dope
Got mah nigga 25 to life stretched out
Trying to have all the better things in life
Well Makaveli
A born leader 10 millimeter
Changing niggas future like a schizophrenic palm reader
Heeds from out the bible I read
See the meek shall inherit the earth
And the strong will lead
Hittin' weed like it alright
I'm in the studio
Making music all night
My enemies cry whenever I rise
They hated 'till death
Try to beat me out my last breath
What cha gonna do?
[Chorus]
Now what cha gonna do? when my niggas come for you
(What ya gonna do)
Now what cha gonna do? when my niggas come for you
(What ya gonna do)
Now what cha gonna do? when my niggas come for you
(What ya gonna do)
Now what cha gonna do? when my niggas come for you
(What ya gonna do)
What'z ya phone number
Now I could make miracles with pimp hoes.
It's instrumental.
Waitin for the nimphoes.
That's the intro.
Shoot when ya rush me.
Walked up and touched me.
Why? Do you want to fuck me?
Just cuz I'm paid in the worst way? True.
Lookin kind a good in your birthday suit.
I wonder if your wild and ya act shy.
Do you like to be on top or the back side?
Watch me while you lick your lips, shake your hips.
Goddamn, I love that shit.
Yo, let's stop fakin and be real now.
I got a room and a hard on. Still down?
Met ya standin at a bar full of black dudes.
Said ya wanna see my scars and my tatooes.
When we head for my hideout, act right.
Boss playa when I ride out, that's right.
What'z ya phone number?
If you really wanna fuck with me, I'm ready.
Baby, let me give you a call.
How long will it take to break you off?
[Repeat once more]
Oh shit, baby is a dime piece.
Wanted this fine seat.
If I see ya right.
Now she can get me.
Hor didn't wanna talk to me till she see my car.
Never had sez with a rich rap star
Till I got her in the back of my homeboy's car.
Tell me, why do we live this way?
Money over bitches.
Let me here you say:
What'z your phone number?
Are you alone?
Got a pocket full of rubbers, let's bone.
Time for your girlfriend to take you home.
I had fun,
But baby, gotta leave me alone.
Picture in my rhyme.
Take time to rewind these ? words I say.
If you open your mind,
Bet in a minute you'll find it's time.
Let the Outlaws play.
What'z ya phone number.
[Chorus repeats 2X]
[Girl and Tupac converse]
[G:] Hello?
[2:] Hello? who is this?
[G:] Is this Tupac?
[2:] This is who?
[G:] Is this Tupac?
[2:] Yeah, it's Tupac. Who dis?
[G:] Hi baby. How are you?
[2:] I'm aiight. What' up baby?
[G:] You don't recognize the voice?
[2:] You recognize my voice, huh?
[G:] Do you recognize MY voice?
[2:] Nah, I know you?
[G:] Yeah, you know me. I guess you don't recognize me when I'm talkin.
[2:] Where I know you from? Where I know you from?
[G:] You just know me, baby.
[2:] Where? Talk up I can't barely hear you.
[G:] You know me from when we were, you know, intimate.
[2:] Oh, we fucked?
[G:] Oh baby, did we ever.
[2:] Oh, tell me about it baby.
[G:] I remember when I put that big dick in my hand and
stroked it up and down.
[2:] OOOOH!
[G:] Then I put it in my mouth. I fucked it.
[2:] Ooh, you did.
[G:] Ooh, I did.
[2:] Shit!
[G:] Fucked it and fucked it. Put me in. You came.
[2:] Did I come?
[G:] Ooh, baby: everywhere, everywhere. You don't remember me yet?
[2:] I'm starting to get a picture. Why don't you help me out.
What did I do to the pussy? What a nigga do to the pussy?
[G:] You rocked it.
[2:] Did I?
[G:] Yeah, you did.
[2:] Did I do some of that Thug Passion?
[G:] Mmmmmm
[2:] Heh, heh. Eh, so what cha doin right now, though?
[G:] Me and my finger are gettin aquainted.
[2:] How many you got?
[G:] I got ten. But only one is workin.
[2:] Oh, well can I come over there?
[G:] If you want to.
[2:] Do I want to? Do a bear shit in the woods and
wipe his ass with a rabbit.
[G:] Mmm. You gon rock it baby?
[2:] Hell yeah, I'm gon rock it baby.
[G:] ]Like you did before?
[2:] No dizoubt. You gon feel that Thug Passion for real.
[G:] Mmmm, baby.
[2:] I'm on my way though. I'm about to fly over there in a 500.
It ain't gon take but a minute. Eh, light the candles.
Get the baby oil out. Turn all the lights out. Drink a little
bit of that shit. I'm on my way babe. I'm gon knock that pussy
to the next week.
[G:] Knock it out, baby, knock it out.
[2:] I'm gon knock the taste out yo mouth, girl. I'm gon put your legs on
your head. I'm a tie you up, blindfold you. And we gon play which hole
feel the best.
[G:] You know which hole feel the best.
[2:] We fin to see tonight, though.
[G:] I'm gon make you remember me.
[2:] Oh, yeah.
[G:] Yeah.
[2:] Oh yeah, you got my dick hard. I can't find the steering shift you got me
so fucked up. I'm playin with myself and shit.
[G:] Can I shift your gear?
What'z ya phone number
Now I could make miracles with pimp hoes.
It's instrumental.
Waitin for the nimphoes.
That's the intro.
Shoot when ya rush me.
Walked up and touched me.
Why? Do you want to fuck me?
Just cuz I'm paid in the worst way? True.
Lookin kind a good in your birthday suit.
I wonder if your wild and ya act shy.
Do you like to be on top or the back side?
Watch me while you lick your lips, shake your hips.
Goddamn, I love that shit.
Yo, let's stop fakin and be real now.
I got a room and a hard on. Still down?
Met ya standin at a bar full of black dudes.
Said ya wanna see my scars and my tatooes.
When we head for my hideout, act right.
Boss playa when I ride out, that's right.
What'z ya phone number?
If you really wanna fuck with me, I'm ready.
Baby, let me give you a call.
How long will it take to break you off?
[Repeat once more]
Oh shit, baby is a dime piece.
Wanted this fine seat.
If I see ya right.
Now she can get me.
Hor didn't wanna talk to me till she see my car.
Never had sez with a rich rap star
Till I got her in the back of my homeboy's car.
Tell me, why do we live this way?
Money over bitches.
Let me here you say:
What'z your phone number?
Are you alone?
Got a pocket full of rubbers, let's bone.
Time for your girlfriend to take you home.
I had fun,
But baby, gotta leave me alone.
Picture in my rhyme.
Take time to rewind these ? words I say.
If you open your mind,
Bet in a minute you'll find it's time.
Let the Outlaws play.
What'z ya phone number.
[Chorus repeats 2X]
[Girl and Tupac converse]
[G:] Hello?
[2:] Hello? who is this?
[G:] Is this Tupac?
[2:] This is who?
[G:] Is this Tupac?
[2:] Yeah, it's Tupac. Who dis?
[G:] Hi baby. How are you?
[2:] I'm aiight. What' up baby?
[G:] You don't recognize the voice?
[2:] You recognize my voice, huh?
[G:] Do you recognize MY voice?
[2:] Nah, I know you?
[G:] Yeah, you know me. I guess you don't recognize me when I'm talkin.
[2:] Where I know you from? Where I know you from?
[G:] You just know me, baby.
[2:] Where? Talk up I can't barely hear you.
[G:] You know me from when we were, you know, intimate.
[2:] Oh, we fucked?
[G:] Oh baby, did we ever.
[2:] Oh, tell me about it baby.
[G:] I remember when I put that big dick in my hand and
stroked it up and down.
[2:] OOOOH!
[G:] Then I put it in my mouth. I fucked it.
[2:] Ooh, you did.
[G:] Ooh, I did.
[2:] Shit!
[G:] Fucked it and fucked it. Put me in. You came.
[2:] Did I come?
[G:] Ooh, baby: everywhere, everywhere. You don't remember me yet?
[2:] I'm starting to get a picture. Why don't you help me out.
What did I do to the pussy? What a nigga do to the pussy?
[G:] You rocked it.
[2:] Did I?
[G:] Yeah, you did.
[2:] Did I do some of that Thug Passion?
[G:] Mmmmmm
[2:] Heh, heh. Eh, so what cha doin right now, though?
[G:] Me and my finger are gettin aquainted.
[2:] How many you got?
[G:] I got ten. But only one is workin.
[2:] Oh, well can I come over there?
[G:] If you want to.
[2:] Do I want to? Do a bear shit in the woods and
wipe his ass with a rabbit.
[G:] Mmm. You gon rock it baby?
[2:] Hell yeah, I'm gon rock it baby.
[G:] ]Like you did before?
[2:] No dizoubt. You gon feel that Thug Passion for real.
[G:] Mmmm, baby.
[2:] I'm on my way though. I'm about to fly over there in a 500.
It ain't gon take but a minute. Eh, light the candles.
Get the baby oil out. Turn all the lights out. Drink a little
bit of that shit. I'm on my way babe. I'm gon knock that pussy
to the next week.
[G:] Knock it out, baby, knock it out.
[2:] I'm gon knock the taste out yo mouth, girl. I'm gon put your legs on
your head. I'm a tie you up, blindfold you. And we gon play which hole
feel the best.
[G:] You know which hole feel the best.
[2:] We fin to see tonight, though.
[G:] I'm gon make you remember me.
[2:] Oh, yeah.
[G:] Yeah.
[2:] Oh yeah, you got my dick hard. I can't find the steering shift you got me
so fucked up. I'm playin with myself and shit.
[G:] Can I shift your gear?
[2Pac]
They claim that I'm violent, just cause I refuse to be silent
These hypocrites are havin fits, cause I'm not buyin it
Defyin it, envious because I will rebel against
any oppressor, and this is known as self defense
I show no mercy, they claim that I'm the lunatic
But when the shit gets thick, I'm the one you go and get
Don't look confused, the truth is so plain to see
Cause I'm the nigga that you sell-outs are ashamed to be
In every Jeep and every car, brothers stomp this
I'm Never Ignorant, Getting Goals Accomplished
The underground railroad on an uprise
This time the truth's gettin told, heard enough lies
I told em fight back, attack on society
If this is violence, then violent's what I gotta be
If you investigate you'll find out where it's comin from
Look through our history, America's the violent one
Unlock my brain, break the chains of your misery
This time the payback for evil shit you did to me
They call me militant, racist cause I will resist
You wanna censor somethin, motherfucker censor this!
My words are weapons, and I'm steppin to the silent
Wakin up the masses, but you, claim that I'm violent
[Chorus:]
[1st occurance:] as written
[2nd occurance:] add last three lines again
[3rd occurance:] repeat first five lines twice
[4th occurance:] repeat first five lines twice
[5th occurance:] second to fifth line, first to fifth line
[6th occurance:] emphasis on second line, whole chorus
[7th occurance:] first three lines only
'They claimin that I'm violent' -> Chuck D [cut and scratched]
'Fuck the damn cop!' [cut and scratched]
'Just because we play what the people want..'
'They claimin that I'm violent' -> Chuck D [cut and scratched]
'Fuck the damn cop!' [cut and scratched]
'Just because we play what the people want..'
'They claimin that I'm violent' -> Chuck D [cut and scratched]
'Fuck the damn cop!' [cut and scratched]
[2Pac]
The cops can't stand me, but they can't touch me
Call me a dope man, cause I rock dope beats
Jacked by the police, didn't have my ID
I said, 'Excuse me, why you tryin to rob me?'
He had tha nerve to, say that I had a curfew
(Do you know what time it is?
Get out the fucking car, or I'll hurt you!)
'Get out the car... or I'lI hurt you'
So here I go, I better make my mind up
Pick my nine up, or hit the line-up
I chose B, stepped into the streets
The first cop grabbed me, the other ripped my seat
They grabbed my homie and they threw him to the concrete
(Ay man.. aiyyo.. ay man just c'mon ?)
('What you doin man?') They tried to frame me
They tried to say I had some dope in the back seat
But I'm a rap fiend, not a crack fiend
My homie panicked ('I'm out') he tried to run
(Freeze nigga!) I heard a bullet fire from the cop's gun
My homie dropped so, I hit the cop
I kept swingin, yo, I couldn't stop
Before I knew it, I was beatin the cop senseless
The other cop dropped his gun, he was defenseless
(? Arrrrggggh, fuck you! Ungggh!)
Now I'm against this cop who was racist
Given him a taste, of tradin places
And all this, cause the peckerwood was tryin this
frame up, but I came up
Now they claimin that I'm violent
[Chorus]
[2Pac]
As I was beatin on a cop, I heard a gun click (uh-ohh)
Then the gun shot, but I wasn't hit
I turned around it was my homie with the gun in hand
He shot the cop (damn!) now he's a dead man
I said, come on, it's time for us to get away
(Let's go, we gotta get the fuck outta here)
They called for backup, and they'll be on their way
Jumped in the car, and tried to get away quick
The car wouldn't start (damn!) we in deep shit
So we jumped out (C'mon let's take the cop's car)
We drove a little ways thinkin that we got far
But I looked up, and all I saw was blue lights
If I die tonight, I'm dying in a gunfight
I grabed the AK, my homie took the 12 gauge
Load em up quick, it's time for us to spray
We'll shoot em up with they own fuckin weapons
And when we through sprayin (audi) then we steppin
This is a lesson, to the rednecks and crooked cops
You fuck with real niggaz, get ya fuckin ass dropped
So here we go, the police against us
Dark as dusk, waitin for the guns to bust (What's next man?)
What's next, I don't know and I don't care
One things fo' sho', tommorrow I won't be here
But if I go, I'm takin all these punks with me
Pass me a clip G, now come and get me
You wanna sweat me, never get me to be silent
Givin them a reason, (a reason) to claim that I'm violent...
[Chorus (3)]
[Chorus (4)]
[Chorus (5)]
[Chorus (6)]
[Chorus (7)]
[Chorus sung by RL on (Disc One), Richard Page on (Disc Two)]
[2Pac]
Perhaps I was addicted to the dark side
Somewhere inside my childhood witnessed my heart die
And even though we both came from the same places
The money and the fame made us all change places
How could it be - through the misery that came to pass
The hard times made a true friend afraid to ask - for currency
But you could run to me when you need me and I'll never leave
I just need, someone to believe in, as you can see
It's a small thang to a true, what could I do?
Real homies help you get through
And come to knew he'd do the same thang if he could
Cause in the hood true homies make you feel good
And half the times we be actin up call the cops
Bringin a cease to the peace that was on my block
It never stop, when my mama ask me will I change
I tell her yeah, but it's clear I'll always be the same
Until the end of time
[Chorus]
So take, these broken wings
I need your hands to come and heal me once again
(Until the end of time)
So I can fly away, until the end of time
Until the end of time
Until the end of time
[2Pac]
Please Lord forgive me for my life of sin
My hard stare seem to scare all my sister's kids
So you know, I don't hang around the house much
This all night, money making got me outta touch, shit
Ain't flashed a smile in a long while
An unexpected birth worst of the ghetto childs
My attitude got me walkin solo, ride out alone in my lo-lo
Watchin the whole world move in slow-mo
For quiet times disappear, listen to the ocean
Smokin 'Ports, think my thoughts, then it's back to coastin
Who can I trust in this cold world?
My phony homey had a baby by my old girl
But I ain't trippin I'm a player I ain't sweatin him
I sex his sister, had her mumble like a Mexican
His next of kin, no remorse it was meant to happen
Besides rappin the only thing I did good was scrappin
Until the end of time
[Chorus - 2X]
[2Pac]
Now who's to say if I was right or wrong?
To live my life as an Outlaw all along
Remain strong in this planet full of player haters
They conversate but Death Row full of demonstrators
And in the end drinkin Heneessy made all my enemies envy me
So cold when I flow eliminatin easily
Falls to they knees, they plead for they right to breath
While beggin me to keep the peace (haha)
What I can see closer to achieve
In times of danger don't freeze, time to be a G
Follow my lead I'll supply everything you need
An ounce of game and the trainin to make a G
Remember me, as an outcast Outlaw
Another album out, that's what I'm about, more
Gettin raw 'til the day I see my casket
Buried as a G while the whole world remembers me
Until the end of time
[Chorus]
(feat. RL (Next))
[2Pac]
Perhaps I was addicted to tha dark side
Somewhere inside my childhood i missed my heart die
And even though we both came from the same places
The money and the fame made us all change places
How could it be through the misery that came to pass
The hard times make a true friend afraid to ask, for currency
But you could run to me when you need me, I'll never leave
I just needed someone to believe in, as you can see
It's a small thang through and true
What could I do? Real homies help ya get through,
And coming new, he'd do tha same thang if he could
Cuz in the hood true homies make you feel good
And half the time we be acting up call tha cops
Bringing the cease to tha peace that was on my block
It never stop, when my mama ask me will I change
I tell her yeah, but it's clear I'll always be tha same
Until the end of time
[Chorus: RL]
So take, these broken wings
I need your hands to come and heal me once again
(Until the end of time)
So I can fly away, until the end of time
Until the end of time
Until the end of time
[2Pac]
Please Lord forgive me for my life of sin
My hard stare seem to scare all my sister's kids
So you know I don't hang around tha house much
This all night money making got me outta touch, shit
Ain't flashed a smile in a long while
An unexpected birth worst of the ghetto childs
My attitude got me walking solo
Ride out alone in my low-low
Watching the whole world move in slow-mo
For quiet times disappear listen to the ocean
Smoking Ports think my thoughts
Then it's back to coasting
Who can I trust in this cold world
My phony homey had a baby by my own girl
But I ain't trippin I'm a player I ain't sweating him
I sex his sister, had her mo' good like a Mexican
His next of kin, No remorse it was meant to happen
Besides rapping the only thing I did good was scrapping
Until the end of time
[Chorus x2]
[2Pac]
Now who's to say if I was right or wrong?
To live my life as an outlaw all along
Remain strong in this planet full of playa haters
They conversate but Death Row full of demonstrators
And in tha end drinking henessy made all my enemies envy me
So cold when I flow eliminating easily
Fall to their knees, they plead for their right to breath
While beggin me to keep the peace (haha)
Well I can see close into achieve
In times of danger don't freeze time to be a g
Follow my lead I supply everything you need
An ounce of game and the trainin to make a g
Remember me, as an outcast outlaw
Another album out that's what I'm about, more
Gettin raw till the day I see my casket
Buried as a g while tha whole world remembers me
Until the end of time
[Chorus]
Troublesome nigga
[chorus plays in background]
Troublesome 19-muthafuckin-96 (westside)
Let it be known nigga
Boss of all bosses, Makaveli
Menacin' methods label me a lethal weapon
making niggas die witnessin' breathless imperfections
can you picture my specific plan
to be the man in this wicked land,underhanded hits are planned
scams are plotted over grams and rocks
when outlaw motherfuckers die by the random shots
we all die in the end, so the feds we swore
I was all about my ends, fuck friends and foes
me, a born leader, never leave the block without my my heata
got me a dog get nigga Mobb bitch nigga eata
what could they do to me that little brat
shit them niggas shot me and still terrified, I'll get their ass
how can I show you how I feel inside
we outlawz motherfuckas can't kill my pride
niggas talk a lot of shit but that's after im gone
cause they fear me in physical form let it be known
I'm troublesome
[chorus]
tra la la la la la all ya niggas die [several times]
trouble shit
gutter ways my mentality is ghetto
we're guerillas in this criminal war, we all rebels
death before dishonor bet on bomb on them first niggas do
we came for murder, pullin' up in a herse
westside was the war cry bustin' all freely screaming fuck
all ya'll niggas in Swahili
pistol packin' fresh out of jail, I ain't goin' back
release me to care of my heartless strap
say my name three times like Candyman
bet I roll on your ass like an avalance
a soul survivor, learned to get high and pull drive bys
burned my folks, can't control my nine
hearin' thoughts of my enemies pleadin' please
busta ass motherfuckas tried to flee
picture me lettin this chump survive
redin' up on his ass when I'm doped and died
cause I'm troublesome
[chorus]
murder murder my mind states shit ain't change since my last rhyme
the crime rate ain't decline
niggas bustin' shots like they lost their mind
like twenty-five to life never crossed their mind
tell me young nigga never learned a thang
dead at thirteen cause he yearned to bang
sniffed a lot of flowers, but how can I cry
try to warn the little nigga either stop or die
mercy is for the weak when I speak I scream
afraid to sleep in havin' of crazy dreams
vivid pictures of my enemies and family times
God to forgive me cause it's wrong but I plan to die
need to take me in heaven and understand I was a sheep
did the best I could, raised in insanity
or send me to hell cause I ain't beggin' for my life
ain't nothing worse than this cursed ass hopeless life
cause I'm troublesome
You know they got me trapped in this prison of seclusion
Happiness, living on tha streets is a delusion
Even a smooth criminal one day must get caught
Shot up or shot down with tha bullet that he bought
Nine millimeter kickin' thinking about what tha streets do
to me
Cause they never talk peace in tha black community
All we know is violence, do tha job in silence
Walk tha city streets like a rat pack of tyrants
Too many brothers daily heading for tha big penn
Niggas commin' out worse offthan when they went in
Over tha years I done alot of growin' up
Getten drunk thrown' up
Cuffed up
Then I said I had enough
There must be another route, way out
To money and fame, I changed my name
And played a different game
Tired of being trapped in this vicious cycle
If one more cop harrasses me I just might go psycho
And when I gettem
I'll hittem with tha bum rush
Only a lunatic would like to see his skull crushed
Yo, if your smart you'll really let me go 'G'
But keep me cooped up in this ghetto and catch tha uzi
They got me trapped....
[Chorus]
(Uh uh, they can't keep tha black man down)
They got me trapped
(Naw, they can't keep tha black man down)
Trapped
(Uh uh, they can't keep tha black man down)
Trapped
(Naw, they can't keep tha black man down)
They got me trapped
Can barely walk tha city streets
Without a cop harrassing me, searching me
Then asking my identity
Hands up, throw me up against tha wall
Didn't do a thing at all
I'm tellen you one day these suckers gotta fall
Cuffed up throw me on tha concrete
Coppers try to kill me
But they didn't know this was tha wrong street
Bang bang, down another casualty
But it's a cop who's shot there's brutality
Who do you blame?
It's a shame because tha mans slain
He got caught in tha chains of his own game
How can I feel guilty after all tha things they did to me
Sweated me, hunted me
Trapped in my own community
One day i'm gonna bust
Blow up on this society
Why did ya lie to me ?
I couldn't find a trace of equality
Work me like a slave while they laid back
Homie don't play that
It's time I lett'em suffer tha payback
I'm tryin to avoid physical contact
I can't hold back, it's time to attack jack
They got me trapped
[Chorus]
(Uh uh, they can't keep tha black man down)
You know they got me trapped
(Naw, they can't keep tha black man down)
Trapped
(uh uh, they can't keep tha black man down)
You know they got me trapped
(Naw, they can't keep tha black man down)
Now i'm trapped and want to find a getaway
All I need is a 'G' and somewhere safe to stay
Can't use tha phone
Cause i'm sure someone is tappin in
Did it before
Ain't scared to use my gat again
I look back at hindsite the fight was irrelevant
But now he's tha devils friend
Too late to be tellin' him
He shot first and i'll be damned if I run away
Homie is done away I should of put my gun away
I wasn't thinkin' all I heard was tha ridicule
Girlies was laughin', Tup sayin 'Damn homies is dissin you'
I fired my weapon
Started steppin' in tha hurricane
I got shot so I dropped
Feelin' a burst of pain
Got to my feet
Couldn't see nothin' but bloody blood
Now i'm a fugitive to be hunted like a murderer
Ran through an alley
Still lookin' for my getaway
Coppers said Freeze, or you'll be dead today
Trapped in a corner
Dark and I couldn't see tha light
Thoughts in my mind was tha nine and a better life
What do I do ?
Live my life in a prison cell
I'd rather die than be trapped in a living hell
They got me trapped
[Chorus]
(Uh uh, they can't keep tha black man down)
They got me trapped
(Naw, they can't keep tha black man down)
Trapped
(uh uh, they can't keep tha black man down)
You know they got me trapped
(Naw, they can't keep tha black man down)
Trapped
(feat. C-Bo, Dramacydal, Storm)
[2Pac]
A military mind nigga
A military mind mean money
A criminal grind nigga
A criminal grind mean hustle
You know
[Chorus: 2Pac (repeat 2X)]
We tradin war stories, we Outlawz on the rise
Jealous niggaz I despise, look in my eyes
[2Pac]
Now can your mind picture, a thug nigga drinkin hard liquor
This ghetto life has got me catchin up to God quicker
Who would figure that all I need was a hair trigger
semi-automatic Mack 11 just to scare niggaz
Pardon my thug poetry, but suckers is born everyday
and fear of man - grow on trees
Criminal ties for centuries, a legend in my own rhymes
So niggaz whisper when they mention
Machiavelli was my tutor Donald Goines, my father figure
Moms sent me to go play with the drug dealers
Hits fall, we thug niggaz and we came in packs.
Every one of niggaz strapped sippin on 'nac (Cognac)
In the back, my AR-15
Thuggin till I die, these streets got me cravin thorazine
My lyrics are blueprints to money makin
Fat as that ass that honey shakin
[Chorus (w/ Outlawz)]
[Fatal]
I bust a trey-trey, buggin an' shit
They call it overthuggin and shit
But I was just a younger nigga;
gettin older and lovin this shit
But what was I doin in this place?
To the fakes without a pistol in the first,
facin termination in the worst
But I figured to play the wall; to watch all these
playa hatin niggaz position for I could see 'em all
Made it up out of there, lucky to be here to tell you
But it'll never be a repeat people I'm tryin to tell you.
[Dramacydal]
Now picture the scenery, I'm thugged out smokin greenery
Considered a B.G., but I'm off in this game somethin D-P
My eyes only see deez, that's why I'm young and burnt out
Learned the know how, well how to do now, by 18 turned out
And why I do it - the ridin and smokin
Collidin with foes - in the worst place;
y'all shouldn'ta fucked with us ,in the first place
Y'all real O.G.'s, droppin game to the youngsters
Y'all don't want no funk cause
y'all be the next in the long line of war stories
[Chorus]
[C-Bo]
I breaks 'em off with this gangsta war story tale
Stackin loot up in the coupe that I protect with a Mack 12
Slap my clip in the chamber; fool, your life's in danger
No one will remain when I come through dumpin insane
Call me Bo-wl of Major Pain, gun-slang and movin 'caine
I be the nigga that's pullin the trigga
and dumpin the hollow points in your brain
Mo' bigger balls that RuPaul, Thug Life ain't a ball
We bust that ass up against the wall (up against the wall)
(?) Never been no (?) men
How we bucks 'em down on the way to the ground
ain't nuttin but the hog in me
Bust off his dildo, killin (?) and keep mobbin G
It ain't no problem (?) funk off
(?) blow down punks with my sawed off
Bust they dirty-ass drawers off
and had them bitch niggaz hauled off
[Chorus]
[Outlawz]
My whole family been raised, on shit that ain't okay
Ain't nuttin on this earth will make a nigga like me stay
I'm reminiscin, and catchin flashbacks when niggas ran up
in my house and I was too young, to try to blast back
What happend then? No one would tell me since I was three
Heard they got to my peoples, now they livin somewhere free
But fuck that, you got what's mines and I want that
Never drop my guard, been on the squad, since ways back
And now I'm sittin, holdin in anger because my parents missin
Thuggin Immortal, got some war stories for ya
[Storm]
Now look at me - straight Outlaw Immortal
Never gave a fuck cause I was nobody's daughter
Outlawin from my tits to my clits, don't try to figure
cause the murderous tendencies of my mind can't be controlled, nigga
So who's the bigger, who's the quickest killer?
Would ya try to trip with my finger on the 9 milla
When I got cha on kay-nine-fourths
Prayin to God as your life goes back and forth
We tradin war stories
[Chorus (repeats through to end, getting softer)]
['Pac talking]
War stories nigga; hahaha, what players do
Thug Life, Outlaw Immortalz
Motherfuckin Tupac a.k.a. Makaveli
Can you feel me? Just so you know, it's on Death Row
My niggaz love that shit
Dramacydal in this motherfucker, heheheh
Yea nigga! Shout out to my niggaz Fatal and Felony
C-Bo, the bald head nut, what?
You know what time it is
(Toss it up!)
[Tupac]
Lord have mercy, father help us all
Since you supllied yo' phone number, I can't help but call
Time for action, conversatin, we relaxin, kickin back
Got you curious for Thug Passion, now picture that
Tongue kissin, hand full of hair, look in my eyes
Time to make the bed rock, baby look how it rise
Me and you movin in the nude, do it in the living room
Sweatin up the sheets, it's the Thug in me
I mean no disrespectin when I tongue kiss your neck
I go a long way to get you wet, what you expect
Late night, hit the highway, drop the top
I pull over, gettin busy in the parking lot
And don't you love it how I lick your, hips and glide
Kiss you soft on your stomach, push my love inside
Got ya lost in a love zone, stuck in the lust
I got the bedroom shakin back-breakin when we're tossin it up
[K-Ci, JoJo]
In this baby, I like the way it's goin down
When nobodys around, slip slide ride
Givin me love nice like
Female I like, what I wanna give all night
You and me alone everybody's gone toss it up
Baby let's, get it on!
I like the way you please me, babe
The sexy way you tease me, sugar
The way you move your body
It really drives me crazy
Your body hypnotizing, your smell is so exciting
So baby come on home with me, I like the way you give it to me!
Chorus:
I like the way you give it to me -- let me see you toss it up
(repeat 4X w/ variations)
Play on, play on, play on, play onnnn!
(repeat 4X w/ variations)
[K-Ci, JoJo]
Ohhh, it's K-Ci baby, mmm that want you lady
Ohhh, don't act so shady, baby your taste as fine as gravy
The way you move that thang, you make me wanna sang
Girl you make my bells rang, make them go ting-a-ling!
Now the man, I'm here again
Don't worry to ever end
It's feeling too good
Gimme some more, oh lady lady
Your body the kind I like-ah
Big booty to the lung delight-ah
Bag it up yo, let me in there
Toss it up for me!!
[Chorus 1/2]
[Tupac]
Do you want me what's your phone number, I get around
Cali Love to my true Thugs, picture me now
Still down for that Death Row sound, searchin for paydays
No longer Dre Day, arrivederci
Blown and forgotten, rotten for plottin Child's Play
Check your sexuality, as fruity as this Alize
Quick to jump ship, punk trick, what a dumb move
Cross Death Row, now who you gon' run to
Lookin for suckers cause you similar
Pretendin to be hard, oh my God, check your temperature
Screamin Compton, but you can't return, you ain't heard
Brothers pissed cause you switched and escaped to the burbs
Mob on to this new era, cause we Untouchable
Still can't believe that you got 'Pac rushin you
Up in you, bless the real, all the rest get killed
Who can you trust, only time reveals -- toss it up!
[Chorus w/ variations]
[Tupac]
Play on playa, play on
How can some non-players do a song about Compton
and then wanna do a player song
How can non-players do it (We not little kids, we not playin)
Tellin lies, who
Puffy, I read your little interview buddy, c'mon
You still ain't touchin us, all that peace talk
I don't care if you kiss my ass from here to across the street boy
It's on
Toss it up, we took you on, and we took y'all beat
You know we beat you down, and we took y'all beat
Cause you wasn't rockin it right
Tired of suckers rockin it, toss it up, is how we did it
Yeah, toss it up now!
(feat. Val Young)
[Dominique] Street Science, you're on the air [static]
What do you feel when you hear a record like Tupac's new one? [static]
[Man responds] I love Tupac's new record [static]
[Dominique]
Right, but don't you feel like that creates [static]
a tension between East and West? [static]
He's talking about killing people [static]
I had sex with your wife and not in those words [static]
but he's talking about I wanna see you deceased [static]
[Intro: Makaveli]
No doubt... to live and die in LA
California -- what you say about Los Angeles
Still the only place for me that never rains in the sun
and everybody got love
[Verse One: Makaveli]
To live and die in LA, where everyday we try to fatten our pockets
Us niggaz hustle for the cash so it's hard to knok it
Everybody got they own thang, currency chasin
Worldwide through the hard times, warrior faces
Shed tears as we bury niggaz close to heart
What was a friend now a ghost in the dark, cold hearted bout it
Nigga got smoked by a fiend, tryin to floss on him
Blind to a broken man's dream, a hard lesson
Court cases keep me guessin, plea bargain
ain't an option now, so I'm stressin, cost me more
to be free than a life in the pen
Makin money off of cuss words, writin again
Learn how to think ahead, so I fight with my pen
Late night down Sunset likin the scene
What's the worst they could do to a nigga got me lost in hell
To live and die in LA on bail, my angel sing
[Chorus: Val Young]
To live and die in LA, it's the place to be
You've got to be there to know it, what everybody wanna see
[repeat 2X]
[Verse Two: Makaveli]
It's the, City of Angels and constant danger
South Central LA, can't get no stranger
Full of drama like a soap opera, on the curb
Watchin the ghetto bird helicopters, I observe
So many niggaz gettin three strikes, tossed in jail
I swear the pen the right across from hell, I can't cry
Cause it's on now, I'm just a nigga on his own now
Livin life Thug style, so I can't smile
Writin to my peoples when they ask for pictures
Thinkin Cali just fun and bitches, hahaha
Better learn about the dress code, B's and C's
All them other niggaz copycats, these is G's
I love Cali like I love woman
Cause every nigga in LA got a little bit of Thug in him
We might fight with each other, but I promise you this
We'll burn this bitch down, get us pissed
To live and die in LA
(Let my angel sing)
[Chorus]
[Verse Three: Makaveli]
Cause would it be LA without Mexicans?
Black love brown pride and the sets again
Pete Wilson tryin to see us all broke, I'm on some bullshit
Out for everything they owe, remember K-DAY
Weekends, Crenshaw -- MLK
Automatics rang free, niggaz lost they way
Gang signs being showed, nigga love your hood
But reconize and it's all good, where the weed at?
Niggaz gettin shermed out
Snoop Dogg in this muhfucka perved out, M.O.B.
Big Suge in the Low-Low, bounce and turn
Dogg Pound in the Lex, wit a ounce to burn
Got them Watts niggaz with me, OFTB
They got some hash took the stash left the rest for me
Neckbone, Tre, Head Ron, Punchy too
Big Rock got knocked, but this one's for you
I hit the studio and drop a jewel, hopin it pay
Gettin high watchin time fly, to live and die in LA
(Let my angel sing)
[Chorus]
[Outro: Makaveli]
This go out for 92.3, and 106
All the radio stations that be bumpin my shit
Makin my shit sells katruple quitraple platinum, hehe
This go out to all the magazines that supported me
All the real motherfuckers
All the stores, the mom and pop spots
A R people, all y'all motherfuckers
LA, California Love part motherfuckin Two
Without gay ass Dre
[Intro:]
Fuck 2Pac that nigga ain't shit
that nigga ain't from muhfuckin' New York
That nigga be out there with them Cali niggas
Yo nigga man fuck Pac that nigga West Coast
that fucker that always with them New York niggas
seen them with that nigga man that nigga ain't from the West Coast
Man fuck Pac fuck that nigga that nigga ain't really down
rapin' ass nigga I didn't do it fuck it with that nigga
fuck that nigga man fuck that nigga let that nigga go to jail right
and fuck that nigga fuck that nigga fuck you too nigga
[2Pac (overlapping)]
I'm in this muthafucka
I guess these muthafuckas tryin' to take me out the business right
I guess I ain't East Coast enough for my niggas back in New York
and I ain't West Coast for these niggas on the West huh?
Fuck e'rybody
Heh heh heh...
Thug style out this muthafucka niggas throw ya hands in the air
If you got Jeep make ya speakers pop
I want muthafucking police trying to pull niggas over on this one
We taking this one to the whole 'nother level gutter style Thug style
You feel me, things that we can only do as a real G
We ain't dead yet, feel me!!
[Verse 1]
I got my Hennessy find ya foes
in a room full of niggas tryin' to hide ya hoes
I'm getting high off buddha
'Cause the times be slow
I keep my mind on dough
you never find me broke
and who meee a nigga livin' life like a G
in that artillery keepin' niggas off of me
I can't sleep living in these wicked times
peep, niggas after me 'cause they see I'm stacking G's and heat
You can holler if you want to pleeease
I ain't runnin' with no punk crew beeee
enemies and my range is on
you're in the danger zone
my fuckin' game is strong, Hotline
You suckas better find ya mind I got mine
from hustling and busting them rhymes
to my niggas up in Quentin
Down on Riker's Isle stay rile
But a nigga gotta use his styles
These,
[Chorus]
Niggas don't know my style
quick to smile juvenile
Was a problem child
try to put me in the courts
But my force was wild
Bitchmade ass niggas don't know my style
These,
Niggas don't know my style
quick to smile juvenile
Was a problem child
try to put me in the courts
But my force was wild
Bitchmade ass niggas don't know my style
[Verse 2]
I could be wrong but I never got along with cops
it's like they stuck
from making niggas duck from Glocks all the time
my mind's full of thoughts of ends
I'm still rolling my bucket but I bought me a Benz (tadow)
My fake friends say they love me but I know they lie
cause in the dark see they hearts' full of homicide
My mama cried when they took me off to jail
only me inside the cell
Straight locked up in this hell
I hear some sucka screaming like the demon's inside
will 'em away in the morning
Only the strong survive
I cry but in my own way
Swallow my pride pick a reason to hide
from all the niggas that die (Rest in Peace)
cemetary full of brothers I buried
It's going down even now I wonder
will I still be around my hometown is the gutter
I was born a wild came up out this dust
with my heartless style
These,
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
I remember Uptown huh got to get to listenin'
to Mr. Magic cuttin' up the hits
and even though I had habit makin' words rhyme
I was caught up in the madness
Juvenile thugs come on
I tell the whole story nothin' but truth
Halloween throwin' eggs from the project roofs
and Pete and Lee young G's
with a gift of gab and tryin' to hook up with the hookers
who was quick to stab remember mama's cooking
No school straight hookin'
and tryin' to get with light skinned
cause she good looking
And jumpin' over turnstiles 'cause we ain't paying
call the cuties cuss words but we only playing (biotch)
I'm prayin' I can get a buck no luck
I had to move around a lot
'cause my moms was stuck
I had family but I was way too wild
had to move to the West to regain my style
These,
[Chorus 'til end with ad libs]
(Tupac)
Aight, new drink
one part alazhay one part chrystal
Thugs Passion baby
y'all know what time it is
This drink is Gauranteed
to get the pussy wet and the dick hard
now if ya with me
Pour a glass and drink with a nigga
know what I mean
I ain't trying to turn you all niggas into alcholics
Alcholics [ha ha]
I'm just trying to turn you into muthafuckin thugs
So come and get some of this thug passion Baby
(Dramacydal)
I could pull out the [drink]
and be good 'till it's relevant but
I'm a straight solider, I'll roll up a nigga
like its seven cent
Tripping over dead presidents
they got us starein'
I throw it down this with business
They clown and try to get us
and It's so evident
stand forever and be thinking
drinking over a felony
and hell of me and how it will be some other shit
People telling me to cool out
But they ain't filling me
a mutha fucking food bound
my fuckin cheddar cheese
and a please passion of mine
Thuggin huggin plenty of G's
and laughing while I pass through time
And all thes back stabbers be watchin
Just keep it plain
I'm a keep it the same partner
Just take it the simple game
I can pinkle with the rain twinkling
diamonds and thangs go plinklin
enough to hold until I'm old and wrinklin
and These adversaries
they gonna have to be worrying
cuz I'm a be illing
Fufillin my Passion
Till I'm burryin'
My Thug Passion
Chorus (Jewell)
I heard it's the bomb
and you got it going on
give me some of your Thug Passion Baby
You got me dripping wet
from the way you make me sweat
give me some of your Thug Passion Baby
owwowwwowwww
(Dramacydal)
Now what if me
turn this Henessee
into a robbery
the Prophecy probably suddenly
switch and How it supposed to be
And Dirty money be evil
Can't be evil cuz it's filling up my tummy see
Born in a position
Death collision
was futuristic
twisting riches
But there is only one way to make mo'
so I'm standing on the corner
trying to hustle in the snow
and My bigga bro
couldn't know
but buy a four four
blasting at playa hating
runnin' mo'
with a Thug Passion
(Dramacydal)
Putting down mashin'
control by this Thug's Passion
unlike them other bustas pistol blastin'
I'm asking, What Happened
To the niggas who kept them bail
like they claim to
that's when I bang do
see thang true
Traveling this road my whole soul
been consolidated
with all this bullshit I done tolerated
How I made it
can easily stated
like my heart be gripped with the Passion
Must be the fucking greatest
Load up and take shit
(Dramacydal)
Make this to some high dollar gangster shit
jake a stack till we got enought bank to split
(Storm)
Creep with me
with that Imortal flow
Thug Passion got you tremblin'
like Death on the Row
make your move
so I can throw your mind a curve
while i'll be blowin up tha scene
like my nigga Mr. Herb
take a toke
as your heart goes full arrest
I got tha bomb
so nigga, fuck tha rest
ya need a 3rd to get ya flowin'
and let that loc see smoke
feelin' tha strokes of tha lines squeeze tight and slow
Chorus (Jewell)
I heard it's the bomb
and you got it going on
give me some of your Thug Passion Baby
You got me drippin' wet
from the way you make me sweat
give me some of your Thug Passion Babby
owwowwwowwww
(Tupac)
They say money don't make tha man
but damn i'm makin' money
observin' you muthafuckers
cause some of you bitches
say you want it
but you bullshitin'
lickin' them lips
you got me about to act a fool quick
sippin' on some Alazay and Chrystal
meanwhile
buy me a drink
and get to winking at me
she smiles
our niggas full of passion
Satisfaction is everlastin'
Now there's a fear
what i'm askin'
while i'm rubbin' on that ass
why you laughin'
see, i'm diggin' as if i'm curious
full blown and furious
baby get a grip
when I be doin' this
It's so physical
my attraction
driven by alchol
beware of my reaction
baby i'm goin' to war
thugged out on Death Row
You better recognize
and picture what I said so
Now you can feel it
it's a poiton for my niggas in motion
forever blastin'
bitches ain't ready for this Thug Passion
Chorus (4x) (Jewell)
I heard it's the bomb
and you got it going on
give me some of your Thug Passion Baby
You got me drippin' wet
from the way you make me sweat
give me some of your Thug Passion Baby owwowwwowwww
(feat. K-Ci & JoJo)
[2Pac]
Put me in that; ay come on JoJo ('Pac.. hahaha)
Yeah that type of shit (maybe it's the thug in me)
You know what time it is (maybe it's the thug in me)
[2Pac]
By age thirteen I was buckwild, good at my knuckle game
Made it through a tough childhood never be the same
Walked in my daddy's shoes
No time to be a peaceful man had to shatter fools
That's 'til I put my eyes on you
God damn, sweetheart you got some thighs on you
Now I can't wait to get you home, get you all alone
In my bedroom, baby can we bone, and get it on
Tell me lady how you like me
and if you want it harder baby, come and bite me
but do it lightly; cause that excites me to let it pop
And if you lick me right, I'll do it all night
Only got fucked by a drug dealer
Never felt the real passion of a thug nigga (haha)
Though I like the way you scream when you lovin me
I'm goin deep, it's the thug in me; so whatchu sayin girl
[Chorus: K-Ci & JoJo]
A thug nigga like me, I need a thug lady like you
Got a lot of thug in me, that I wanna put in you
A thug nigga like me, I need a thug lady like you
Got a lot of thug in me, that I wanna give to you
['Pac repeats "Maybe it's the thug in me" at various points]
[2Pac]
Moan baby when we bone it's on
It's so strong niggaz in the next room'll cum
I got ya head swingin, tongue kissin as I hit it from the back
with the bed ringin (haha)
Give me space as I lick ya face, stick the place
Synchronize so I drive when they kick the bass
Love fuckin in tha mo'nin
I get ya wet and bust a sweat, then I'm gone
Left you on yo' own girl
Tell me what you feel like, blindfolded
I'm cold do it real nice - that's if it feel right
Maybe it's the thug in me
I pull ya hair while we fuckin in the chair, when ya lovin me
Up against the wall, you can have it all; just try
Bet my kiss, can get you high, don't pass by
Grab me by my nuts when I'm lovin you
Now open up and let me put the thug in you
[Chorus]
[2Pac]
Say baby what's your phone number
Be warned, I'm like a storm with my own thunder, I make the room rumble
In and out long stroke, hold ya breath now
Close your eyes deep throat - did you like it
Oooh I'm excited!
Cause it's a party in my bedroom, you're invited - c'mon now
Let me see ya shake your rump, tell me
how long will it take to cum, havin fun
Do it one on one and we can all get involved
First y'all do me, then I'll fuck y'all
When you call me the next day
to get sexed by a nigga in the best way
Yeah baby it's a price to pay, only play in the fast lane
When you a hustler, motherfuck a cash came
I gotcha goin wild, cause I'm lovin you
Drugged out with this motherfuckin thug in you
[Chorus - 2x]
[2Pac]
I don't wanna talk, I don't want no explanations
I don't got no motherfuckin explanations, y'knahmsayin
It's the thug in me
Don't be askin why I'm pullin your hair
and why I fuck so motherfuckin thuggish
That thug passion, y'knahmean
Bitch, no mercy
What you scared of Didn't you come over here to get fucked
You ain't come over here for me to be
strokin, and all that bullshit
You came over here to get fucked
Shit, if I ain't fuck you thug style
Bitch you'd leave my house talkin bout, "Tupac can't serve me"
Won't have me crossed up in that bullshit, hahaha
Turn over!
Maybe it's the thug in me!
(That too baby..)
(Ohh yeah, ohh that's right.. mhmm.. okay.. okay baby.. yeah..)
This Motherfucking life I lead
shit
A hell of motherfucking road blocks
And crooked cops
We still ride though
What side?
Westside
[Verse 1: Tupac]
I want money in large amounts
My garage full of cars that bounce
Movin' my tapes in major ways
Cause every dollar counts
Bustas is jealous
And half these nigas is punks
They runnin' off at the mouth
'Till I fill up with my pump
They jump
My automatic keep 'em weary
While you fronting like you Billy bad ass
Nigga you scary
I been knowing you for years
We was high school peers
In Junior High
I was itchin' to kill
And you was ready to die
While you bullshitting
Niggas was dying and catching cases
Busting my automatics at motherfuckers in foreign places
Leaving no trace
They see my face and then they buried
Them bitches die in a hurry
Still I ride
I'm never worried
Mr. Makaveli
Tell me to ride and I'ma ride
Pick my enemies out the crowd
And muthafuckas die
It's not the way I wanna live
My nigga
It's how it is
Homie got into a fight
Last night they killed his kids
[Chorus x2]
In this life I lead
Fiend for currency
Get high off weed
Collect g's
Make my enemies bleed
When you see me nigga
Holla my set
And watch them ride
Outlaw mother fuckers
'Till we die
In this life I lead
[Verse 2: Young Noble]
I ain't a killer but don't push me dog
For that family I'll send that ass straight to God (what you doing nigga?)
And in this life I lead
I've seen the most
Of my 23 years
My vision is blurry
The money is clear
Some of my peers
Eternally will sleep in a coffin (yeah nigga)
And noble on the road
I'm extremely cautious (westside nigga you know how we do it)
It happened that fast
Split second your gone
At the top of my tombstone
Put noble is raw
Outlaw
'Till I'm under the floor
For Kadafi the prince
I stack dough like a clock on the bricks
With a watch on my wrist dog
I know the time these days
We outlaws
We gonna die this way (nigga)
We already in the history books
Pac made sure of that
Whateva you took
We taking it back
You know it's all for the foundation
Outlaws
We still building the thug nation
Holla at your homie
[Chorus 2x]
In this life I lead
Fiend for currency
Get high off weed
Collect g's
Make my enemies bleed
When you see me nigga
Holla my set
And watch them ride
Outlaw mother fuckers
'Till we die
In this life I lead
[Verse 3: Napolean]
It ain't but nothing air between us
Oxygen is gettin hot
Got a problem
Mo' fag ass nigga kick rocks
Now *censored* on the phone
And the nigga talking crazy
I don't know who to blame
Him or *censored* for killing babies
I'm a New Jers' Devil
The street created rebel
Only got one shot to produce
On every level
This is Maximus
Go to the max I must
Nigga I came from not much
So money I clutch
Uhuh
Napolean the strength of strong arm
With a dick they whistle and ride
I put a move up on
I'm a
Hardcore
Product of the ghetto
Been blessed fo' sho
To eat from out the ghetto
I maneuver in the right lane
Quick to push back lanes
Switch it to the left lane
I play with my hands
And I'm plotting on the fortune
It's gettin hot and scorching
I'm thinking like a scorpion
That torturing an enemy
[Chorus 2x]
In this life I lead
Fiend for currency
Get high off weed
Collect g's
Make my enemies bleed
When you see me nigga
Holla my set
And watch them ride
Outlaw mother fuckers
'Till we die
In this life I lead
[Verse 4]
Now with this outlaw lifestyle
That I've been introduced to
Money and hoes keep us closer to Lucifer (what's up Kurupt)
Steady seducing us
And I'm all for it
It's the life for me
And the law cant spoil it
So you can call it what the fuck you want (right)
But I'm a baller alcoholic with a sawn-off pump (nigga)
My mamma ain't raise no punk
And even dead Pac
So when I jump off
I breathe for Yak
Been puttin in work
So I walk with a bop
And it safe at home
So I sleep with a glock (no mistakes)
Thug living
What the fuck would be better
I do my dirt with the family
So we dying together
[Verse 5: Edi]
We on a mission for mo'
Gangsta shit on you hoes
We ain't fucking with you lawyers
Crossing niggas up out there dough
Trying to live godzilla
Edi went from a bad boy
To a anybody killer
Look out
Wanted man
Guns in hand
Stand firm
Nuts are my pride
Now lets burn
Bound and profound
Going down swinging
Holding my ground
We the last ones breathing
No stopping till we eating
Deep in the trenches
So many killings
It's senseless
So in this life I lead
I stay protected
My god my squad
And this thing in my palm
Now all my hustling motherfuckers
Get your money
Sing along
[Chorus x2]
In this life I lead
Fiend for currency
Get high off weed
Collect g's
Make my enemies bleed
When you see me nigga
Holla my set
And watch them ride
Outlaw mother fuckers
'Till we die
In this life I lead
This motherfucking life I lead nigga
You know what time it is
Westside
Deathrow
Dogg pound
Everybody killer
Bad boy killer
?? killer
Anybody killer
Fuck all y'all niggas
If it ain't westside nigga it ain't Pac
That's on my momma
(feat. Anthony Hamilton)
Shit, tired of gettin shot at
Tired of gettin chased by the police and arrested
Niggaz need a spot where WE can kick it
A spot where WE belong, that's just for us
Niggaz ain't gotta get all dressed up and be Hollywood
Y'knahmean Where do niggaz go when we die
Ain't no heaven for a thug nigga
That's why we go to thug mansion
That's the only place where thugs get in free and you gotta be a G
... at thug mansion
[Verse One]
A place to spend my quiet nights, time to unwind
So much pressure in this life of mine, I cry at times
I once contemplated suicide, and woulda tried
But when I held that 9, all I could see was my momma's eyes
No one knows my struggle, they only see the trouble
Not knowin it's hard to carry on when no one loves you
Picture me inside the misery of poverty
No man alive has ever witnessed struggles I survived
Prayin hard for better days, promise to hold on
Me and my dawgs ain't have a choice but to roll on
We found a family spot to kick it
Where we can drink liquor and no one bickers over trick shit
A spot where we can smoke in peace, and even though we G's
We still visualize places, that we can roll in peace
And in my mind's eye I see this place, the players go in fast
I got a spot for us all, so we can ball, at thug's mansion
[Chorus: Anthony Hamilton]
Ain't no place I'd rather be
Children, dead homies and family
Sky high, iced out paradise
In the skyyyyyyyyyy..
Ain't no place I'd rather be
Only place that's right for me
Chromed out mansion in paradise
In the skyyyyyyyyyy..
[Verse Two]
Will I survive all the fights and the darkness
Trouble sparks, they tell me home is where the heart is, dear departed
I shed tattooed tears and couldn't sleep good
for multiple years, witness peers catch gunshots
Nobody cares, seen the politicians ban us
They'd rather see us locked in chains, please explain
why they can't stand us, is there a way for me to change
Or am I just a victim of things I did to maintain
I need a place to rest my head
with the little bit of homeboys that remains, cause all the rest dead
Is there a spot for us to roll, if you find it
I'll be right behind ya, show me and I'll go
How can I be peaceful I'm comin from the bottom
Watch my daddy scream peace while the other man shot him
I need a house that's full of love when I need to escape
the deadly places slingin drugs, in thug's mansion
[Chorus w/ minor ad lib variations]
[Verse Three]
Dear momma don't cry, your baby boy's doin good
Tell the homies I'm in heaven and they ain't got hoods
Seen a show with Marvin Gaye last night, it had me shook
Drippin peppermint Schnapps, with Jackie Wilson, and Sam Cooke
Then some lady named Billie Holiday
Sang sittin there kickin it with Malcolm, 'til the day came
Little LaTasha sho' grown
Tell the lady in the liquor that she's forgiven, so come home
Maybe in time you'll understand only God can save us
When Miles Davis cuttin lose with the band
Just think of all the people that you knew in the past
that passed on, they in heaven, found peace at last
Picture a place that they exist, together
There has to be a place better than this, in heaven
So right before I sleep, dear God, what I'm askin
Remember this face, save me a place, in thug's mansion
[Chorus - repeat 2X (w/ ad libs)]
F/ Ta'He
Dear Lord
As we down here, struggle for as long as we know
In search of a paradise to touch (my nigga Johnny J)
Dreams are dreams, and reality seems to be the only place to go
The only place for us
I know, try to make the best of bad situations
Seems to be my life's story
Ain't no glory in pain, a soldier's story in vain
And can't nobody live this life for me
It's a ride y'all, a long hard ride
[2Pac]
Somebody break me I'm dreamin, I started as a seed the semen
Swimmin upstream, planted in the womb while screamin
on the top, was my pops, my momma screamin stop
From a single drop, this is what they got
Not to disrespect my peoples but my poppa was a loser
Only plan he had for momma was to fuck her and abuse her
Even as a little seed, I could see his plan for me
Stranded on welfare, another broken family
Now what was I to be, a product of this heated passion
Momma got pregnant, and poppa got a piece of ass
Look how it began, nobody gave a fuck about me
Pistol in my hand, this cruel world can do without me
How can I survive? Got me askin white Jesus
will a nigga live or die, cause the Lord can't see us
in the deep dark clouds of the projects, ain't no sunshine
No sunny days and we only play sometimes
When everybody's sleepin
I open my window jump to the streets and get to creepin
I can live or die, hope I get some money 'fore I'm gone
I'm only 19, I'm tryin to hustle on my own
on the spot where everybody and they pops tryin to slang rocks
I'd rather go to college, but this is where the game stops
Don't get it wrong cause it's always on, from dusk to dawn
You can buy rocks glocks or a herringbone
You can ask my man Ishmael Reed
Keep my nine heated all the time this is how we grind
Meet up at the cemetary then get smoked out, pass the weed nigga
That Hennessey'll keep me keyed nigga
Everywhere I go niggaz holla at me, 'Keep it real G'
And my reply til they kill me
Act up if you feel me, I was born not to make it but I did
The tribulations of a ghetto kid, still I rise
[Ta'He]
Still I (still I) I rise (I rise)
Please give me to the sky (the sky)
And if (and if) I die (I die)
I don't want you to cry
[Yaki Khadafi]
I stay sharp as always
Runnin ya bricks with blitz, through ya project hallways
Dumpin crews like two's, nigga all day
Secrets of war prepare me for the worst
A life that's lavish full of cabbage or a life that's in a hearse
But now my dreams it seeems though, be placin triple beams and things bro
Diamond pinkie ring got the loot poppin out my jeans
[Napoleon]
Now I plan to keep my glock cocked
If trouble was searchin for me then why not?
Show em what I'm made of plus raised on, on my block
Chancellor Ave, where many turn to the street, thugs snatchin bags
We out for power, makin cash it wasn't fast it'll make me mad
I'm just like, pimpin
My homey on the corner with his gat tucked, in
Youngest they buckin somethin the life he leads
the life he don't need, don't we all know
He tryin to rise up and we just go doe, still he rise
[Young Noble]
Dreams of lost hope
I hit the strip broke where the fiends get coke
and still I rise now I float cowards ghost
Whenever we come around, I'm runnin down
clutchin a pound, live as sirens, duckin the sound
I used to hustle with my moms til the sun came
My homey Harm doin time from this drug game
Stolen cars, war scars, born a Outlaw
Behind bars, go to sleep just to see the stars
Freedom is ours, though we trapped on a firm block
Crackheads only ten learn to duck cops
[Khadafi]
In ninety-six my glock's my plastic, passion for blastin bastards
No faces for open caskets, peelin ya cap backwards
Ya cowards ain't prepared for pistol practice
I send my missiles through your mattress
Leavin holes in your body like a cactus
While me and my crew be boppin more greens than topic
and loot to keep the seams in my motherfuckin jeans poppin
Leavin ya spleen to pick up
Half of you niggaz is softer than a Snicker
Let's go to war and see who draw quicker
and still I rise, and still I rise...
[Ta'He]
Still I (still I) I rise (I rise)
Please give me to the sky (the sky)
And if (and if) I die (I die)
I don't want you to cry
Still I (still I) I rise (I rise)
Please give me to the sky (the sky)
And if (and if) I die (I die)
I don't want you to cry
[some little kid]
Y'all niggaz fake
All day everyday
So now I got roller blades, bitch
Thought you knew
Your mouth is rich
C'mon pops, let's go..
[Tupac]
Yah nigga, Drop the top on your muthafuckin ride
This how we do it on the west coast BAABBBY
Rollin' down the Four O Five
Gettin' high
White boys done wrecked their shit
Tryin to check my ride
I ain't being bootsy
Crusin' in a Six-o Impala
Drivin' like I'm in a Hooptee
car full of ballin' caps
keep yo hand on the strap
and take all the craps
Niggas know my steel-lo
all legit
but I'm drapped
like a nigga movin' kilo
Shit don't stop
cuz i can make that ass drop
make the front pop
And Hit the three wheel motion
All Day
Hit the freeway
take it easy, uhh
Let's slide
And pick-up some hoochies
ride
right back to the movies
High
talking back to the screen drinkin' liquor
Havin' big dreams of gettin' richer
I'm livin that
[Chorus (4x) (Tupac)]
Thug Life, y'all know the rules
gotta do whatcha gotta do (Stay True)
Big Stretch represent the real nigga
flex, Live squad and this mutha fucker catch wreck
[Stretch]
Thug Life
sharp as a roughneck
Shakin' the dice, we roll long, ain't nothin' nice
so the vice wanna follow us around (raize up)
Got 'em runnin' as we clown thru the town (blaze up)
Another one, had to throw another gun
Don't need another case
you can see it on my face son
But I ain't fallin' yet
And I gotta give a shout to where my ball is at
[Tupac]
Mophreme Tell 'em why the hoes dream
gettin high off a nigga like a dope fiend
[Mophreme]
Cuz I'm non-stop, and I'm always hustlin'
twenty four seven, ain't nothin buck
but when a young G's flippin keys for a livin'
Try to make a mill off the time I'm givin'
trippin'
I'm crazy
Can't nobody fade me
And I been goin' insane lately
And everybody tryin ta hold me back
I'm about to snap
You better move back
You know I led a.....
[Chorus (4x) (Tupac)]
Thug Life, y'all know the rules
gotta do whatcha gotta do (Stay True)
Maaaannnn, I don't worry about the Five-O
if they start,
cuz it's all about survival
Just stay smart
Keep your mind on your bank roll
always
stay ahead of these stank hos
These days
It's an all out rat race
And look at MEEE just caught another cat case
That makes three
My laywers getting cash up the ass
Don't even ask
Why I'm buck wild ?
Don't smile
don't laugh
To the young G's comin up
peep game
Don't let the money make you change
or act strange
Stay broke
It's all in together now
Keep pumping loud
till the crowd
bring the top down
Is that Tupac Thug Life ?
Hell Yah
Try to dirty up my name
but it's still here
which way do I turn ?
i'm strapped
Lost in the storm
I can't turn back
with that...
[Chorus (4x) (Tupac)]
Thug Life, y'all know the rules
gotta do whatcha gotta do (Stay True)
[Tupac]
Staring at the world through my rearview
Just looking back at the world, from another level yaknowhatImean?
Starin...
Multiple gunshots fill the block, the fun stops
Niggaz is callin cops, people shot, nobody stop
I wonder when the world stopped caring last night
Two kids shot while the whole block staring
I will never understand this society, first they try
to murder me, then they lie to me, product of a dying breed
All my homies trying weed, now the little baby's
crazed raised off Hennesey, tell me will my enemies
flee when they see me, believe me
Even Thugs gotta learn to take it easy, listen
Through the intermissions search your heart for a plan
and we turnin Bad Boys to grown men, it's on again
I give a holla to my niggaz in the darkest corners
Roll a perfect blunt, and let me spark it for ya
One love from a thug nigga rollin with a posse
full of paranoid drug dealers, to the end my friend
I'm seein nuttin but my dreams comin true
While I'm starin at the world through my rearview (see)
[repeat 2X]
(They got me) starin at the world through my rearview
Go on baby scream to God, he can't hear you
I can feel your heart beatin fast cause it's time to die (we)
Gettin high, watchin time fly, and all my motherfuckers
[repeat 2X]
[E.D.I.]
Now you see him, now you don't, some niggaz
be here for the moment, and then they gone, what happened to em?
Well let's see, it seems to be a mystery
But all I know I never let the money get to me
Stay down like the, truest
Thug Life until I check out this bitch, I thought you knew this
Who is, gonna catch me when I fall or even care to
While you thinkin I see you lost up in my rearview
Half you, is down with them Outlawz
Outcast, left far, I'm through like southpaws
But still we keep mashin til our dreams come through
Starin at the world through my rearview
[Tupac]
Now I was raised as a young black male
In order to get paid, forced to make crack sales
Caught a nigga so they send me to these overpacked jails
In the cell, countin days in this livin black Hell, do you feel me?
Keys to ignition, use at your discretion
Roll with a twelve gauge pump for protection
Niggaz hate me in the section from years of chin checkin
Turn to Smith and Wesson war weapons
Heavenly Father I'm a soldier, I'm gettin hotter
cause the world's gettin colder, baby let me hold ya
Talk to my guns like they fly bitches
All you bustas best to run look at my bitches
Now I know the answers to the question, do dreams come true
Still starin at the world through my rearview (I say)
[repeat 2X]
(They got me) starin at the world through my rearview
Go on baby scream to God, he can't hear you
I can feel your heart beatin fast cause it's time to die
Gettin high, watchin time fly -
and all my motherfuckers/nigga can die
[repeat 2X]
[Khadafi]
Back in the days we hustled for sneakers and beepers
Nine-six for glocks cause fiends hittin up blocks with street sweepers
Bless myself when knowin rules to these streets, somethin I learned
in school, on some Million Man March shit for the piece/peace
True that, only one life to lead, a fast life of greed
Criminally addicted, infested since a seed
We all die, breed bleed like humans, towns run
by young guns, Outlawz and truants, shit's deep
Turn eighteen, burn my will when I go
Burnt my body with my shotty, or chosin my dough
So while you reminiscin all nights out with the crew
Smoke a blunt for me too, I'm starin through your rearview
[Tupac]
Hahahaha, you ain't knowin what we mean by starin through the rearview
So since you ain't knowin what we mean let me break down understandin
The world, the world is behind us
Once a motherfucker get an understanding on the game
and what the levels and the rules of the game is
Then the world ain't no trick no more
The world is a game to be played
So now we lookin at the world, from like, behind us
Niggaz know what we gotta do, just gotta put our mind to it and do it
It's all about the papers, money rule the world
Bitches make the world go round
Real niggaz do they wanna do, bitch niggaz do what they can't
Starin at the world through my rearview
Go on baby scream to God, he can't hear you
I can feel your heart beatin fast cause it's time to die
Gettin high, watchin time fly, ya know/and we'll be
[repeat 4X with vocal fade]
(feat. Trick Daddy)
Straight motherfuckin ballin
Part two, still ballin
Westside
[Verse One: 2Pac]
Now ever since a nigga was a seed
Only thing promised to me was the penitentiary, still ballin
Ridin on these niggaz cause they lame
In a six-one Chevy, still heavy in this game, can you feel me
Blame it on my momma I'm a thug nigga
Up befo' the sun rise, quicker than the drug dealers
Tell me if it's on, nigga then we first to bomb
Bust on these bitch-made niggaz hit 'em up, WESTSIDE
Ain't nobody love me as a broke nigga
Finger on the trigger Lord forgive me if I smoke niggaz
I love my females strapped, no fuckin from the back
I get my currency in stacks, California's where I'm at - right
Passed by while these niggaz wonder by
I got shot but didn't die, let 'em see who's next to try
Did I cry, hell nah, nigga tear I shed
for all my homies in the pen, many peers dead
Niggaz still ballin
[Chorus: dominated by Trick Daddy]
Still ballin, until I die
You can bring your crew motherfucker
I be ballin, they wonder why
(You can bring your crew but we remain true motherfuckers still)
[Verse Two: Trick Daddy]
Now as I kneel and pray I hope the Lord understand
When he's gone, devolve, I become a dangerous man
Ain't crazy or deranged, I'm sayin (I'm sayin)
But when these kids go to spray 'em boy I don't be playin
With clientele, any rhyme sales
Question is, will you fuck-niggaz ride for real, huh
Bitch nigga this is G rated
Plus your homeboy won't make it, street game Fugazi
I'm elevated to the top of this shit
Done fucked around and put me and 2Pac on the bitch
And you can tell 'em THUG LIFE was the reason for this
And I ride for any nigga who believe in the shit
I'm still ballin
[Chorus: 2Pac]
Still ballin, 'til the day I die
You can bring your crew but we remain true motherfuckers
Still ballin, niggaz wonder why
You can bring your crew but we remain true motherfuckers
Still ballin
[Verse Three: 2Pac]
Now everybody wanna see us dead
Two murdered on the front page, shot to death, bullets to the head
Niggaz holla out my name and it's similar to rape
Motherfuckers know I'm comin, so they runnin to they graves, watch
Swoop down with my nigga from the Pound
Cause {Trick} don't give a fuck, where you coward niggaz now, blast
Keep pumpin, ain't worried bout nuttin
Busters thought we was frontin, so reload and keep dumpin
[Chorus - Trick Daddy version]
[Chorus - 2Pac version]
[2Pac] 'Til the day I die
[T.D.] THUG LIFE!
[2Pac] Still ballin.. motherfuckers still ballin
[2Pac] Straight motherfuckin ballin
[fades out]
[Intro:Tupac Talking]
I wanted to bring back that reality, nobody can ever be confused and think I'm fuckin Mike Tyson and I'm the heavyweight champion, I'm a little nigga, thats why its so raw to just watch me battle lions, cause I'm a little skinny nigga battlin' niggas three times my size
Watch this uppercut, here it comes... watch the jab nigga...ugh...here it come, look out, watch my arms...
[Verse 1:2Pac]
Now see so many motherfuckers wanna take a peice
Commin' equipped with some shit that niggas just cant believe
I pull a trick from my sleeve now kamikazee
I'm all over that nigga, come identify the body
My middle finger to you hoe niggas
Run up on me, and i'll be forced to let it go nigga
I aint the one you wanna try, why, stayin' high
I hit this blunt and watch these motherfuckers die
Whose runnin these streets I said that cocaine
Cause in the the dope game, niggas'll die 'fore they go broke mayne
Another hustler makin' major cash
'til the punk police come an raid ya ass
Now you stressed doin' fed time, and its a bitch
Cause the judge gave you 8 years, you doin 6
And we know that you can't hang, you a trick
Rolled over turned snitch like a biatchhhh
[Chorus (x1):2Pac]
Now you know you shoulda ducked nigga
Gotchu fallin from the uppercut, fucked, so what's up? nigga!
Now you know you shoulda ducked nigga
Gotchu fallin' from this uppercut, stuck, so what's up? nigga!
[Verse 2:2Pac]
They got a nigga in the dice game, I'm feelin' lucky
But the nigga just a little bigger, he tryin fuck me
Out my cash, imma blast nigga, he don't know
I gotta tell ya like the last nigga, gotta go
Don't need to roll for the truck, I get em' up
Left to right, my uppercut'll hit em' up (ha)
I'm known to walk the streets on any block
I love my niggas, but I aint puttin down my glock
The gun shots rang when I lose nigga, and ooh nigga
Imma show you not to ever play a true nigga (haha)
Lay it down just to prove it
And fuck the rappin motherfucker we can do this
[Chorus (x1):2Pac]
Now you know you shoulda ducked nigga
Gotchu fallin from the uppercut, fucked, so what's up? nigga!
Now you know you shoulda ducked nigga
Gotchu fallin' from this uppercut, stuck, so what's up? nigga!
[Verse 3:Outlawz (EDI & Young Noble)]
They claim that we violent, we named after tyrants
This revolution won't be televised, we keep it silent (shh)
Roll on our enemies, beat em' at they own game
Molotov cocktails, release an up in flames
Tired of bein' stepped on, sick of bein' held back
Lookin' through my rear view, thinkin' bout the pay back
Wanna see my kids grow don't know if imma make it though
One more nigga came up short in the ghetto
Society lied to me so i'm strapped with the metal
Push ya middle finger up nigga if you a rebel
Have ya face down goin' in ya pockets if ya let em'
I done lost too many homies for me to ever forget em'
I done made so many mistakes but still I dont regret em'
I'm a product of the pimp, the pusher, and the reverend
I'm a product of the block, the fiends, and the felons
We all lost souls tryina find our way to heaven
[Chorus (x1):2Pac]
Now you know you shoulda ducked nigga
Gotchu fallin from the uppercut, fucked, so what's up? nigga!
Now you know you shoulda ducked nigga
Gotchu fallin' from this uppercut, stuck, so what's up? nigga!
[Outro :Edi Talking]
To all the conrads no longer with us, see you when we get there
'Pac, Yak, we gon' keep on ridin', give these cowards the uppercut
'Til we get up there with ya'll, YOU KNOW!..
Thug Life we still livin it
Outlaw for life, in the name of the Don, let's go!
Language: english
Location: UK
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|
Type | Public broadcasting |
---|---|
Industry | Mass media |
Predecessor(s) | British Broadcasting Company |
Founded | 1 January 1927 |
Founder(s) | John Reith (Director-General) George Villiers (Chairman) |
Headquarters | London, England, United Kingdom |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Lord Patten of Barnes (Chairman, BBC Trust) Mark Thompson (Director-General) |
Products | Broadcasting, radio, web portals |
Services | Television, radio, online |
Revenue | £4.741 bn |
Owner(s) | The Crown (Publicly owned) |
Website | bbc.co.uk |
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London.[1] It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff.[2][3][4] Its main responsibility is to provide impartial public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
The BBC is a semi-autonomous public service broadcaster[5] that operates under a Royal Charter[6] and a Licence and Agreement from the Home Secretary.[7] Within the United Kingdom its work is funded principally by an annual television licence fee,[8] which is charged to all British households, companies and organisations using any type of equipment to record and/or receive live television broadcasts;[9] the level of the fee is set annually by the British Government and agreed by Parliament.[10]
Outside the UK, the BBC World Service has provided services by direct broadcasting and re-transmission contracts by sound radio since the inauguration of the BBC Empire Service in December 1932, and more recently by television and online. Though sharing some of the facilities of the domestic services, particularly for news and current affairs output, the World Service has a separate Managing Director, and its operating costs have historically been funded mainly by direct grants from the British government. These grants were determined independently of the domestic licence fee and were usually awarded from the budget of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. As such, the BBC's international content has traditionally represented – at least in part – an effective foreign policy tool of the British Government. The recent BBC World Service spending review has announced plans for the funding for the world service to be drawn from the domestic licence fee.
The Corporation's "guaranteed" income from the licence fee and the World Service grants are supplemented by profits from commercial operations through a wholly owned subsidiary, BBC Worldwide Ltd. The company's activities include programme- and format-sales, magazines including the Radio Times and book publishing. The BBC also earns additional income from selling certain programme-making services through BBC Studios and Post Production Ltd., formerly BBC Resources Ltd, another wholly owned trading subsidiary of the corporation. The BBC is sometimes referred to as "Auntie" and "the Beeb". The former is also used to refer to the BBC's sister corporation, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Contents |
The privately owned BBC was the world's first national broadcasting organisation[11] and was founded on 18 October 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company Ltd. The original company was founded in 1922[12] by a group of six telecommunications companies—Marconi, Radio Communication Company, Metropolitan-Vickers (MetroVick), General Electric, Western Electric, and British Thomson-Houston (BTH)[13]—to broadcast experimental radio services. The first transmission was on 14 November of that year, from station 2LO, located at Marconi House, London.[14]
The British Broadcasting Company Ltd was created by the British General Post Office (GPO) and John Reith applied for a job with the existing company and later became its employee general manager. The company was wound-up and on 1 January 1927[15] a new non-commercial entity called the British Broadcasting Corporation established under a Royal Charter became successor in interest.
To represent its purpose and (stated) values, the Corporation adopted the coat of arms, including the motto "Nation shall speak peace unto Nation". The motto is generally attributed to Montague John Rendall, former headmaster of Winchester College, and member of the first BBC Board of Governors.[16] The motto is said to be a "felicitous adaptation" of Micah 4: 3 "nation shall not lift up a sword against nation".[17]
Experimental television broadcasts were started in 1932 using an electromechanical 30-line system developed by John Logie Baird. Limited regular broadcasts using this system began in 1934, and an expanded service (now named the BBC Television Service) started from Alexandra Palace in 1936, alternating between an improved Baird mechanical 240 line system and the all electronic 405 line Marconi-EMI system. The superiority of the electronic system saw the mechanical system dropped early the following year.[18]
Television broadcasting was suspended from 1 September 1939 to 7 June 1946 during the Second World War. A widely reported urban myth is that, upon resumption of service, announcer Leslie Mitchell started by saying, "As I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted ..." In fact, the first person to appear when transmission resumed was Jasmine Bligh and the words said were "Good afternoon, everybody. How are you? Do you remember me, Jasmine Bligh ...?"[19]
The European Broadcasting Union was formed on 12 February 1950, in Torquay with the BBC among the 23 founding broadcasting organisations.
Competition to the BBC was introduced in 1955 with the commercial and independently operated television network of ITV. However, the BBC monopoly on radio services would persist into the 1970s. As a result of the Pilkington Committee report of 1962, in which the BBC was praised for the quality and range of its output, and ITV was very heavily criticised for not providing enough quality programming,[20] the decision was taken to award the BBC a second television channel, BBC2, in 1964, renaming the existing service BBC1. BBC2 used the higher resolution 625 line standard which had been standardised across Europe. BBC2 was broadcast in colour from 1 July 1967, and was joined by BBC 1 and ITV on 15 November 1969. The 405 line VHF transmissions of BBC1 (and ITV) were continued for compatibility with older television receivers until 1985.
Starting in 1964 a series of pirate radio stations (starting with Radio Caroline) came on the air, and forced the British government finally to regulate radio services to permit nationally based advertising-financed services. In response the BBC reorganised and renamed their radio channels. The Light Programme was split into Radio 1 offering continuous "Popular" music and Radio 2 more "Easy Listening".[21] The "Third" programme became Radio 3 offering classical music and cultural programming. The Home Service became Radio 4 offering news, and non-musical content such as quiz shows, readings, dramas and plays. As well as the four national channels, a series of local BBC radio stations were established in 1967, including Radio London.[22]
In 1974, the BBC's teletext service, Ceefax, was introduced, created initially to provide subtitling, but developed into a news and information service. In 1978 BBC staff went on strike just before the Christmas of that year, thus blocking out the transmission of both channels and amalgamating all four radio stations into one.[23][24]
Since the deregulation of the UK television and radio market in the 1980s, the BBC has faced increased competition from the commercial sector (and from the advertiser-funded public service broadcaster Channel 4), especially on satellite television, cable television, and digital television services.[citation needed]
The BBC Research Department has played a major part in the development of broadcasting and recording techniques. In the early days it carried out essential research into acoustics and programme level and noise measurement.[citation needed] The BBC was also responsible for the development of the NICAM stereo standard.
In recent decades, a number of additional channels and radio stations have been launched: Radio 5 was launched in 1990 as a sports and educational station, but was replaced in 1994 with Radio 5 Live, following the success of the Radio 4 service to cover the 1991 Gulf War. The new station would be a news and sport station. In 1997, BBC News 24, a rolling news channel, launched on digital television services and the following year, BBC Choice launched as the third general entertainment channel from the BBC. The BBC also purchased The Parliamentary Channel, which was renamed BBC Parliament. In 1999, BBC Knowledge launched as a multi media channel, with services available on the newly launched BBC Text digital teletext service, and on BBC Online. The channel had an educational aim, which was modified later on in its life to offer documentaries.
In 2002, a number of new channels and stations were made: BBC Knowledge was renamed BBC Four and became the BBC's arts and documentaries channel. In addition, CBBC, which had been a programming strand as Children's BBC since 1985, was split into CBBC and CBeebies with both new services getting a digital channel: the CBBC Channel and CBeebies Channel. In addition to the television channels, new digital radio stations were created: 1Xtra, 6 Music and BBC7. BBC 1Xtra was a sister station to Radio 1 and specialised in modern black music, BBC 6 Music specialised in alternative music genres and BBC7 specialised in archive, speech and children's programming.
The following few years resulted in repositioning of some of the channels to conform to a larger brand: in 2003, BBC Choice became BBC Three, with programming for younger generations and shocking real life documentaries, BBC News 24 became the BBC News Channel in 2008, and BBC Radio 7 became BBC Radio 4 Extra in 2011, with new programmes to supplement those broadcast on Radio 4. In 2008 another channel was launched, BBC Alba, a Scottish Gaelic service.
The 2004 Hutton Inquiry and the subsequent Report raised questions about the BBC's journalistic standards and its impartiality. This led to resignations of senior management members at the time including the then Director General, Greg Dyke. In January 2007, the BBC released minutes of the Board meeting which led to Greg Dyke's resignation.[25]
Unlike the other departments of the BBC, the BBC World Service is funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, more commonly known as the Foreign Office or the FCO, is the British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom abroad.
In the past few years, the BBC has experimented in high-definition television. In 2006, BBC HD launched as an experimental service, and became official in December 2007. The channel broadcasts HD simulcasts of programmes on BBC One, Two, Three and Four as well as repeats of some older programmes in HD. In 2010, a HD simulcast of BBC One launched: BBC One HD. The new channel uses HD versions of BBC One's schedule and uses upscaled versions of programmes not currently produced in HD.
On 18 October 2007, BBC Director General Mark Thompson announced a controversial plan to make major cuts and reduce the size of the BBC as an organisation. The plans included a reduction in posts of 2,500; including 1,800 redundancies, consolidating news operations, reducing programming output by 10% and selling off the flagship Television Centre building in London.[26] These plans have been fiercely opposed by unions, who have threatened a series of strikes, however the BBC have stated that the cuts are essential to move the organisation forward and concentrate on increasing the quality of programming.
On 20 October 2010, the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced that the television licence fee would be frozen at its current level until the end of the current charter in 2016. The same announcement revealed that the BBC would take on the full cost of running the BBC World Service and the BBC Monitoring service from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and will part finance the Welsh broadcaster S4C.[27]
Further cuts were announced on 6 October 2011, so the BBC could reach a total reduction in their budget of 20%, following the licence fee freeze in October 2010. Details include cutting staff by 2000 and sending a further 1000 to the MediaCityUK development, with BBC Three moving in 2016, the sharing of more programmes between stations and channels, sharing of radio news bulletins, more repeats in schedules, including the whole of BBC Two daytime and for some original programming to be reduced. Also, the BBC HD channel would be closed and replaced with an HD simulcast of BBC Two, however flagship programmes, other channels and full funding for CBBC and CBeebies would be retained.[28][29][30]
The BBC is a corporation, independent from direct government intervention, with its activities being overseen by the BBC Trust (formerly the Board of Governors).[31] General management of the organisation is in the hands of a Director-General, who is appointed by the Trust; he is the BBC's Editor-in-Chief and chairs the Executive Board.[32]
The BBC operates under a Royal Charter,[6] with the current Charter having come into effect on 1 January 2007 and running until 31 December 2016.[33] The Royal Charter is reviewed every 10 years.
The 2007 Charter specifies that the mission of the Corporation is to "inform, educate and entertain". It states that the Corporation exists to serve the public interest and to promote its public purposes: sustaining citizenship and civil society, promoting education and learning, stimulating creativity and cultural excellence, representing the UK, its nations, regions and communities, bringing the UK to the world and the world to the UK, helping to deliver to the public the benefit of emerging communications technologies and services, and taking a leading role in the switchover to digital television.
This Charter also created the largest change in the governance of the Corporation since its inception. It abolished the sometimes controversial governing body, the Board of Governors, and replaced it with the BBC Trust and a formalised Executive Board.
Under the Royal Charter, the BBC must obtain a licence from the Home Secretary.[7] This licence is accompanied by an agreement which sets the terms and conditions under which BBC is allowed to broadcast.[7] It was under this Licence and Agreement (and the Broadcasting Act 1981) that the Sinn Féin broadcast ban from 1988 to 1994 was implemented.[34][35]
The BBC Trust was formed on 1 January 2007, replacing the Board of Governors as the governing body of the Corporation. The Trust sets the strategy for the corporation, assesses the performance of the BBC Executive Board in delivering the BBC's services, and appoints the Director-General.
BBC Trustees are appointed by the British monarch on advice of government ministers.[36] There are currently ten trustees with two vacancies, headed by the Chairman, Lord Patten of Barnes and the vice-chairman Diane Coyle. There are trustees for the four nations; England (Alison Hastings), Scotland (Bill Matthews), Wales (Elan Closs Stephens) and Northern Ireland (Rotha Johnston). The remaining four trustees are Richard Ayre, Anthony Fry, David Liddiment and Mehmuda Mian.[37]
The Executive Board is responsible for operational management and delivery of services within a framework set by the BBC Trust, and is headed by the Director-General, Mark Thompson. The Executive Board consists of both Executive and Non-Executive directors, with non-executive directors being sourced from other companies and corporations and being appointed by the BBC Trust.[38] The executive board is made up of the Director General, Mark Thompson, as well as the head of each of the main BBC departments, with the exception of the BBC North Group. These at present are George Entwistle, Director of BBC Vision; Tim Davie, Director of BBC Audio & Music; Ralph Rivera, Director of Future Media; Zarin Patel, Chief Financial Officer; Caroline Thomson, Chief Operating Officer and Helen Boaden, Director of News.[39]
In addition to these members, there are also five non-executive directors, these are currently Marcus Agius, the senior non-executive director and Chairman of Barclays; Robert Webb QC, the chairman of BBC Worldwide Ltd, former General Counsel and part of British Airways; Dr Mike Lynch OBE, the co-founder and Chief Executive of Autonomy Corporation; Val Gooding, the former Chief Executive of BUPA and Simon Burke the non-Executive Director.[39]
The Corporation is headed by Director General's office, which has overall control of the management and running of the BBC. Below this is the BBC Direction Group, which deals with inter departmental issues and any other tasks which the Executive board has delegated to it. Below the BBC Decision Group are the following seven departments covering all the BBC's output:[40]
All aspects of the BBC fall into one or more of the above departments, with the following exceptions:
The BBC has the second largest budget of any UK broadcaster with an operating expenditure of £4.26 billion in 2009/10[41] compared to £5.9 billion for British Sky Broadcasting,[42] £1.9 billion for ITV[43] and £214 million in 2007 for GCap Media (the largest commercial radio broadcaster).[44]
The principal means of funding the BBC is through the television licence, costing £145.50 per year per household (as of April 2010). Such a licence is required to receive broadcast television across Britain, however no licence is required to own a television used for other means, or for sound only radio sets (though a separate licence for these was also required for non-TV households until 1971). The cost of a television licence is set by the government and enforced by the criminal law. A discount is available for households with only black-and-white television sets. A 50% discount is also offered to registered blind.[45]
The revenue is collected privately and is paid into the central government Consolidated Fund, a process defined in the Communications Act 2003. This TV Licensing collection is currently carried out by Capita, an outside agency. Funds are then allocated by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Treasury and approved by Parliament via legislation. Additional revenues are paid by the Department for Work and Pensions to compensate for subsidised licences for eligible over-75-year-olds.
Income from commercial enterprises and from overseas sales of its catalogue of programmes has substantially increased over recent years,[46] with BBC Worldwide contributing some £145 million to the BBC's core public service business.
According to the BBC's 2009–2010 Annual Report[47] its income can be broken down, as follows:
The licence fee has, however, attracted criticism. It has been argued that in an age of multi stream, multi-channel availability, an obligation to pay a licence fee is no longer appropriate. The BBC's use of private sector company Capita Group to send letters to premises not paying the licence fee has been criticised, especially as there have been cases where such letters have been sent to premises which are up to date with their payments, or do not require a TV licence.[48]
The BBC uses an advertising campaign to inform customers of the requirement to pay the licence fee. These letters and adverts have been criticised by Conservative MPs Boris Johnson and Ann Widdecombe, for having a threatening nature and language used to scare evaders into paying.[49][50] Audio clips and television broadcasts are used to inform listeners of the BBC's comprehensive database.[51] There are a number of pressure groups campaigning on the issue of the licence fee.[52]
The following expenditure figures are from 2010/2011 and show expenditure per service, and major department.[53]
Service | Total Cost (£million) |
---|---|
BBC One Including Regions | 1,402.9 |
BBC Two | 528.3 |
BBC Three | 110.1 |
BBC Four | 67.1 |
CBBC and CBeebies | 139 |
BBC News and BBC Parliament | 69.1 |
BBC HD | 11.8 |
BBC Alba | 7.6 |
BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra | 59.1 |
BBC Radio 2 | 59.2 |
BBC Radio 3 | 50.7 |
BBC Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra | 128 |
BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra | 77.8 |
BBC Radio 6 Music | 10.8 |
BBC Asian Network | 12.6 |
Nations & Local Radio | 240.7 |
BBC Online | 194.2 |
Total | 3,169 |
Department | Total cost (£million) |
---|---|
Television, including regions and productions for S4C | 2,368.1 |
Radio | 638.9 |
BBC Online | 194.2 |
BBC Red Button | 39.5 |
BBC Orchestras and Singers | 24.1 |
Development | 32.9 |
Digital Switchover | 80.3 |
Licence Fee Collection | 123.6 |
Restructuring | 29.6 |
Total | 3,531.2 |
Broadcasting House in Portland Place, London, is the official headquarters of the BBC. It is home to three of the ten BBC national radio networks, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, and BBC Radio 4 Extra. On the front of the building are statues of Prospero and Ariel, characters from William Shakespeare's play The Tempest, sculpted by Eric Gill. Renovation of Broadcasting House began in 2002 and is scheduled for completion in 2012.
BBC Television and BBC News are currently based at BBC Television Centre, a purpose built television facility and the second built in the country located in White City, London. This facility has been host to a number of famous guests and programmes through the years, and its name and image is familiar with many British citizens. Nearby, the BBC White City complex contains numerous programme offices, housed in Centre House, the Media Centre and Broadcast Centre. It is in this area around Shepherd's Bush that the majority of BBC employees work.
As part of a major reorganisation of BBC property, the entire BBC News operation is expected to relocate from the News Centre at BBC Television Centre to the refurbished Broadcasting House to create what is being described as "one of the world's largest live broadcast centres".[54] Following completion Broadcasting House will also be home to most of the BBC's national radio stations, and the BBC World Service. The major part of this plan involves the demolition of the two post-war extensions to the building and construction of an extension[55] designed by Sir Richard MacCormac of MJP Architects. This move will concentrate the BBC's London operations, allowing them to sell Television Centre, which is expected to be completed by 2015.[56]
In addition to the scheme above, the BBC is in the process of making and producing more programmes outside of London. This involves producing more programmes at production centres such as Belfast, Glasgow and, most notably, Manchester. As part of the scheme, BBC North West is moving from New Broadcasting House, Oxford Road, to MediaCityUK in Salford. Joining them are the BBC Sports, BBC Children's, Radio 5 Live, BBC Breakfast and BBC Philharmonic departments and services from London. MediaCityUK will therefore become the biggest staffing operation outside London.[57][58]
As well as the two main sites in London (Broadcasting House and White City), there are seven other major BBC production centres in the UK, mainly specialising in different productions. Broadcasting House Cardiff, has been home to BBC Cymru Wales, which specialises in drama production. Open since October 2011, and containing 7 new studios, Roath Lock[59] is notable as the home of productions such as Doctor Who and Casualty. Broadcasting House Belfast, home to BBC Northern Ireland, specialises in original drama and comedy, and has taken part in many co-productions with independent companies and notably with RTÉ in the Republic of Ireland. BBC Scotland, based in Pacific Quay, Glasgow is a large producer of programmes for the network, including several quiz shows. In England, the larger regions also produce some programming.
Previously, the largest 'hub' of BBC programming from the regions is BBC North West. At present they produce all Religious and Ethical programmes on the BBC, as well as other programmes such as A Question of Sport, however this is to be merged and expanded under the BBC North project, which involved the region moving from New Broadcasting House, Manchester, to MediaCityUK. BBC Midlands, based at The Mailbox in Birmingham, also produces drama and contains the headquarters for the English regions and the BBC's daytime output. Other production centres include Quarry Hill in Leeds, home of BBC Yorkshire, Broadcasting House Bristol, home of BBC West and famously the BBC Natural History Unit.
There are also many smaller local and regional studios throughout the UK, operating the BBC regional television services and the BBC Local Radio stations.
In the UK, BBC One and BBC Two are the BBC's flagship television channels. Several digital only stations are also broadcast: BBC Three, BBC Four, BBC News, BBC Parliament, and two children's channels, CBBC and CBeebies. Digital television is now in widespread use in the UK, with analogue transmission being phased out by December 2012.[61]
BBC One is a regionalised TV service which provides opt-outs throughout the day for local news and other local programming. These variations are more pronounced in the BBC 'Nations', i.e. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, where the presentation is mostly carried out locally on BBC One and Two, and where programme schedules can vary largely from that of the network. BBC Two variations exist in the Nations, however regions today rarely have the option to 'opt out' as regional programming now only exists on BBC One, and regional opt outs are not possible in the regions that have already undertaken the switch to digital television. BBC Two was also the first channel to be transmitted on 625 lines in 1964, then carry a small-scale regular colour service from 1967. BBC One would follow in November 1969.
A new Scottish Gaelic television channel, BBC Alba, was launched in September 2008. It is also the first multi-genre channel to come entirely from Scotland with almost all of its programmes made in Scotland. The service was initially only available via satellite but since June 2011 has been available to viewers in Scotland on Freeview and cable television.[62]
The BBC also has a HD channel, BBC HD, that launched on 9 June 2006 following a 12 month trial of the broadcasts. It became a proper channel in 2007, and screens HD programmes as simulcasts of the main network, or as repeats. The corporation has been producing programmes in the format for many years, and stated that it hoped to produce 100% of new programmes in HDTV by 2010.[63] On 3 November 2010, a high-definition simulcast of BBC One was launched, entitled BBC One HD.
In the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland, the BBC channels are available in a number of ways. In these countries digital and cable operators carry a range of BBC channels these include BBC One, BBC Two and BBC World News, although viewers in the Republic of Ireland may receive BBC services via 'overspill' from transmitters in Northern Ireland or Wales, or via 'deflectors' – transmitters in the Republic which rebroadcast broadcasts from the UK, received off-air, or from digital satellite.
Since 1975, the BBC has also provided its TV programmes to the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS), allowing members of UK military serving abroad to watch and listen to them on two dedicated TV channels.
Since 2008, all the BBC channels are available to watch online, either through the channel website, or through the BBC iPlayer service. This online streaming ability came about following experiments with live streaming, involving streaming certain channels in the UK.[64]
The BBC has ten national radio stations, six stations serving the BBC Regions and numerous others covering the Local regions in England. Of the ten national stations, five are major stations and are available on FM, DAB and online. These are BBC Radio 1, offering new music and popular styles and being notable for its chart show; BBC Radio 2, playing Adult contemporary, country and soul music amongst many other genres; BBC Radio 3, playing classical and jazz music and home to the BBC Proms; BBC Radio 4, offering current affairs, factual, drama and comedy speech programmes and BBC Radio 5 Live, broadcasting 24 hour news, sport and talk programmes.
In addition to these five stations, the BBC also runs five additional stations that broadcast on DAB and online only. These stations supplement and expand on the big five stations, and were launched in 2002. BBC Radio 1Xtra sisters Radio 1, and broadcasts new black music and urban tracks. BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra sisters 5 Live and offers extra sport analysis, including broadcasting sports that previously were not covered. BBC Radio 6 Music offers alternative music genres and is notable as a platform for new artists.
BBC Radio 7, later renamed BBC Radio 4 Extra, provided archive drama, comedy and children's programming. Following the change to Radio 4 Extra, the service has dropped a defined children's strand in favour of family-friendly drama and comedy. In addition, new programmes to complement Radio 4 programmes were introduced such as Ambridge Extra, and Desert Island Discs revisited. The final station is the BBC Asian Network, providing music, talk and news to this section of the community. This station evolved out of Local radio stations serving certain areas, and as such this station is available on Medium Wave frequency in some areas of the Midlands.
As well as the national stations, the BBC also provides regional stations. In the 'Nations', six stations serve large areas of these regions. In Scotland, these are BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio nan Gaidheal, the latter providing programmes in Scots Gaelic; in Wales these are BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru, the latter providing programming in Welsh and in Northern Ireland there is BBC Radio Ulster with an opt out for the North West called BBC Radio Foyle. Furthermore, there are 40 BBC Local Radio stations in England and the Channel Islands, usually covering specific cities and their surrounding areas (Such as BBC Radio Bristol), for counties, or regions (Such as BBC Three Counties Radio), or geographic features (Such as BBC Radio Solent covering the South Coast).
As part of BBC Local Radio, the BBC also serves the Channel Islands, which strictly speaking are not part of the United Kingdom, through its TV News service and BBC Guernsey and BBC Radio Jersey. These services are funded from locally collected licence fees. However, despite this, the BBC does not offer Local Radio for the Isle of Man, primarily because the island has been served by the popular and long lasting independent commercial station, Manx Radio.
For a worldwide audience, the BBC World Service provides news, current affairs and information in 28 languages, including English, around the world and is available in over 150 capital cities. It is broadcast worldwide on shortwave radio, DAB and online and has an estimated weekly audience of 180 million listeners. Since 2005, it is also available on DAB in the UK, a step not taken before, due to the way it is funded. The service is funded by a Parliamentary Grant-in-Aid, administered by the Foreign Office, however following the Governments spending review in 2011, this funding will cease, and it will be funded for the first time through the Licence fee.[65][66] In recent years, some services of the World Service have been reduced; the Thai service ended in 2006[67] as did the Eastern European languages, with resources diverted instead into the new BBC Arabic Television.[68]
Historically, the BBC was the only legal radio broadcaster based in the UK mainland until 1967, when University Radio York (URY), then under the name Radio York, was launched as the first, and now oldest, legal independent radio station in the country. However, the BBC did not enjoy a complete monopoly before this as several Continental stations, such as Radio Luxembourg, broadcast programmes in English to Britain since the 1930s and the Isle of Man based Manx Radio began in 1964. Today, the BBC still has some of the most popular Radio stations, with BBC Radio 2 being the most popular of the network and the most popular in the country, with 12.9 million weekly listeners in 2006.[69]
BBC Programming is also available to other services and in other countries. Since 1943, the BBC has provided radio programming to the British Forces Broadcasting Service, which broadcasts in countries where British troops are stationed. BBC Radio 1 is also carried in the United States and Canada on Sirius XM Radio (online streaming only).
The BBC is a patron of The Radio Academy.[70]
BBC News is the largest broadcast news gathering operation in the world,[71] providing services to BBC domestic radio as well as television networks such as the BBC News, BBC Parliament and BBC World News. In addition to this, news stories are available on the BBC Red Button service, Ceefax and BBC News Online. In addition to this, the BBC has been developing new ways to access BBC News, as a result has launched the service on BBC Mobile, making it accessible to mobile phones and PDAs, as well as developing alerts by e-mail, digital television, and on computers through a desktop alert.
Ratings figures suggest that during major crises such as the 7 July 2005 London bombings or a Royal Event, the UK audience overwhelmingly turns to the BBC's coverage as opposed to its commercial rivals.[72] On 7 July 2005, the day that there were a series of coordinated bomb blasts on London's public transport system, the BBC Online website recorded an all time bandwidth peak of 11 Gb/s at 12:00 on 7 July. BBC News received some 1 billion total hits on the day of the event (including all images, text and HTML), serving some 5.5 terabytes of data. At peak times during the day there were 40,000 page requests per second for the BBC News website. The previous day's announcement of the 2012 Olympics being awarded to London caused a peak of around 5 Gbit/s. The previous all time high at BBC Online was caused by the announcement of the Michael Jackson verdict, which used 7.2 Gbit/s.[73]
The BBC's online presence includes a comprehensive news website and archive. It was launched as BBC Online, before being renamed BBCi, then bbc.co.uk, before it was rebranded back as BBC Online. The website is funded by the Licence fee, but uses GeoIP technology, allowing advertisements to be carried on the site when viewed outside of the UK.[74] The BBC claims the site to be "Europe's most popular content-based site"[75] and states that 13.2 million people in the UK visit the site's more than two million pages each day.[76] According to Alexa's TrafficRank system, in July 2008 BBC Online was the 27th most popular English Language website in the world,[77] and the 46th most popular overall.[78]
The centre of the website is the Homepage, which features a modular layout. Users can choose which modules, and which information, is displayed on their homepage, allowing the user to customise it. This system was first launched in December 2007, becoming permanent in February 2008, and has undergone a few aesthetical changes since then.[79] The Homepage then has links to other micro-sites, such as BBC News Online, Sport, Weather, TV and Radio. As part of the site, every programme on BBC Television or Radio is given its own page, with bigger programmes getting their own micro-site, and as a result it is often common for viewers and listeners to be told website addresses (URLs) for the programme website.
Another large part of the site also allows users to watch and listen to most Television and Radio output live and for seven days after broadcast using the BBC iPlayer platform, which launched on 27 July 2007, and initially used peer-to-peer and DRM technology to deliver both radio and TV content of the last seven days for offline use for up to 30 days, since then video is now streamed directly. Also, through participation in the Creative Archive Licence group, bbc.co.uk allowed legal downloads of selected archive material via the internet.[80]
The BBC has often included learning as part of its online service, running services such as BBC Jam, Learning Zone Class Clips and also runs services such as BBC WebWise and First Click which are designed to teach people how to use the internet. BBC Jam was a free online service, delivered through broadband and narrowband connections, providing high-quality interactive resources designed to stimulate learning at home and at school. Initial content was made available in January 2006 however BBC Jam was suspended on 20 March 2007 due to allegations made to the European Commission that it was damaging the interests of the commercial sector of the industry.[81]
In recent years some major on-line companies and politicians have complained that BBC Online receives too much funding from the television licence, meaning that other websites are unable to compete with the vast amount of advertising-free on-line content available on BBC Online.[82] Some have proposed that the amount of licence fee money spent on BBC Online should be reduced—either being replaced with funding from advertisements or subscriptions, or a reduction in the amount of content available on the site.[83] In response to this the BBC carried out an investigation, and has now set in motion a plan to change the way it provides its online services. BBC Online will now attempt to fill in gaps in the market, and will guide users to other websites for currently existing market provision. (For example, instead of providing local events information and timetables, users will be guided to outside websites already providing that information.) Part of this plan included the BBC closing some of its websites, and rediverting money to redevelop other parts.[84][85]
On 26 February 2010 The Times claimed that Mark Thompson, Director General of the BBC, proposed that the BBC's web output should be cut by 50%, with online staff numbers and budgets reduced by 25% in a bid to scale back BBC operations and allow commercial rivals more room.[86] On 2 March 2010, the BBC reported that it will cut its website spending by 25% and close BBC 6 Music and Asian Network, as part of Mark Thompson's plans to make " a smaller, fitter BBC for the digital age".[87][88]
BBC Red Button is the brand name for the BBC's interactive digital television services, which are available through Freeview (digital terrestrial), as well as Freesat, Sky (satellite), and Virgin Media (cable). Unlike Ceefax, the service's analogue counterpart, BBC Red Button is able to display full-colour graphics, photographs, and video, as well as programmes and can be accessed from any BBC channel. The service carries News, Weather and Sport 24 hours a day, but also provides extra features related to programmes specific at that time. Examples include viewers to play along at home to gameshows, to give, voice and vote on opinions to issues, as used alongside programmes such as Question Time. At some points in the year, when multiple sporting events occur, some coverage of less mainstream sports or games are frequently placed on the Red Button for viewers to watch. Frequently, other features are added unrelated to programmes being broadcast at that time, such as the broadcast of the Doctor Who animated episode Dreamland in November 2009.
BBC Worldwide Limited is the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the BBC responsible for the commercial exploitation of BBC programmes and other properties, including a number of television stations throughout the world. It was formed following the restructuring of its predecessor, BBC Enterprises, in 1995.
The company owns and administers a number of commercial stations around the world operating in a number of territories and on a number of different platforms. The channel BBC Entertainment shows current and archive entertainment programming to viewers in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, with the BBC Worldwide channels BBC America and BBC Canada (Joint venture with Shaw Media) showing similar programming in the North America region and UKTV in the Australasia region. The company also airs two channels aimed at children, an international CBeebies channel and BBC Kids, a joint venture with Knowledge Network Corporation, which airs programmes under the CBeebies and BBC K brands. The company also runs the channels BBC Knowledge, broadcasting factual and learning programmes, and BBC Lifestyle, broadcasting programmes based on themes of Food, Style and Wellbeing. In addition to this, BBC Worldwide runs an internation version of the channel BBC HD, and provides HD simulcasts of the channels BBC Knowledge and BBC America.
BBC Worldwide also distributes the 24-hour international news channel BBC World News. The station is separate from BBC Worldwide to maintain the station's neutral point of view, but is distributed by BBC Worldwide. The channel itself is the oldest surviving entity of its kind, and has bases and correspondents in over 200 countries. As officially surveyed it is available to more than 274 million households, significantly more than CNN's estimated 200 million.
In addition to these international channels, BBC Worldwide also owns, together with Virgin Media, the UKTV network of ten channels. These channels contain BBC archive programming to be rebroadcast on their respective channels: Alibi, drama; Blighty, British-oriented; Dave (slogan: "The Home of Witty Banter"); Eden, nature; GOLD, comedy; Good Food, cookery; Home, home and garden; Really, female programming; Watch, entertainment and Yesterday, history programming.
In addition to these channels, many BBC programmes are sold via BBC Worldwide to foreign television stations with comedy, documentaries and historical drama productions being most popular. In addition, BBC television news appears nightly on many Public Broadcasting Service stations in the United States, as do reruns of BBC programmes such as EastEnders, and in New Zealand on TV One.
In addition to programming, BBC Worldwide produces material to accompany programmes. The company maintained the publishing arm of the BBC, and is currently the third-largest publisher of consumer magazines in the United Kingdom.[89] BBC Magazines, formerly known as BBC Publications, publishes the Radio Times as well as a number of magazines that support BBC programming such as BBC Top Gear, BBC Good Food, BBC Sky at Night, BBC History, BBC Wildlife and BBC Music. This department included independent magazine publisher Origin Publishing, which BBC Worldwide owned between 2004 and 2006.[90]
BBC Worldwide also publishes books, to accompany programmes such as Doctor Who under the BBC Books brand, and also owns the biggest travel guidebook and digital media publisher in the world, Lonely Planet. Soundtrack albums, talking books and sections of radio broadcasts are also sold under the brand BBC Records, with DVD's also being sold and licensed in large quantities to consumers both in the UK and abroad under the 2 Entertain brand. Archive programming and classical music recordings are sold under the brand BBC Legends.
The BBC employs staff orchestras, a choir, and supports two amateur choruses, based in BBC venues across the UK; the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Singers, BBC Symphony Chorus and BBC Big Band based in London, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in Glasgow, the BBC Philharmonic in Manchester, the BBC Concert Orchestra based in Watford and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in Cardiff. It also buys a selected number of broadcasts from the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast. Many famous musicians of every genre have played at the BBC, such as The Beatles (The Beatles Live at the BBC is one of their many albums). The BBC is also responsible for the United Kingdom coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest, a show with which the broadcaster has been associated for over 50 years.
The BBC operates in other ventures in addition to their broadcasting arm. In addition to broadcasting output on television and radio, some programmes are also displayed on the BBC Big Screens located in several central city locations. The BBC and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office also jointly run BBC Monitoring, which monitors radio, television, the press and the internet worldwide. The BBC also developed several computers throughout the 1980s, most notably the BBC Micro, which ran alongside the corporation's educational aims and programming.
Staff at the BBC are normally represented by BECTU, along with journalistic staff by the NUJ and electrical staff by Unite. Union membership is optional, staff are not automatically covered by a union, and is paid for by staff members and not by the BBC.
Until the development, popularisation, and domination of television, radio was the broadcast medium upon which people in the United Kingdom relied. It "reached into every home in the land, and simultaneously united the nation, an important factor during the Second World War".[91] The BBC introduced the world's first "high-definition" 405-line television service in 1936, and apart from suspending service throughout World War II until 1946, was the only television broadcaster in the UK until 1955. "The BBC's monopoly was broken in 1955, with the introduction of Independent Television (ITV)",[92] This heralded the transformation of television into a popular and dominant medium. Nevertheless, "throughout the 1950s radio still remained the dominant source of broadcast comedy".[92] Further, the BBC was the only legal radio broadcaster until 1968 (when URY obtained their first licence).[93]
Even since the advent of commercial television and radio, the BBC has remained one of the main elements in British popular culture through its obligation to produce TV and radio programmes for mass audiences.[citation needed] However, the arrival of BBC2 allowed the BBC also to make programmes for minority interests in drama, documentaries, current affairs, entertainment and sport. Examples are cited such as I, Claudius, Civilisation, Tonight, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Doctor Who and Pot Black, but other examples can be given in each of these fields as shown by the BBC's entries in the British Film Institute's 2000 list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes.[94] The export of BBC programmes through both services like the BBC World Service and BBC World News, as well as the channels operated by BBC Worldwide mean that BBC productions can now be experienced worldwide.
The term BBC English (Received Pronunciation) refers to the former use of Standard English with this accent. However, the organisation now makes more use of regional accents in order to reflect the diversity of the UK, though clarity and fluency are still expected of presenters.[95] From its "starchy" beginnings, the BBC has also become more inclusive, and now attempts to accommodate the interests of all strata of society and all minorities, because they all pay the licence fee.[96]
Competition from Independent Television, Channel 4, Sky and other broadcast television stations, has lessened the BBC's influence, but such public broadcasting remains a major influence on British popular culture.[97]
Older domestic UK audiences often refer to the BBC as "the Beeb", a nickname originally dubbed by Peter Sellers in The Goon Show in the 1950s, when he referred to the "Beeb Beeb Ceeb". It was then borrowed, shortened and popularised by Kenny Everett.[98] Another nickname, now less commonly used, is "Auntie", said to originate from the old-fashioned "Auntie knows best" attitude (but possibly a sly reference to the "aunties" and "uncles" who were presenters of children's programmes in early days)[99] in the days when John Reith, the BBC's first director general, was in charge. The two nicknames have also been used together as "Auntie Beeb",[100] and Auntie has been used in out-take programmes such as Auntie's Bloomers.[101]
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King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and his historical existence is debated and disputed by modern historians.[2] The sparse historical background of Arthur is gleaned from various sources, including the Annales Cambriae, the Historia Brittonum, and the writings of Gildas. Arthur's name also occurs in early poetic sources such as Y Gododdin.[3]
The legendary Arthur developed as a figure of international interest largely through the popularity of Geoffrey of Monmouth's fanciful and imaginative 12th-century Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain).[4] Some Welsh and Breton tales and poems relating the story of Arthur date from earlier than this work; in these works, Arthur appears either as a great warrior defending Britain from human and supernatural enemies or as a magical figure of folklore, sometimes associated with the Welsh Otherworld, Annwn.[5] How much of Geoffrey's Historia (completed in 1138) was adapted from such earlier sources, rather than invented by Geoffrey himself, is unknown.
Although the themes, events and characters of the Arthurian legend varied widely from text to text, and there is no one canonical version, Geoffrey's version of events often served as the starting point for later stories. Geoffrey depicted Arthur as a king of Britain who defeated the Saxons and established an empire over Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Norway and Gaul. Many elements and incidents that are now an integral part of the Arthurian story appear in Geoffrey's Historia, including Arthur's father Uther Pendragon, the wizard Merlin, Arthur's wife Guinevere, the sword Excalibur, Arthur's conception at Tintagel, his final battle against Mordred at Camlann and final rest in Avalon. The 12th-century French writer Chrétien de Troyes, who added Lancelot and the Holy Grail to the story, began the genre of Arthurian romance that became a significant strand of medieval literature. In these French stories, the narrative focus often shifts from King Arthur himself to other characters, such as various Knights of the Round Table. Arthurian literature thrived during the Middle Ages but waned in the centuries that followed until it experienced a major resurgence in the 19th century. In the 21st century, the legend lives on, not only in literature but also in adaptations for theatre, film, television, comics and other media. However, the Arthur in films and television is clearly depicted as living during a much later period – the costumes used in such dramatizations resemble those of people living in the 12th century more than they do those used during the 5th or 6th.
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The first datable mention of King Arthur is in a 9th century Latin text. The Historia Brittonum, a 9th-century Latin historical compilation attributed in some late manuscripts to a Welsh cleric called Nennius, lists twelve battles that Arthur fought. These culminate in the Battle of Mons Badonicus, or Mount Badon, where he is said to have single-handedly killed 960 men. Recent studies, however, question the reliability of the Historia Brittonum.[6] The historical basis for the King Arthur legend has long been debated by scholars. One school of thought, citing entries in the Historia Brittonum (History of the Britons) and Annales Cambriae (Welsh Annals), sees Arthur as a genuine historical figure, a Romano-British leader who fought against the invading Anglo-Saxons sometime in the late 5th to early 6th century.
The other text that seems to support the case for Arthur's historical existence is the 10th-century Annales Cambriae, which also link Arthur with the Battle of Mount Badon. The Annales date this battle to 516–518, and also mention the Battle of Camlann, in which Arthur and Medraut (Mordred) were both killed, dated to 537–539. These details have often been used to bolster confidence in the Historia's account and to confirm that Arthur really did fight at Mount Badon. Problems have been identified, however, with using this source to support the Historia Brittonum's account. The latest research shows that the Annales Cambriae was based on a chronicle begun in the late 8th century in Wales. Additionally, the complex textual history of the Annales Cambriae precludes any certainty that the Arthurian annals were added to it even that early. They were more likely added at some point in the 10th century and may never have existed in any earlier set of annals. The Mount Badon entry probably derived from the Historia Brittonum.[7]
This lack of convincing early evidence is the reason many recent historians exclude Arthur from their accounts of sub-Roman Britain. In the view of historian Thomas Charles-Edwards, "at this stage of the enquiry, one can only say that there may well have been an historical Arthur [but ...] the historian can as yet say nothing of value about him".[8] These modern admissions of ignorance are a relatively recent trend; earlier generations of historians were less sceptical. Historian John Morris made the putative reign of Arthur the organising principle of his history of sub-Roman Britain and Ireland, The Age of Arthur (1973). Even so, he found little to say about a historical Arthur.[9]
Partly in reaction to such theories, another school of thought emerged which argued that Arthur had no historical existence at all. Morris's Age of Arthur prompted archaeologist Nowell Myres to observe that "no figure on the borderline of history and mythology has wasted more of the historian's time".[10] Gildas' 6th-century polemic De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae (On the Ruin and Conquest of Britain), written within living memory of Mount Badon, mentions the battle but does not mention Arthur.[11] Arthur is not mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle or named in any surviving manuscript written between 400 and 820.[12] He is absent from Bede's early 8th-century Ecclesiastical History of the English People, another major early source for post-Roman history that mentions Mount Badon.[13] Historian David Dumville has written: "I think we can dispose of him [Arthur] quite briefly. He owes his place in our history books to a 'no smoke without fire' school of thought ... The fact of the matter is that there is no historical evidence about Arthur; we must reject him from our histories and, above all, from the titles of our books."[14]
Some scholars argue that Arthur was originally a fictional hero of folklore—or even a half-forgotten Celtic deity—who became credited with real deeds in the distant past. They cite parallels with figures such as the Kentish totemic horse-gods Hengest and Horsa, who later became historicised. Bede ascribed to these legendary figures a historical role in the 5th-century Anglo-Saxon conquest of eastern Britain.[15] It is not even certain that Arthur was considered a king in the early texts. Neither the Historia nor the Annales calls him "rex": the former calls him instead "dux bellorum" (leader of battles) and "miles" (soldier).[16]
Historical documents for the post-Roman period are scarce, so a definitive answer to the question of Arthur's historical existence is unlikely. Sites and places have been identified as "Arthurian" since the 12th century,[17] but archaeology can confidently reveal names only through inscriptions found in secure contexts. The so-called "Arthur stone", discovered in 1998 among the ruins at Tintagel Castle in Cornwall in securely dated 6th-century contexts, created a brief stir but proved irrelevant.[18] Other inscriptional evidence for Arthur, including the Glastonbury cross, is tainted with the suggestion of forgery.[19] Although several historical figures have been proposed as the basis for Arthur,[20] no convincing evidence for these identifications has emerged.
The origin of the name Arthur remains a matter of debate. Some suggest it is derived from the Roman nomen gentile (family name) Artōrius, of obscure and contested etymology[21] (but possibly of Messapic[22][23][24] or Etruscan origin[25][26][27]). Some scholars have suggested it is relevant to this debate that the legendary King Arthur's name only appears as Arthur, or Arturus, in early Latin Arthurian texts, never as Artōrius (though it should be noted that Classical Latin Artōrius became Arturius in some Vulgar Latin dialects). However, this may not say anything about the origin of the name Arthur, as Artōrius would regularly become Art(h)ur when borrowed into Welsh.[28]
Another possibility is that it is derived from a Brittonic patronym *Arto-rīg-ios (the root of which, *arto-rīg- "bear-king" is to be found in the Old Irish personal name Art-ri) via a Latinized form Artōrius.[29] Less likely is the commonly proposed derivation from Welsh arth "bear" + (g)wr "man" (earlier *Arto-uiros in Brittonic); there are phonological difficulties with this theory—notably that a Brittonic compound name *Arto-uiros should produce Old Welsh *Artgur and Middle/Modern Welsh *Arthwr and not Arthur (in Welsh poetry the name is always spelled Arthur and is exclusively rhymed with words ending in -ur - never words ending in -wr - which confirms that the second element cannot be [g]wr "man").[30][31]
An alternative theory, which has gained only limited acceptance among professional scholars,[32] derives the name Arthur from Arcturus, the brightest star in the constellation Boötes, near Ursa Major or the Great Bear. Classical Latin Arcturus would also have become Art(h)ur when borrowed into Welsh, and its brightness and position in the sky led people to regard it as the "guardian of the bear" (which is the meaning of the name in Ancient Greek) and the "leader" of the other stars in Boötes.[33]
A similar first name is Old Irish Artúr, which is believed to be derived directly from an early Old Welsh or Cumbric Artur.[34] The earliest historically attested bearer of the name is a son or grandson of Áedán mac Gabráin (d. AD 609).[35]
The creator of the familiar literary persona of Arthur was Geoffrey of Monmouth, with his pseudo-historical Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain), written in the 1130s. The textual sources for Arthur are usually divided into those written before Geoffrey's Historia (known as pre-Galfridian texts, from the Latin form of Geoffrey, Galfridus) and those written afterwards, which could not avoid his influence (Galfridian, or post-Galfridian, texts).
The earliest literary references to Arthur come from Welsh and Breton sources. There have been few attempts to define the nature and character of Arthur in the pre-Galfridian tradition as a whole, rather than in a single text or text/story-type. One recent academic survey that does attempt this, by Thomas Green, identifies three key strands to the portrayal of Arthur in this earliest material.[36] The first is that he was a peerless warrior who functioned as the monster-hunting protector of Britain from all internal and external threats. Some of these are human threats, such as the Saxons he fights in the Historia Brittonum, but the majority are supernatural, including giant cat-monsters, destructive divine boars, dragons, dogheads, giants and witches.[37] The second is that the pre-Galfridian Arthur was a figure of folklore (particularly topographic or onomastic folklore) and localised magical wonder-tales, the leader of a band of superhuman heroes who live in the wilds of the landscape.[38] The third and final strand is that the early Welsh Arthur had a close connection with the Welsh Otherworld, Annwn. On the one hand, he launches assaults on Otherworldly fortresses in search of treasure and frees their prisoners. On the other, his warband in the earliest sources includes former pagan gods, and his wife and his possessions are clearly Otherworldly in origin.[39]
One of the most famous Welsh poetic references to Arthur comes in the collection of heroic death-songs known as Y Gododdin (The Gododdin), attributed to the 6th-century poet Aneirin. In one stanza, the bravery of a warrior who slew 300 enemies is praised, but it is then noted that despite this "he was no Arthur", that is to say his feats cannot compare to the valour of Arthur.[40] Y Gododdin is known only from a 13th-century manuscript, so it is impossible to determine whether this passage is original or a later interpolation, but John Koch's view that the passage dates from a 7th-century or earlier version is regarded as unproven; 9th- or 10th-century dates are often proposed for it.[41] Several poems attributed to Taliesin, a poet said to have lived in the 6th century, also refer to Arthur, although these all probably date from between the 8th and 12th centuries.[42] They include "Kadeir Teyrnon" ("The Chair of the Prince"),[43] which refers to "Arthur the Blessed", "Preiddeu Annwn" ("The Spoils of Annwn"),[44] which recounts an expedition of Arthur to the Otherworld, and "Marwnat vthyr pen[dragon]" ("The Elegy of Uther Pen[dragon]"),[45] which refers to Arthur's valour and is suggestive of a father-son relationship for Arthur and Uther that pre-dates Geoffrey of Monmouth.
Other early Welsh Arthurian texts include a poem found in the Black Book of Carmarthen, "Pa gur yv y porthaur?" ("What man is the gatekeeper?").[46] This takes the form of a dialogue between Arthur and the gatekeeper of a fortress he wishes to enter, in which Arthur recounts the names and deeds of himself and his men, notably Cei (Kay) and Bedwyr (Bedivere). The Welsh prose tale Culhwch and Olwen (c. 1100), included in the modern Mabinogion collection, has a much longer list of more than 200 of Arthur's men, though Cei and Bedwyr again take a central place. The story as a whole tells of Arthur helping his kinsman Culhwch win the hand of Olwen, daughter of Ysbaddaden Chief-Giant, by completing a series of apparently impossible tasks, including the hunt for the great semi-divine boar Twrch Trwyth. The 9th-century Historia Brittonum also refers to this tale, with the boar there named Troy(n)t.[47] Finally, Arthur is mentioned numerous times in the Welsh Triads, a collection of short summaries of Welsh tradition and legend which are classified into groups of three linked characters or episodes in order to assist recall. The later manuscripts of the Triads are partly derivative from Geoffrey of Monmouth and later continental traditions, but the earliest ones show no such influence and are usually agreed to refer to pre-existing Welsh traditions. Even in these, however, Arthur's court has started to embody legendary Britain as a whole, with "Arthur's Court" sometimes substituted for "The Island of Britain" in the formula "Three XXX of the Island of Britain".[48] While it is not clear from the Historia Brittonum and the Annales Cambriae that Arthur was even considered a king, by the time Culhwch and Olwen and the Triads were written he had become Penteyrnedd yr Ynys hon, "Chief of the Lords of this Island", the overlord of Wales, Cornwall and the North.[49]
In addition to these pre-Galfridian Welsh poems and tales, Arthur appears in some other early Latin texts besides the Historia Brittonum and the Annales Cambriae. In particular, Arthur features in a number of well-known vitae ("Lives") of post-Roman saints, none of which are now generally considered to be reliable historical sources (the earliest probably dates from the 11th century).[50] According to the Life of Saint Gildas, written in the early 12th century by Caradoc of Llancarfan, Arthur is said to have killed Gildas' brother Hueil and to have rescued his wife Gwenhwyfar from Glastonbury.[51] In the Life of Saint Cadoc, written around 1100 or a little before by Lifris of Llancarfan, the saint gives protection to a man who killed three of Arthur's soldiers, and Arthur demands a herd of cattle as wergeld for his men. Cadoc delivers them as demanded, but when Arthur takes possession of the animals, they turn into bundles of ferns.[52] Similar incidents are described in the medieval biographies of Carannog, Padarn and Eufflam, probably written around the 12th century. A less obviously legendary account of Arthur appears in the Legenda Sancti Goeznovii, which is often claimed to date from the early 11th century although the earliest manuscript of this text dates from the 15th century.[53] Also important are the references to Arthur in William of Malmesbury's De Gestis Regum Anglorum and Herman's De Miraculis Sanctae Mariae Laudensis, which together provide the first certain evidence for a belief that Arthur was not actually dead and would at some point return, a theme that is often revisited in post-Galfridian folklore.[54]
The first narrative account of Arthur's life is found in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Latin work Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain).[55] This work, completed c. 1138, is an imaginative and fanciful account of British kings from the legendary Trojan exile Brutus to the 7th-century Welsh king Cadwallader. Geoffrey places Arthur in the same post-Roman period as do Historia Brittonum and Annales Cambriae. He incorporates Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon, his magician advisor Merlin, and the story of Arthur's conception, in which Uther, disguised as his enemy Gorlois by Merlin's magic, sleeps with Gorlois's wife Igerna at Tintagel, and she conceives Arthur. On Uther's death, the fifteen-year-old Arthur succeeds him as King of Britain and fights a series of battles, similar to those in the Historia Brittonum, culminating in the Battle of Bath. He then defeats the Picts and Scots before creating an Arthurian empire through his conquests of Ireland, Iceland and the Orkney Islands. After twelve years of peace, Arthur sets out to expand his empire once more, taking control of Norway, Denmark and Gaul. Gaul is still held by the Roman Empire when it is conquered, and Arthur's victory naturally leads to a further confrontation between his empire and Rome's. Arthur and his warriors, including Kaius (Kay), Beduerus (Bedivere) and Gualguanus (Gawain), defeat the Roman emperor Lucius Tiberius in Gaul but, as he prepares to march on Rome, Arthur hears that his nephew Modredus (Mordred)—whom he had left in charge of Britain—has married his wife Guenhuuara (Guinevere) and seized the throne. Arthur returns to Britain and defeats and kills Modredus on the river Camblam in Cornwall, but he is mortally wounded. He hands the crown to his kinsman Constantine and is taken to the isle of Avalon to be healed of his wounds, never to be seen again.[56]
How much of this narrative was Geoffrey's own invention is open to debate. Certainly, Geoffrey seems to have made use of the list of Arthur's twelve battles against the Saxons found in the 9th-century Historia Brittonum, along with the battle of Camlann from the Annales Cambriae and the idea that Arthur was still alive.[58] Arthur's personal status as the king of all Britain would also seem to be borrowed from pre-Galfridian tradition, being found in Culhwch and Olwen, the Triads and the Saints' Lives.[59] In addition, many of the elements that Monmouth's King Arthur includes are strong parallels to "Culhwch and Olwen." The motifs and themes of loyalty, honor, giants, gift giving, wife-stealing, and magical creatures are prominent in both stories. Furthermore, Monmouth derived many of his character's names from "Culhwch and Olwen"; Sir Kay comes from "Kai"; Sir Bedivere is derived from "Bedwyr"; and lastly Sir Gawain is "Gwalchmei" in Welsh. Also, the heroines of both tales have similar names: the meaning of Guinever is "White Phantom", while Olwen equates with "of the white track."[60] Finally, Geoffrey borrowed many of the names for Arthur's possessions, close family and companions from the pre-Galfridian Welsh tradition, including Kaius (Cei), Beduerus (Bedwyr), Guenhuuara (Gwenhwyfar), Uther (Uthyr) and perhaps also Caliburnus (Caledfwlch), the latter becoming Excalibur in subsequent Arthurian tales.[61] However, while names, key events and titles may have been borrowed, Brynley Roberts has argued that "the Arthurian section is Geoffrey’s literary creation and it owes nothing to prior narrative."[62] So, for instance, the Welsh Medraut is made the villainous Modredus by Geoffrey, but there is no trace of such a negative character for this figure in Welsh sources until the 16th century.[63] There have been relatively few modern attempts to challenge this notion that the Historia Regum Britanniae is primarily Geoffrey's own work, with scholarly opinion often echoing William of Newburgh's late-12th-century comment that Geoffrey "made up" his narrative, perhaps through an "inordinate love of lying".[64] Geoffrey Ashe is one dissenter from this view, believing that Geoffrey's narrative is partially derived from a lost source telling of the deeds of a 5th-century British king named Riotamus, this figure being the original Arthur, although historians and Celticists have been reluctant to follow Ashe in his conclusions.[65]
Whatever his sources may have been, the immense popularity of Geoffrey's Historia Regum Britanniae cannot be denied. Well over 200 manuscript copies of Geoffrey’s Latin work are known to have survived, and this does not include translations into other languages.[66] Thus, for example, around 60 manuscripts are extant containing Welsh-language versions of the Historia, the earliest of which were created in the 13th century; the old notion that some of these Welsh versions actually underlie Geoffrey's Historia, advanced by antiquarians such as the 18th-century Lewis Morris, has long since been discounted in academic circles.[67] As a result of this popularity, Geoffrey's Historia Regum Britanniae was enormously influential on the later medieval development of the Arthurian legend. While it was by no means the only creative force behind Arthurian romance, many of its elements were borrowed and developed (e.g., Merlin and the final fate of Arthur), and it provided the historical framework into which the romancers' tales of magical and wonderful adventures were inserted.[68]
The popularity of Geoffrey's Historia and its other derivative works (such as Wace's Roman de Brut) is generally agreed to be an important factor in explaining the appearance of significant numbers of new Arthurian works in continental Europe during the 12th and 13th centuries, particularly in France.[69] It was not, however, the only Arthurian influence on the developing "Matter of Britain". There is clear evidence for a knowledge of Arthur and Arthurian tales on the Continent before Geoffrey's work became widely known (see for example, the Modena Archivolt),[70] as well as for the use of "Celtic" names and stories not found in Geoffrey's Historia in the Arthurian romances.[71] From the perspective of Arthur, perhaps the most significant effect of this great outpouring of new Arthurian story was on the role of the king himself: much of this 12th-century and later Arthurian literature centres less on Arthur himself than on characters such as Lancelot and Guenevere, Perceval, Galahad, Gawain, and Tristan and Isolde. Whereas Arthur is very much at the centre of the pre-Galfridian material and Geoffrey's Historia itself, in the romances he is rapidly sidelined.[72] His character also alters significantly. In both the earliest materials and Geoffrey he is a great and ferocious warrior, who laughs as he personally slaughters witches and giants and takes a leading role in all military campaigns,[73] whereas in the continental romances he becomes the roi fainéant, the "do-nothing king", whose "inactivity and acquiescence constituted a central flaw in his otherwise ideal society".[74] Arthur's role in these works is frequently that of a wise, dignified, even-tempered, somewhat bland, and occasionally feeble monarch. So, he simply turns pale and silent when he learns of Lancelot's affair with Guinevere in the Mort Artu, whilst in Chrétien de Troyes's Yvain, the Knight of the Lion he is unable to stay awake after a feast and has to retire for a nap.[75] Nonetheless, as Norris J. Lacy has observed, whatever his faults and frailties may be in these Arthurian romances, "his prestige is never—or almost never—compromised by his personal weaknesses ... his authority and glory remain intact."[76]
Arthur and his retinue appear in some of the Lais of Marie de France,[77] but it was the work of another French poet, Chrétien de Troyes, that had the greatest influence with regard to the above development of the character of Arthur and his legend.[78] Chrétien wrote five Arthurian romances between c. 1170 and c. 1190. Erec and Enide and Cligès are tales of courtly love with Arthur's court as their backdrop, demonstrating the shift away from the heroic world of the Welsh and Galfridian Arthur, while Yvain, the Knight of the Lion features Yvain and Gawain in a supernatural adventure, with Arthur very much on the sidelines and weakened. However, the most significant for the development of the Arthurian legend are Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart, which introduces Lancelot and his adulterous relationship with Arthur's queen (Guinevere), extending and popularizing the recurring theme of Arthur as a cuckold, and Perceval, the Story of the Grail, which introduces the Holy Grail and the Fisher King and which again sees Arthur having a much reduced role.[79] Chrétien was thus "instrumental both in the elaboration of the Arthurian legend and in the establishment of the ideal form for the diffusion of that legend",[80] and much of what came after him in terms of the portrayal of Arthur and his world built upon the foundations he had laid. Perceval, although unfinished, was particularly popular: four separate continuations of the poem appeared over the next half century, with the notion of the Grail and its quest being developed by other writers such as Robert de Boron, a fact that helped accelerate the decline of Arthur in continental romance.[81] Similarly, Lancelot and his cuckolding of Arthur with Guinevere became one of the classic motifs of the Arthurian legend, although the Lancelot of the prose Lancelot (c. 1225) and later texts was a combination of Chrétien's character and that of Ulrich von Zatzikhoven's Lanzelet.[82] Chrétien's work even appears to feed back into Welsh Arthurian literature, with the result that the romance Arthur began to replace the heroic, active Arthur in Welsh literary tradition.[83] Particularly significant in this development were the three Welsh Arthurian romances, which are closely similar to those of Chrétien, albeit with some significant differences: Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain is related to Chrétien's Yvain; Geraint and Enid, to Erec and Enide; and Peredur son of Efrawg, to Perceval.[84]
Up to c. 1210, continental Arthurian romance was expressed primarily through poetry; after this date the tales began to be told in prose. The most significant of these 13th-century prose romances was the Vulgate Cycle (also known as the Lancelot-Grail Cycle), a series of five Middle French prose works written in the first half of that century.[85] These works were the Estoire del Saint Grail, the Estoire de Merlin, the Lancelot propre (or Prose Lancelot, which made up half the entire Vulgate Cycle on its own), the Queste del Saint Graal and the Mort Artu, which combine to form the first coherent version of the entire Arthurian legend. The cycle continued the trend towards reducing the role played by Arthur in his own legend, partly through the introduction of the character of Galahad and an expansion of the role of Merlin. It also made Mordred the result of an incestuous relationship between Arthur and his sister and established the role of Camelot, first mentioned in passing in Chrétien's Lancelot, as Arthur's primary court.[86] This series of texts was quickly followed by the Post-Vulgate Cycle (c. 1230–40), of which the Suite du Merlin is a part, which greatly reduced the importance of Lancelot's affair with Guinevere but continued to sideline Arthur, now in order to focus more on the Grail quest.[85] As such, Arthur became even more of a relatively minor character in these French prose romances; in the Vulgate itself he only figures significantly in the Estoire de Merlin and the Mort Artu.
The development of the medieval Arthurian cycle and the character of the "Arthur of romance" culminated in Le Morte d'Arthur, Thomas Malory's retelling of the entire legend in a single work in English in the late 15th century. Malory based his book—originally titled The Whole Book of King Arthur and of His Noble Knights of the Round Table—on the various previous romance versions, in particular the Vulgate Cycle, and appears to have aimed at creating a comprehensive and authoritative collection of Arthurian stories.[87] Perhaps as a result of this, and the fact that Le Morte D'Arthur was one of the earliest printed books in England, published by William Caxton in 1485, most later Arthurian works are derivative of Malory's.[88]
The end of the Middle Ages brought with it a waning of interest in King Arthur. Although Malory's English version of the great French romances was popular, there were increasing attacks upon the truthfulness of the historical framework of the Arthurian romances—established since Geoffrey of Monmouth's time—and thus the legitimacy of the whole Matter of Britain. So, for example, the 16th-century humanist scholar Polydore Vergil famously rejected the claim that Arthur was the ruler of a post-Roman empire, found throughout the post-Galfridian medieval "chronicle tradition", to the horror of Welsh and English antiquarians.[89] Social changes associated with the end of the medieval period and the Renaissance also conspired to rob the character of Arthur and his associated legend of some of their power to enthral audiences, with the result that 1634 saw the last printing of Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur for nearly 200 years.[90] King Arthur and the Arthurian legend were not entirely abandoned, but until the early 19th century the material was taken less seriously and was often used simply as vehicle for allegories of 17th- and 18th-century politics.[91] Thus Richard Blackmore's epics Prince Arthur (1695) and King Arthur (1697) feature Arthur as an allegory for the struggles of William III against James II.[92] Similarly, the most popular Arthurian tale throughout this period seems to have been that of Tom Thumb, which was told first through chapbooks and later through the political plays of Henry Fielding; although the action is clearly set in Arthurian Britain, the treatment is humorous and Arthur appears as a primarily comedic version of his romance character.[93]
John Dryden's masque King Arthur is still performed, largely thanks to Henry Purcell's music, though seldom unabridged.
In the early 19th century, medievalism, Romanticism, and the Gothic Revival reawakened interest in Arthur and the medieval romances. A new code of ethics for 19th-century gentlemen was shaped around the chivalric ideals that the "Arthur of romance" embodied. This renewed interest first made itself felt in 1816, when Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur was reprinted for the first time since 1634.[94] Initially the medieval Arthurian legends were of particular interest to poets, inspiring, for example, William Wordsworth to write "The Egyptian Maid" (1835), an allegory of the Holy Grail.[95] Pre-eminent among these was Alfred Lord Tennyson, whose first Arthurian poem, "The Lady of Shalott", was published in 1832.[96] Although Arthur himself played a minor role in some of these works, following in the medieval romance tradition, Tennyson's Arthurian work reached its peak of popularity with Idylls of the King, which reworked the entire narrative of Arthur's life for the Victorian era. First published in 1859, it sold 10,000 copies within the first week.[97] In the Idylls, Arthur became a symbol of ideal manhood whose attempt to establish a perfect kingdom on earth fails, finally, through human weakness.[98] Tennyson's works prompted a large number of imitators, generated considerable public interest in the legends of Arthur and the character himself, and brought Malory’s tales to a wider audience.[99] Indeed, the first modernization of Malory's great compilation of Arthur's tales was published shortly after Idylls appeared, in 1862, and there were six further editions and five competitors before the century ended.[100]
This interest in the "Arthur of romance" and his associated stories continued through the 19th century and into the 20th, and influenced poets such as William Morris and Pre-Raphaelite artists including Edward Burne-Jones.[101] Even the humorous tale of Tom Thumb, which had been the primary manifestation of Arthur's legend in the 18th century, was rewritten after the publication of Idylls. While Tom maintained his small stature and remained a figure of comic relief, his story now included more elements from the medieval Arthurian romances, and Arthur is treated more seriously and historically in these new versions.[102] The revived Arthurian romance also proved influential in the United States, with such books as Sidney Lanier's The Boy's King Arthur (1880) reaching wide audiences and providing inspiration for Mark Twain's satiric A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889).[103] Although the "Arthur of romance" was sometimes central to these new Arthurian works (as he was in Burne-Jones's The Last Sleep of Arthur in Avalon, 1881–1898), on other occasions he reverted back to his medieval status and is either marginalised or even missing entirely, with Wagner's Arthurian operas providing a notable instance of the latter.[104] Furthermore, the revival of interest in Arthur and the Arthurian tales did not continue unabated. By the end of the 19th century, it was confined mainly to Pre-Raphaelite imitators,[105] and it could not avoid being affected by the First World War, which damaged the reputation of chivalry and thus interest in its medieval manifestations and Arthur as chivalric role model.[106] The romance tradition did, however, remain sufficiently powerful to persuade Thomas Hardy, Laurence Binyon and John Masefield to compose Arthurian plays,[107] and T. S. Eliot alludes to the Arthur myth (but not Arthur) in his poem The Waste Land, which mentions the Fisher King.[108]
In the latter half of the 20th century, the influence of the romance tradition of Arthur continued, through novels such as T. H. White's The Once and Future King (1958) and Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon (1982) in addition to comic strips such as Prince Valiant (from 1937 onward).[109] Tennyson had reworked the romance tales of Arthur to suit and comment upon the issues of his day, and the same is often the case with modern treatments too. Bradley's tale, for example, takes a feminist approach to Arthur and his legend, in contrast to the narratives of Arthur found in medieval materials,[110] and American authors often rework the story of Arthur to be more consistent with values such as equality and democracy.[111] The romance Arthur has become popular in film and theatre as well. T. H. White's novel was adapted into the Lerner-Loewe stage musical Camelot (1960) and the Disney animated film The Sword in the Stone (1963); Camelot, with its focus on the love of Lancelot and Guinevere and the cuckolding of Arthur, was itself made into a film of the same name in 1967. The romance tradition of Arthur is particularly evident and, according to critics, successfully handled in Robert Bresson's Lancelot du Lac (1974), Eric Rohmer's Perceval le Gallois (1978) and perhaps John Boorman's fantasy film Excalibur (1981); it is also the main source of the material utilised in the Arthurian spoof Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975).[112]
Re-tellings and re-imaginings of the romance tradition are not the only important aspect of the modern legend of King Arthur. Attempts to portray Arthur as a genuine historical figure of c. 500 AD, stripping away the "romance", have also emerged. As Taylor and Brewer have noted, this return to the medieval "chronicle tradition"' of Geoffrey of Monmouth and the Historia Brittonum is a recent trend which became dominant in Arthurian literature in the years following the outbreak of the Second World War, when Arthur's legendary resistance to Germanic invaders struck a chord in Britain.[113] Clemence Dane's series of radio plays, The Saviours (1942), used a historical Arthur to embody the spirit of heroic resistance against desperate odds, and Robert Sherriff's play The Long Sunset (1955) saw Arthur rallying Romano-British resistance against the Germanic invaders.[114] This trend towards placing Arthur in a historical setting is also apparent in historical and fantasy novels published during this period.[115] In recent years the portrayal of Arthur as a real hero of the 5th century has also made its way into film versions of the Arthurian legend, most notably the TV series Arthur of the Britons[116] and the feature films King Arthur (2004) and The Last Legion (2007).[117] The 2008 BBC series Merlin is a reimagining of the legend in which the future King Arthur and Merlin are young contemporaries. Camelot (2011) [118] is an exclusive short series of episodes which depict Arthur in ancient Briton and his struggle for the throne. Also, a recent Disney film, Avalon High has been released, the story about a modern day King Arthur and his knights of the round table.
During the Middle Ages, Arthur was made a member of the Nine Worthies, a group of heroes encapsulating all the ideal qualities of chivalry. His life was thus proposed as a valuable subject for study by those aspiring to chivalric status. This aspect of Arthur in the Nine Worthies was popularised firstly through literature and was thereafter adopted as a frequent subject by painters and sculptors. Arthur has also been used as a model for modern-day behaviour. In the 1930s, the Order of the Fellowship of the Knights of the Round Table was formed in Britain to promote Christian ideals and Arthurian notions of medieval chivalry.[119] In the United States, hundreds of thousands of boys and girls joined Arthurian youth groups, such as the Knights of King Arthur, in which Arthur and his legends were promoted as wholesome exemplars.[120]
Arthur's diffusion within contemporary culture goes beyond obviously Arthurian endeavours, with Arthurian names being regularly attached to objects, buildings and places. As Norris J. Lacy has observed, "The popular notion of Arthur appears to be limited, not surprisingly, to a few motifs and names, but there can be no doubt of the extent to which a legend born many centuries ago is profoundly embedded in modern culture at every level."[121]
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Preceded by Uther Pendragon |
Legendary British Kings | Succeeded by Constantine III |
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