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

Though sparked by the Rodney King verdict, there were many other causes of the riots that erupted on the streets of Los Angeles on April 29, 1992. The Los Angeles riots in 1992 were devastating. The obvious issue portrayed through the media was black versus white. If you did not live in Los Angeles or California chances are you did not hear full coverage of the story, you heard a simple cut and dry portrayal of the events in South Central. If you heard one thing about the riots, it was that there was a man named Rodney King and he was a black male beaten with excessive force by four white Los Angeles police officers on Los Angeles concrete. The media portrayed the riots as black rage on the streets due to the

copies, and I want that so badly, but I can't do that. I would be wrong to do that, knowing what I know and having the brain that I have, for me to even go and write some simple *censored* would be wrong even though I would get paid and I would get more people's money." (Patrick, Tony, n.p.) This means that Tupac has a strong will and values. He resisted the temptation to write some easy rhyming words and get peoples money. He instead followed his values and worked

Changes - Tupac Shakur Changes by Tupac, is a song about the struggles and racial issues of African American people living in the poverty stricken areas or ‘Ghetto’s’ of America. Tupac sings about the injustices for his people living in poverty and how people need to stand up and make a change for the better, as the way things are going are not helping to

Tupac’s America was a nation terrified of changes. He wrote, “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 Black Panther leader, 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 the violence in the high poverty neighborhoods (2PAC LYRICS). He then described government policies relating to “war on drugs," which resulted in mandatory arrest policies, harsh drug laws on crack cocaine, and the explosion of the African American population in penitentiaries. Tupac tried to convey to the listeners the society must change, but it will most likely change for the worst.

To help understand Tupac’s poem, you must grasp yourself around the image of a very young boy, who has no father, grew up in the rougher parts of New York, and was barely supported by his mother.

Tupac Amaru Shakur was a very influential person who overcame many difficulties. Tupac was a rapper of truth that spoke about the things that go on in the “Hood” and the unjust police. He was treated differently because he was black and was even arrested for jaywalking. After he was arrested he was beaten by the cops who wanted him to “learn his place”(Joseph 29). This shows how bad Tupac had it because he was African American. Tupac died an early death at 25 because of a brewing rivalry between the East and West Coast rappers. Shakur was a person who would stand up for what he believed in no matter the cost and died fighting for that. He never let anyone win a battle that he was determined to win and always knew what he was fighting for. His mother was the same, as a loyal member of the Black Panther Party, a group that protected all African Americans from police brutality. Tupac was literally born to be a fighter and carried on his mother's legacy. Despite his rough life, Tupac Shakur became one of the most influential rappers of all time.

“it's time to fight back," that's what Huey said. Two shots in the dark, now Huey's dead” are all references to the Black Panther Party, a neighbourhood watch who were formed in order to stop the police brutality among African Americans. Tupacs parents were affiliated with this party which would have meant that he had somewhat of an emotional attachment to this group. The use of allusion to a group that Tupac’s parents were a part of and by highlighting their mistakes, in that violence is not the way to solve issues and that changes must be made on how issues such as police brutality are solved. This can be proven through the use of enjambment as Tupac continues his reference to the Black Panther party by alluding to the death of huey newton, the founding member of the black panther party who was brutally killed at an early hour of the morning. Huey Newton’s radical militant viewpoint in order to eradicate police brutality would eventually end up in his death. By bringing up this Tupac hoped for the listener to understand that violence is not the way to solve violence.

Tupac is just one of the many artists that talked about social justice issues. He along with many others gave a voice to people that were scared whilst expressing themselves. Even though Tupac did not have the best life he still found a way to express himself through music. Social justice issues are something that we can left untouched that is why artists talk about them throughout

Tupac Shakur, TLC, and even the young sensation Zendaya Coleman are a few celebrities that are seen as nonconformist in the media. Just like every teenager, I can’t live in a world without music,and I definitely can’t live without these three inspirations on my playlist. Their lyrics have such a great meaning deep down in them, especially the older generation of artist including Tupac and TLC. Just like any other non-conformist, Tupac went against society’s ways and when he wrote he talked about dreams,world peace, and racism. “I’m 23 years old. I might just be my mother’s child, but in all reality. I’m everybody’s child. Nobody raised me; I was raised in this society.” Basically what Tupac is saying is that even though you were raised by

To gaze into the lyrics of both Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur is like living in the ghettos of New York City where violence never stops. Both of these artists grew up seeing and living a life filled with violence. Gunshots and drive-byes, death and murder were a daily occurrence. Although the lyrics of both artists are simply telling their life stories and how hard it was to grow up in their “hoods” they contain vulgar, hateful, and sexual verses that send the wrong message to their listeners. Whether these listeners are teens or adults, white or black, they are continually sending notions of hatred and fear through their lyrics and actions. Ultimately,

Independently, Shakur’s lyrics suggest the inequalities he has experienced throughout his life and of his race in general. In the first verse, Shakur expresses his upbringing without a father and the struggles with the racial tension in his neighborhood. He implies that he has been pushed into a world of violence and crime because of his low socioeconomic status. He states that peace can only be attained if the African Americans are offered a place in the society. The second verse focuses upon the broader oppression of the black body where he addresses the police violence and inequalities of the system. His lyric analyzes the violence in the streets and the fear of police officers that are willing to shoot him because he appears threatening. Finally, the third verse expresses that he is still waiting on things to change, yet the answer is not present. The greater meaning to his

In his letter to president Reagan, Snoop Dogg addresses the policies Reagan enacted during his term that attacked the poor and hard-working communities in the United States to benefit the wealthy. In turn, the accomplishment of Civil Rights movement was quickly replaced with the crack epidemic and war on drugs, annihilating hope for the future. All the thoughts of despair and poverty associated with the life of the ghetto is reflected in Hip Hop culture and music. In his letter, communities united together to form a Black America against a common enemy: the president of the United States.

The history of African-Americans in the United States is full of many periods of achievements, as well as periods of struggle. The Los Angeles riots of 1992 were the result of many years of systematic racism in the United States following the Civil Rights Movement. The beating and unjust trial of Rodney King exposed the unfair and brutal treatment of African Americans by the police. As well as the shooting of 15 year-old Latasha Harlins 2 weeks after the beating of Rodney King to further ignite hatred within African-Americans in Los Angeles. What came forth was a week long riot not only changed Los Angeles, but the United States. That is why the Los Angeles riots was the most devastating, yet consequential, civil uproar in the history of the United States.

When most people hear the name Tupac, they think of a tattooed thug, a gangsta rapper killed in a tragic shooting who only got what was coming to him, a man who lived by the gun, and who died by the gun. However, those people probably have never taken a chance to look beyond what their eyes tell them, past the ignorance and into the depths of the man who really was Tupac.

The context and setting of this rap is American in the 1970’s. Historically, this period came after the Civil Rights Movement, during the start of the Nixon era. The Vietnam War was dividing the nation’s population into anti-war protestors and those that supported the war effort. It was an era of recession and continued change for minorities. One of the issues was enforced racial integration after the Civil Rights Movement, which many institutions had still not complied with. The struggle to find equality even after the movement was something African Americans at the time had to deal with. The support for the black power movement was one of many results of this struggle. The media and press largely did not report on the alienation that was still present. This was an inspiration for Scott-Heron and this song in particular.