[Intro]
“Street Science, you're on the air. What do you feel when you hear a record like 2Pac's new one?”
“I love 2Pac's new record”
“Right, but don't you feel like that creates — ahh— tension between East and West? I mean, he's talking about k**ing people, ‘I had s** with your wife' — and not in those words. But he's talking about, ‘I wanna see you deceased'..."
[Intro: 2Pac]
To live and die in L.A., California
What you say about Los Angeles
Still the only place for me
It never rains in the sun
[Verse 1: 2Pac Makaveli]
To live and die in L.A., where everyday we try to fatten our pockets
Us n***as hustle for the cash so it's hard to knock it
Everybody got they own thang, currency chasin'
Worldwide through the hard times, worrying faces
Shed tears as we bury n***as close to heart
Who was a friend is now a ghost in the dark
Cold-hearted 'bout it, n***a got smoked by a fiend
Trying to floss on him blind to a broken man's dream
A hard lesson
Court cases keep me guessin'
Plea bargain ain't an option now, so I'm stressin'
Cost me more to be free than a life in the Pen'
Making money off of cuss words, writing again
Learn how to think ahead, so I fight with my pen
Late night down sunset liking the scene
What's the worst they could do to a n***a?
Got me lost in hell
To live and die in L.A. on bail
[Hook: Val Young & 2Pac]
My angel sing
To Live and Die in L.A., it's the place to be
And the angels go :
You've got to be there to know it, when everybody wanna see
To live and die in L.A
To Live and Die in L.A., it's the place to be
You've got to be there to know it, when everybody wanna see
[Verse 2: 2Pac]
It's the City of angels and constant danger
South Central L.A., can't get no stranger
Full of drama like a soap opera
On the curb watching the ghetto bird helicopters
I observe, so many n***as getting three strikes, tossed in jail
I swear the pen' right across from hell
I can't cry cause it's on now
I'm just a n***a on his own now
Living life thug style
So I can't smile
Writing to my peoples when they ask for pictures
Thinking Cali just fun and b**hes
Better learn about the dress code, B's and C's
All them other n***as copycats, these is G's
I love Cali like I love women
'Cause every n***a in LA got a little bit of thug in him
We might fight amongst each other... but I promise you this:
We'll burn this b**h down, get us pissed
To live and die in L.A
[Hook: Val Young & 2Pac]
To Live and Die in L.A., it's the place to be
Let my angel sing
You've got to be there to know it, when everybody wanna see
And my angels go
To Live and Die in L.A., it's the place to be
To live and die in L.A
You've got to be there to know it, when everybody wanna see
[Verse 3: 2Pac]
It wouldn't be L.A. without Mexicans
Black love, brown pride and the sets again
Pete Wilson trying to see us all broke
I'm on some bullsh** out for everything they owe
Remember K-day?
Weekends, Crenshaw, MLK?
Automatics rang free, n***as lost they way
Gang signs being shown, n***a, love your hood!
But recognize and it's all good
Where the weed at?
n***as gettin' shermed out
Snoop Dogg in this muthaf**a permed out
M.O.B, Big Suge in the Lo-Lo, bounce and turn
Dogg Pound in the Lex with a ounce to burn
Got them Watts n***as with me, O.F.T.B
They got some hash, took the stash, left the rest for me
Neckbone, Tre, Herron, Big Buntry too
Big Rock got knocked, but this one's for you
I hit the studio and drop a j**el, hoping it pay
Getting high, watching time fly: to live and die in LA
[Hook: Val Young & 2Pac]
To Live and Die in L.A., it's the place to be
Let my angel sing
You've got to be there to know it, when everybody wanna see
And my angels go
To Live and Die in L.A., it's the place to be
To live and die in L.A
You've got to be there to know it, when everybody wanna see
Let my angel sing
[Outro: 2Pac]
This go out for 92.3, and 106
All the radio stations that be bumping my sh**
Making my sh** sells katruple quitraple platinum
(To Live and Die in L.A., Mhmmm)
This go out to all the magazines that support a n***a
All the real motherf**ers
(To Live and Die in L.A., Mhmmm)
All the stores, the mom and pop spots
A&R people, all y'all motherf**ers
(To Live and Die in L.A., Mhmmm)
L.A., California Love part motherf**ing two
Without gay a** Dre
(To Live and Die in L.A., Mhmmm)