Tupac Changes non-standard text
TUPACS’ SONG “CHANGES”
Tupac Amaru Shakur (1971-1996) was a West Coast rapper. Rap and hip hop music was the music of the poor black. The theme within Tupacs’ music relates to tough Ghetto life experienced by the black community of America dominated by drugs murder and poverty . There was a strong hatred between West and East Coast rappers which resulted in numerous killings. Tupac was himself killed in 1996 by a shotgun wound.
The song “Changes” recorded by Tupac in 1992 is about the tough life experienced by Tupac. This song echoes Tupacs’ battles with drugs, poverty, racism and gang violence. During this time African Americans were also affected by the beating of Rodney King by the American Police Officers, which resulted in the Los Angeles Riots of 1992. Tupac like Dr Martin Luther King wants peace and tranquillity and therefore through the power words echoes out the message to the people to come together and make ‘changes’ by being united as a group.
His lyrics criticize, the capitalist system that divides America into the haves and have-nots:
“I’m tired of being poor and even worse I’m black.
My stomach hurts, so I’m lookin for a purse to snatch.”
In ‘Changes’ Tupac speaks of the Black Panther Party leader Huey P Newton in the first stanza (lines9-10) “Two shots in the dark”
In “Changes” he make use of basic slang terms such as “cops” and “crack” in the first stanza.
Repetition and melodic rhythm is also employed by Tupac. This can be seen in the following lines taken from the chorus and first stanza respectively:
“Come on come on
That's just the way it is
Things'll never be the same
That's just the way it is aww yeah.” (Chorus)
“First ship 'em dope and let 'em deal to brothers.
Give 'em guns, step back, and watch 'em kill each other.” (Stanza 1)
The above stanza also employs imagery in which a picture of the black mans’ plight is created.
The word
Tupac Amaru Shakur (1971-1996) was a West Coast rapper. Rap and hip hop music was the music of the poor black. The theme within Tupacs’ music relates to tough Ghetto life experienced by the black community of America dominated by drugs murder and poverty . There was a strong hatred between West and East Coast rappers which resulted in numerous killings. Tupac was himself killed in 1996 by a shotgun wound.
The song “Changes” recorded by Tupac in 1992 is about the tough life experienced by Tupac. This song echoes Tupacs’ battles with drugs, poverty, racism and gang violence. During this time African Americans were also affected by the beating of Rodney King by the American Police Officers, which resulted in the Los Angeles Riots of 1992. Tupac like Dr Martin Luther King wants peace and tranquillity and therefore through the power words echoes out the message to the people to come together and make ‘changes’ by being united as a group.
His lyrics criticize, the capitalist system that divides America into the haves and have-nots:
“I’m tired of being poor and even worse I’m black.
My stomach hurts, so I’m lookin for a purse to snatch.”
In ‘Changes’ Tupac speaks of the Black Panther Party leader Huey P Newton in the first stanza (lines9-10) “Two shots in the dark”
In “Changes” he make use of basic slang terms such as “cops” and “crack” in the first stanza.
Repetition and melodic rhythm is also employed by Tupac. This can be seen in the following lines taken from the chorus and first stanza respectively:
“Come on come on
That's just the way it is
Things'll never be the same
That's just the way it is aww yeah.” (Chorus)
“First ship 'em dope and let 'em deal to brothers.
Give 'em guns, step back, and watch 'em kill each other.” (Stanza 1)
The above stanza also employs imagery in which a picture of the black mans’ plight is created.
The word