Lyrics & breakdown
Demo lines only. Select a line number to copy a stable deep link.
- 27
He ain't made a beat in six years, swear he the shit
28Won't get no record sales sucking Nas dick
29Let me get my preach on, nigga, drop the beat, I get my freak on
Block noteMakes the confrontation explicit
TargetDr. Dre
MeaningWhat it means: In “Now that we done shook Doc Dre,” 2Pac addresses Dr. Dre directly and makes the situation described in the quoted line the point of confrontation. Why it was said: The record belongs to 2Pac's conflict with The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, and associated rivals after the 1994 Quad Studios shooting and the ensuing East Coast–West Coast dispute. Naming or plainly addressing Dr. Dre removes the safety of a subliminal and makes the quoted claim something the target can either answer or leave standing.
ContextThe record belongs to 2Pac's conflict with The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, and associated rivals after the 1994 Quad Studios shooting and the ensuing East Coast–West Coast dispute.
- 37
Let's do it
- 39
Look, I heard Nas got beef 'cause I'm dissing his clique
40Cool (Skinny nigga!) – come bring your ass, nigga, you can get dissed
41I'm worldwide, steady war rapping
42Get your cash on, nigga, five times platinum (How many you sold??)
Block noteTurns the target into a visual punchline
TargetNas
MeaningWhat it means: In “Cool (Skinny nigga!) – come bring your ass, nigga, you can get dissed,” 2Pac reduces Nas to an exaggerated physical caricature instead of engaging the target's preferred public image. Why it was said: The record belongs to 2Pac's conflict with The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, and associated rivals after the 1994 Quad Studios shooting and the ensuing East Coast–West Coast dispute. A visual insult is easy for an audience to remember and repeat; the goal is to make ridicule of Nas travel beyond the song itself.
ContextThe record belongs to 2Pac's conflict with The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, and associated rivals after the 1994 Quad Studios shooting and the ensuing East Coast–West Coast dispute.
- 48
Wendy Williams is a fat bitch, that's the truth
49I got a jar full of niggas nuts {*slurp, slurp*} – that's for you
50Let the Westside-Eastside drama cease
Block noteTurns the target into a visual punchline
TargetWendy Williams
MeaningWhat it means: In “Wendy Williams is a fat bitch, that's the truth,” 2Pac reduces Wendy Williams to an exaggerated physical caricature instead of engaging the target's preferred public image. Why it was said: The record belongs to 2Pac's conflict with The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, and associated rivals after the 1994 Quad Studios shooting and the ensuing East Coast–West Coast dispute. A visual insult is easy for an audience to remember and repeat; the goal is to make ridicule of Wendy Williams travel beyond the song itself.
ContextThe record belongs to 2Pac's conflict with The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, and associated rivals after the 1994 Quad Studios shooting and the ensuing East Coast–West Coast dispute.
- 81
Makaveli, rise! All you niggas die when I come
82I'll do some fly shit and be done
83They say 'Pac ain't got love for the Eastside
Block noteImagines the battle as physical destruction
TargetDr. Dre
MeaningWhat it means: In “Makaveli, rise! All you niggas die when I come,” 2Pac converts lyrical defeat into death, shooting, burial, or bodily harm directed at Dr. Dre. Why it was said: The record belongs to 2Pac's conflict with The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, and associated rivals after the 1994 Quad Studios shooting and the ensuing East Coast–West Coast dispute. The violent image makes the response sound final: instead of proposing an endless exchange, the artist depicts Dr. Dre as unable to return for another round.
ContextThe record belongs to 2Pac's conflict with The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, and associated rivals after the 1994 Quad Studios shooting and the ensuing East Coast–West Coast dispute.
Block notePoints to a claimed failure or contradiction
TargetDr. Dre
MeaningWhat it means: In “Dre can't fuck with this, uh,” 2Pac treats the refusal, inability, or contradiction named in the lyric as evidence against Dr. Dre's public position. Why it was said: The record belongs to 2Pac's conflict with The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, and associated rivals after the 1994 Quad Studios shooting and the ensuing East Coast–West Coast dispute. The wording tests Dr. Dre's image against a specific action; the gap between the two is what the audience is being asked to remember.
ContextThe record belongs to 2Pac's conflict with The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, and associated rivals after the 1994 Quad Studios shooting and the ensuing East Coast–West Coast dispute.
- 140
To Live and Die In L.A.
141To live in and die in L.A.
142They say Dre can't fuck with this, heyyeyeyeyeye
Block notePoints to a claimed failure or contradiction
TargetDr. Dre
MeaningWhat it means: In “They say Dre can't fuck with this, heyyeyeyeyeye,” 2Pac treats the refusal, inability, or contradiction named in the lyric as evidence against Dr. Dre's public position. Why it was said: The record belongs to 2Pac's conflict with The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, and associated rivals after the 1994 Quad Studios shooting and the ensuing East Coast–West Coast dispute. The wording tests Dr. Dre's image against a specific action; the gap between the two is what the audience is being asked to remember.
ContextThe record belongs to 2Pac's conflict with The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, and associated rivals after the 1994 Quad Studios shooting and the ensuing East Coast–West Coast dispute.