Tupac 90s songs
Tupac lived for 25 years. He lived through getting shot and being arrested, and the fame that came with it, the rise of Death Row Records, and his public beef with Biggie Smalls.
Part 1: 2Pacalypse Now (1991)
- Young Black Male – Tupac talks about being racially profiled by the police, in California and in Baltimore. He is a Black American, and their ancestors have been enslaved for so long. They have leaders like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X that would bring awareness to the Black American experience. This song could inspire an ethnicity of people that have been marginalized for so long. They can listen to music to feel better.
- Trapped – The siren sounds, to make it seem like police were after him. Tupac has seen things at a young age. Police, for the Black American experience, hasn’t always been good. Even now there have been cases of Black Americans being shot by the police, and that comes with protest, for example, Black Lives Matter. Tupac used his fame to bring awareness. Some artists don’t want to do that because they want to not appear politically correct, especially during the 90s. People had no filter. Cancel culture has become popular; there was no cancel culture back then. So people were not focused on saying things that were impactful, and to sell records, you had to say things that get attention.
- Soulja’s Story – This song is about a young Black man defending himself against the police. Some people feel the police over-police young Black boys. Having stories as music is good, because people could relate. The supporters want people to be relatable. It’s up to you. However, some people may expect you to talk about everything that is going on in the world.
Tupac 90s Songs
- I Don’t Give a Fuck – Guest rapper Pogo. Tupac is frustrated with the welfare system and institutional racism. Growing up poor like Tupac did, you may think you get things that are free, and that’s not always the case. Working-class people are still struggling to make ends meet. That’s where institutional racism goes hand in hand.
- Violent – This song talks about systemic violence. He argues that society creates the thug, depending on your skin color, class, sexual, and gender orientation, that could create issues, he argues. The way that they are treated in society could turn them into a monster. That’s why sometimes people who have been bullied, sometimes they do things that people didn’t expect.
- Tupac 90s Songs
- Words of Wisdom – This song is towards American public hypocrisy and police brutality. Tupac was almost like a poet; he always was showing wisdom. His songs were not just music that you could listen to — it was also something you were learning from.
- Something Wicked – This was a darker sound when it comes to production.
- Crooked Ass N*ggaz – Features his closest friends, Stretch from Live Squad. He became Tupac’s closest best friend before he was murdered in 1995.
Hip Hop during the 90s
- If My Homie Calls – It’s about loyalty when it comes to growing up together with the same friends. When fame and money get involved, it can ruin the friendship, because it’s almost like you’re not putting your friends on.
- Brenda’s Got a Baby – A 12-year-old girl hiding a pregnancy in Chicago. A young woman who is expecting, which means her life is about to change forever.
- Tha’ Lunatic – It features an early contribution from Stretch.
- Rebel of the Underground – It samples the early ’70s song “Synumpa.”
- Part Time Mutha – A critique of absent parents and mothers who are under systemic poverty.
- Part 2: Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z… (1993)
Part 2: Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z… (1993)
- Holler If Ya Hear Me – This song samples Public Enemy’s “Rebel Without a Pause.” The lead single is about militant resistance.
- Pac’s Theme (Interlude) – The song features civil rights minister Louis Farrakhan. Having someone like this be involved in your music means they thought you were important for the music industry, because at that time there was negativity when it came to rap music.
- Point the Figa – A message to the media and the politicians that were scapegoating Black men.
- Something 2 Die 4 (Interlude) – Sticking by your morals and not falling into the influence, especially when you get to the level that Tupac became. Money and fame can make people change — for example, he could be paid more when it comes to talking about other things.
- Last Wordz – The song features Ice Cube and Ice-T, rappers from the West Coast, making successful music together. This was important for the culture.
- Souljah’s Revenge – This was in support of Sister Souljah, who gained backlash from the media. She had suggested, provocatively, that if Black-on-Black violence was happening every day without a strong response, then violence directed at white people should provoke the same reaction — questioning why one form of death was treated as more acceptable than another.
Tupac 90s Songs
- Peep Game – This is a warning song about how to navigate the music industry. Someone who has never been in the music industry before wouldn’t understand the game of it.
- Struggling – The song features Live Squad. It talks about surviving paycheck to paycheck. This reflects a lot of Americans today. On social media, it makes it seem like everyone is rich. It’s very easy to portray a certain lifestyle; however, in real life, there are people who are struggling.
- Guess Who’s Back – He talks about his legal troubles. Some people would say he shouldn’t speak about it in his lyrics, because it’s almost like he is snitching on himself. However, this is real life, and it’s something you should talk about.
- Representin’ 93 – An anthem to Oakland and Los Angeles.
90s Rap
- Keep Ya Head Up – The song features Dave Hollister, an apology to and an uplifting of Black women. Some rappers use their platform to talk badly about Black women, and then there are people who use it to uplift them.
- Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. – This song is specifically for people who want to play loud music in the car.
- The Streetz R Deathrow – He talks about how young men want to enter the drug trade out of desperation. Their family life isn’t good, and they may need a job that gives them quick money in order to survive, and that may be their only option, because it’s good money.
- I Get Around – The song is produced by Shock G and Money B.
- Papa’z Song – The song features his stepbrother. This is a personal song where he is seeking his absent father. (In this link, Tupac’s father talks about his relationship with his son: 2) Tupac Shakur’s biological father Billy Garland (RARE INTERVIEW) – YouTube
- 5 Deadly Venomz – This is a song featuring Treach, Stretch, and Apache.
- Part 3: Thug Life: Volume 1 (1994)
Part 3: Thug Life: Volume 1 (1994)
- Bury Me a G – The opening track for his group project, Thug Life.
- Don’t Get It Twisted – This is a warning song featuring Mopreme and Stretch.
- Shit Don’t Stop – This talks about the endless cycle of poverty. There are people, when it comes to poverty, who can find a way to end it, and then there are some who can’t find a way to end it. Tupac was talented enough to use music. There are people who go to school and it works well for them.
- Pour Out a Little Liquor – The song is produced by Johnny J. It was a memorial song for his friends who have passed away. Growing up in the street, there are some who make it, and then there are some who pass away at a very young age.
Tupac 90s Songs
- Staring at the World Through My Rearview – It explains feelings of paranoia while driving and looking after your shoulder. Tupac knew that there were people who didn’t want him alive, and he knows he consistently has to watch who he’s with. He knew he couldn’t trust anyone. That’s a scary way to live your life, and you can’t really have fun.
- Under Pressure – He talks about being under police surveillance. He knows they’re trying to find something on him, which means he needed to be careful, because he doesn’t want to lose his freedom.
- Street Fame – He talks about becoming a celebrity that’s not wanted. When you look at Hollywood, they have a specific look and background. Someone like him wouldn’t become famous, and he knows that some people don’t want to work with him because of his street background.
- Cradle to the Grave – A story about going from the street to an early grave. There are some people who lose their lives because they are in too deep.
- Part 4: Me Against the World (1995)
Part 4: Me Against the World (1995)
- Me Against the World – The song features Dramacydal. It’s about facing lawsuits and being alone facing a prison sentence. He knows he only has himself, because they are coming after him, and he has to stay strong when dealing with these types of issues.
- So Many Tears – It features a Psalm 23 tone, while he was paranoid after surviving the 1994 Quad Studios shooting.
- Young N*ggaz – He was giving a warning to teenagers who romanticize the local gangsters. The younger ones always romanticize this because they think it’s very cool, but the reality is that it comes with a lot.
- Dear Mama – It talks about maternal love and crack addiction.
- Holla at Me – He felt betrayed by other people that he once trusted in the music industry. The music industry is a business; most people are looking out for themselves. People don’t have friends, they have acquaintances. But friendship is difficult.
5: All Eyez on Me (1996)
Tupac 90s songs
- 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted – Snoop and 2Pac talking about their legal battles.
- Can’t C Me – The song is produced by Dr. Dre. It was intended for the Chronic 2 project.
- Shorty Wanna Be a Thug – This song is about a child who has a good future; however, it goes away because he wants to be a thug. This depends on what role models the kid has — if they have good role models, then it is possible for them to have a good future.
- Wonda Why They Call U Bytch – He talks about transactional relationships in the dating world. He knows, because of his fame and money, women would be dating him for the wrong reasons.
- Picture Me Rollin’ – He celebrates his freedom from prison.
- Heaven Ain’t Hard 2 Find – The song features Danny Boy. It closes out the album on a spiritual and redemptive note.
- Part 6: The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (1996)
6: The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (1996)
- White Man’z World – This song talks about institutional racism, white privilege, and the marginalization of Black American women.
- To Live & Die in L.A. – This was a tribute to Los Angeles before his shooting that happened in September.
- Blasphemy – It was about religious institutions, false preachers, and poverty. There are churches that exploit people’s situations in order to use prayer to solve everything, and are not taking action in helping them.
- Me and My Girlfriend – Tupac talks about his Glock being his girlfriend. There is a unique approach when it comes to this, because people would say that your girlfriend is a person, but for him, it’s the gun, because he knows he could use it to defend himself.
90s Diss tracks
- Life of an Outlaw – This shows him running away from the law and his rivals. He lived life on hard mode.
- Hail Mary – It uses the Catholic prayer for him to express how he was feeling spiritually, and he didn’t have a good feeling.
- Toss It Up – It features Danny Boy, K-Ci & JoJo, and it is aimed at rivals like Dr. Dre and Sean “Puffy” Combs.
- Hit Em Up – This song is the most aggressive diss song ever. He goes after The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, Mobb Deep, and Junior M.A.F.I.A. This was after finishing All Eyez on Me. Because of the violence of the song, it had to be banned. MTV wasn’t showing Black artists that much — it was David Bowie who was brave enough to ask why they didn’t feature Black artists more.
- Changes – It was recorded in 1992 as a cut. He didn’t release it because he felt the verse wasn’t complete. It shows how much of a perfectionist he is. It was 2 years after his death, in 1998, that it was remixed and paired with a 1986 piano sample from Bruce Hornsby & the Range’s “The Way It Is.” When it was released, Tupac’s 90s songs would forever be remembered.
