Tupac Shakur

After a long day of trying, to make my songs pay, making love all day against the wall in the hallway.

So much pressure in this life of mine, I cry at times, I once contemplated suicide and woulda tried, but when I held that nine, all I could see was my mama's eyes, no one knows my struggle, they only see the trouble, not knowing it's hard to carry on when no one loves you.

God will judge my heart, Man will judge my actions.

I guarantee if people keep mm..supportin' me....Just buying my records, goin to my concerts, just supporting me..I'ma keep givin' money....Like Makaveli, every time it go platinum, I'm putting money up for community centers.

Gangsta Rap is dead. I've moved on. And the raps that I'm rappin to my community shouldn't be filled with rage? They shouldn't be filled with same attrocities that they gave me? The media they don't talk about it, so in my raps I have to talk about it, and it seems foreign because there's no one else talking about it.

My mother taught me three things, respect, knowledge-search for knowledge, it's an eternal journey. That's like my hair-cut, the line, 360 degrees, find knowledge always. And she taught me to not be quiet, if there's something on my mind speak it. But also to listen.

I exist in the depths of solitude pondering my true goal Trying 2 find peace of mind and still preserve my soul

You either ride with us, or collide with us.

I'm not thuggin' for me, I'm thuggin' for my family, I pay all the bills, I feed my whole family, wrong or right, I do and I can't stop.

Real eyes, realize, real lies.

It's not like I idolize this one guy Machiavelli. I idolize that type of thinking where you do whatever's gonna make you achieve your goal.

I guess cause i'm black boy, I'm supposed to say 'peace', sing songs, and get capped on.

I'm not perfect. But I'll always be real

We are being wiped off the face of this earth _x000D_ At an extremely alarming rate _x000D_ And even more alarming is the fact _x000D_ That we are not fighting back

The only thing America respects is power and power concedes nothing. After the LA Riots, they tried to calm us down and nothing changed since.

Though are hands are chained like they are, they haven't taken music from us yet. So that's how I'll fight. People tell me don't quit like everyone else. I wont have no fear.

I am not a perfectionist, but still I seek perfection. I am not a great romantic, but yet I yearn 4 affection

We talk a lot about Malcom X and Martin Luther King JR, but it's time to be like them, as strong as them. They were mortal men like us and everyone of us can be like them. I don't want to be a role model. I just want to be someone who says, this is who I am, this is what I do. I say what's on my mind.

Behind every sweet smile, there is a bitter sadness that no one can ever see and feel.

Driving by my ambitions, desire higher positions, to see eternally and my mission, to be more than just a rap musician.

I will die Before My Time. Because I feel the shadow's Depth. So much I wanted to accomplish. before I reached my Death