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Tupac Shaku Is Hoping for People of All Color to Get Along in Song, The Changes

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In Changes by Tupac Shakur a black hip-hop artist, now deceased, he rapped about the African American subculture in America. The record label released this song in 1998; it is still popular within subcultures of America. He grew up in the 1980s. The policies of that period had influenced some of his music. I found videos of the song after a quick search on YouTube. The lyrics of this song are found on the internet from Google search of “Tupac, changes”. I have read the lyrics while listening to the music, Tupac emphasized on “that’s just the way it is” (2Pac-Changes). Tupac wanted the African American community to change their behaviors and rise above the social perception, but he believed the perception would never change. The song is…show more content…
This incident triggered massive riots in Los Angeles areas. Tupac was aware of the violence and saw no change from decades ago; racism was alive and thriving in the streets of America.
The America in Tupac’s eyes was a nation terrified of changes. In the song, it went “It’s time to fight back, that’s what Huey said, 2 shots in the dark, now Huey’s dead” (2PAC LYRICS). He believed the government assassinated Huey Newton, the leader of the Black Panther Party, a militant group that employed violent means to protect black people from the police. In verse number three, Tupac compared the America’s war in Iraq to war in the high poverty neighborhoods (2PAC LYRICS). He then went on to describe government policies on the “war on drugs” which focuses on the African American population. Which resulted in mandatory arrest policies, harsh drug laws on crack cocaine, and the explosion of the African American population in penitentiaries. The important message Tupac tried to convey to the listeners was that the society must change its ways, but it will most likely change for the worst.
Strain Theory explains the lyrics as Tupac was conflicted with his own belief whether it is possible to achieve the changes he wished. Through the entire song, Tupac wanted people to change their behaviors, and treat others as brothers. However, the necessity of filling hungry stomach and the low
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