Something To Die For

The following was a blog post I wrote about five or six years ago about Tupac Shakur.
In memorializing his death today, I was listening to my favorite album of his and remembered this post and got sad all over again, because things still have not changed - 20 years after he recorded this song.
As a matter of fact, they've gotten worse. There is no voice of the young people like Tupac's, the rapper, the activist, the young Black man.
I miss 'Pac.

Ok. When I get in a bad mood I like to listen to Tupac. Especially Strictly 4 My Niggaz. That's when the brother was truly on some revolutionary sh!t.

It's sad that so most of this mans music and message has been lost in the controversy that ensued after the so called East Coast/West Coast feud.

When I say "lost" I probably should say missed to be more accurate. There was and still is a surge of rappers labeling themselves as "thugs" and making poor efforts at emulating Pac's talent, charisma and energy but they fail to capture the mans true spirit.

I recently got into a debate with someone who was still holding onto those conspiracy theories as to why Tupac is not dead.

I hate to say it, but my man is dead and probably not resting so peacefully due to the sacrilege of his legacy.

An old saying my Grandmother used to say is "Don't argue with fools because if someone is watching they won't be able to tell who is the fool!" so I won't continue a moot debate. From the picture that I've posted below it's obvious that Tupac is not coming out with any new music any time soon. (Although that was a funny ass skit on Dave Chappelle's show). 

Besides, if you listen to how Pac roasted the previous two presidents and even Dan Quayle during his career you would know that there is no way that the current president would have been spared a very public criticism if not humiliation by Mr. Shakur had he still been alive.

Again, it's sad that by the end of his life and career Tupac had moved so far from his revolutionary roots and gotten off base. And even though I was hoo-bangin and ridin hard to songs like Hit 'Em Up when I reminisce about Tupac, I think of albums like Strictly 4 My Niggaz with songs like the one I've posted the lyrics to below.

"Something 2 Die 4 (Interlude)"

[laughter echoed]

I've changed...
You mothafuckas kill me
I've changed...

It ain't that i've changed
But it's strange how you mothafuckas rearrange
When I found fame
Point ya finger at tha bad guy

You know what my momma usta tell me
If ya can't find something ta live 4

Then you BEST, find something ta die 4

(eazy saying 'if there's hell below, we're all gonna
go'--this is all through out tha interlude)

Deep deep

Latasha Harlins
Remember that name...
Cause a bottle of juice...
Ain't something 2 die 4

Young Quaid
Remember that name...
Cause all you mothafuckas
That go to your grave with that name on your brain
Cause jelousy and recklousness
Is NOT, something 2 die 4

All you Niggas out there
[echoed laughter]
Look at how the Cracker crumbles

when I say

all you Niggas (all you niggas)
Unite
One nigga, teach 2 niggas
4 niggas teach more niggas
All tha poor niggas
Tha penn niggas
Tha rich niggas
Tha strong niggas
UNITE

There's more of us than there is of them
Look around...
Check your strip

Deep deep

That's something 2 die 4

Black

That's something 2 live 4

What do I know?

Beef...Something to die for?