Flashback Friday-Tupac "Keep Ya Head Up"
Not many were as deep and three dimensional as the legendary Tupac Shakur. Able to write rhymes about hustling and thug life, he just as easily was able to switch to lyrics that inspired and enlightened us. Tupac was not afraid to show that he could bring it from all sides. A gifted and versatile writer with a powerful voice- both literally and politically, Tupac came along and showed us that even though he displayed himself as a hard core gangster rapper, he was most of all, just all around talented, smart, educated and well aware of what was taking place in the world. In 1993, Tupac released “Keep Your Head Up”, another departure from his thug life image, trying to provide inspiration to those who were struggling and finding living difficult…Like most every song Tupac wrote, it is still relevant today. As we come to terms with gun violence, police brutality, a government that continues to do the bidding of the wealthy and neglect the poor and underserved and a system determined to ignore our existence and contributions, we must stay positive, focused and united.
Sampled from The Five Stairsteps and featuring David Hollister, this song was dedicated to Latasha Harlins who was killed in 1991 by a Korean store owner, who accused her of stealing. The store owner was fined just $500 and given probation. Ironically, the original song was released 23 years earlier in 1970 and said we will work together and get it undone, and now in 2016 - 45 years later- we are still waiting.
“They got money for wars but can't feed the poor….
We aint meant to survive cause it's a set up
And even though you fed up
You gotta keep your head up”
O-oo-ooh..Child things are going to get easier
O-oo-ooh.. Child things will get brighter
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