Tupac Shakur quotes carry the voice of a poet who lived fast and spoke plainly. From his interviews to his lyrics and his book of poems The Rose That Grew from Concrete, these lines reveal what he believed about dreams, struggle, love and change.
In this collection (8)
This collection gathers 115 tupac shakur quotes with honest attributions. Lines from his songs are marked as lyric excerpts, and widely-circulating lines with no confirmable primary source are clearly marked as attributed — everything else is documented from interviews and his published poetry.
Tupac Shakur Quotes on Dreams and Ambition
Tupac spoke about dreams as the one thing nobody could take — from his poetry to his interviews, ambition runs through everything he said.
- “Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams, it learned to breathe fresh air.” — Tupac Shakur (The Rose That Grew from Concrete, poem)
- “Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else even cared.” — Tupac Shakur (The Rose That Grew from Concrete, poem)
- “Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete? Proving nature’s law is wrong, it learned to walk without having feet.” — Tupac Shakur (The Rose That Grew from Concrete, poem)
- “If God gives me breath for 20 more years, I see myself changing the world.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1996)
- “I’m not saying I’m gonna rule the world, or I’m gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will change the world.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994)
- “We might not be the ones. But let’s not be selfish, and because we’re not gonna change the world, not talk about how we should change it.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994)
- “I don’t know how to change it. But I know if I keep talking about how dirty it is out here, somebody gon’ clean it up.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994)
- “All I ever wanted to do was go to college — ask my mama. I went to school all the way, was ready to go to college. The only thing that stopped me was money.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994)
- “I’m not thuggin’ for me, I’m thuggin’ for my family. I pay all the bills! I feed my whole family, wrong or right.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994)
- “I’m comin’ at ’em 100% real; I ain’t compromising nothin’.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1992)
- “What we’re doing is using our brains to get out of the ghetto any way we can.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1992)
- “I want when they see me, they know that every day that I’m breathing, it’s for us to go farther.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994)
- “I only wrote one song in jail. But I’m writing a new album — you’re going to feel the entire 11 months of what I went through on this album.” — Tupac Shakur (LA Times interview, 1995)
- “If anything were to happen to me, there’s about three albums ready. And I like that.” — Tupac Shakur (MTV interview, 1995)
- “Here’s a message to the newborns, waiting to breathe: if you believe, then you can achieve.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating)
- “Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating)
- “The only thing that comes to a sleeping man is dreams.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating)
- “Our future is our confidence and self-esteem.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating)
- “Don’t leave this world without giving it your all.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating)
- “Tomorrow I wake with second wind and strong because of pride. I know I fought with all my heart to keep the dream alive.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating)
- “You see, you wouldn’t ask why the rose that grew from the concrete had damaged petals. On the contrary, we would all celebrate its tenacity.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating)
- “Trust me, I never lose. Either I win, or I learn.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating)
- “The seed must grow regardless of the fact that it’s planted in stone.” — Tupac Shakur (interview)
Tupac Shakur Quotes on Struggle and Resilience
He never hid his pain. These lines face hardship head-on and answer it with resilience.
- “There’s gonna be some stuff you gonna see that’s gonna make it hard to smile in the future. But through whatever you see, through all the rain and all the pain, you gotta keep your sense of humor.” — Tupac Shakur (interview)
- “It’s the game of life. Do I win or do I lose? One day they’re gonna shut the game down. I gotta have as much fun and go around the board as many times as I can before it’s my turn to leave.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1996)
- “In my mind, I’ll be thinking: is this true, will I fail? Am I supposed to fail? Should I just stop trying and give up? But then, that’s exactly what they’re waiting for me to do.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1996)
- “All I’m trying to do is survive and make good out of the dirty, nasty, unbelievable lifestyle that they gave me.” — Tupac Shakur (LA Times interview, 1995)
- “Let me say for the record, I am not a gangster and never have been. I’m not the thief who grabs your purse. I’m not the guy who jacks your car. I’m not down with people who steal and hurt others. I’m just a brother who fights back.” — Tupac Shakur (LA Times interview, 1995)
- “I made some mistakes. But I’m ready to move on.” — Tupac Shakur (LA Times interview, 1995)
- “It was tough sitting in jail listening to Jay Leno and Rush Limbaugh and everybody making jokes about me getting shot.” — Tupac Shakur (LA Times interview, 1995)
- “I had no police record until I made a record.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994)
- “I don’t have no fear of death. My only fear is coming back reincarnated.” — Tupac Shakur (interview)
- “I’d rather die like a man than live like a coward.” — Tupac Shakur (“Only God Can Judge Me”, lyric excerpt)
- “Only God can judge me.” — Tupac Shakur (“Only God Can Judge Me”, lyric excerpt)
- “I don’t see why everybody feel as though that they gotta tell me how to live my life.” — Tupac Shakur (“Only God Can Judge Me”, lyric excerpt)
- “I shall not fear no man but God.” — Tupac Shakur (“So Many Tears”, lyric excerpt)
- “Somebody help me, tell me where to go from here, ’cause even thugs cry, but do the Lord care?” — Tupac Shakur (“So Many Tears”, lyric excerpt)
- “Back in elementary, I thrived on misery.” — Tupac Shakur (“So Many Tears”, lyric excerpt)
- “Everybody’s at war with different things… I’m at war with my own heart sometimes.” — Tupac Shakur (Details magazine interview, 1996)
- “Marlon Brando is not a gangsta-actor, he’s an actor. Axl Rose and them are not gangsta-Rock & Rollers, they’re Rock & Rollers. Right? So… I’m a rapper. This is what I do. I’m an artist.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1995)
- “No matter what happens, innocent or guilty, my life is ruined.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994)
- “Is it a crime to fight for what is mine?” — Tupac Shakur (“Holler If Ya Hear Me”, lyric excerpt)
- “Through every dark night, there’s a bright day after that.” — Tupac Shakur (“Me Against the World”, lyric excerpt)
- “So no matter how hard it get, stick your chest out, keep your head up, and handle it.” — Tupac Shakur (“Me Against the World”, lyric excerpt)
- “Even the genius asks questions. Be grateful for blessings, don’t ever change, keep your essence.” — Tupac Shakur (“Me Against the World”, lyric excerpt)
- “Always do your best, don’t let the pressure make you panic.” — Tupac Shakur (“Me Against the World”, lyric excerpt)
- “Don’t change on me. Don’t extort me unless you intend to do it forever.” — Tupac Shakur (interview)
- “Don’t live to fight, fight to live.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating)
- “If you can make it through the night, there’s a brighter day.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating)
- “Pay no mind to those who talk behind your back, it simply means that you are two steps ahead.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating)
- “Behind every sweet smile, there is a bitter sadness that no one can see and feel.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating)
- “Wars come and go, but my soldiers stay eternal.” — Tupac Shakur (“Hail Mary”, lyric excerpt)
- “I ain’t a killer, but don’t push me.” — Tupac Shakur (“Hail Mary”, lyric excerpt)
Tupac Shakur Quotes on Love and Loyalty
From ‘Dear Mama’ to ‘Keep Ya Head Up’, his tenderest lines were written for the women who raised him and the people he refused to abandon.
- “There’s no way I can pay you back.” — Tupac Shakur (“Dear Mama”, lyric excerpt)
- “But my plan is to show you that I understand: you are appreciated.” — Tupac Shakur (“Dear Mama”, lyric excerpt)
- “Pour out some liquor and I reminisce, ’cause through the drama I can always depend on my mama.” — Tupac Shakur (“Dear Mama”, lyric excerpt)
- “I finally understand, for a woman it ain’t easy tryin’ to raise a man.” — Tupac Shakur (“Dear Mama”, lyric excerpt)
- “You always was committed, a poor single mother on welfare, tell me how you did it.” — Tupac Shakur (“Dear Mama”, lyric excerpt)
- “Ain’t a woman alive that could take my mama’s place.” — Tupac Shakur (“Dear Mama”, lyric excerpt)
- “Sweet lady, place no one above thee.” — Tupac Shakur (“Dear Mama”, lyric excerpt)
- “Just because I write some songs about bad women, though, that doesn’t mean I hate women. I’ve written songs that show great love and respect for women too.” — Tupac Shakur (Chicago Tribune interview)
- “Why do you think I wrote ‘Dear Mama’? I wrote it for my mama because I love her and I felt I owed her something deep.” — Tupac Shakur (Chicago Tribune interview)
- “Take ‘Dear Mama’ — I aimed that one straight for my homies’ heartstrings.” — Tupac Shakur (Chicago Tribune interview)
- “The thing that bothers me is that it seems like all the sensitive stuff I write just goes unnoticed… the media doesn’t get who I am at all.” — Tupac Shakur (Chicago Tribune interview)
- “I have women working on my music. They understand where I’m coming from. So does my mama.” — Tupac Shakur (Chicago Tribune interview)
- “I love William Shakespeare. He wrote some of the rawest stories.” — Tupac Shakur (Chicago Tribune interview)
- “Baby don’t cry, you gotta keep your head up.” — Tupac Shakur (“Keep Ya Head Up”, lyric excerpt)
- “Forgive but don’t forget, girl, keep your head up.” — Tupac Shakur (“Keep Ya Head Up”, lyric excerpt)
- “And when he tells you you ain’t nuttin’, don’t believe him.” — Tupac Shakur (“Keep Ya Head Up”, lyric excerpt)
- “Even though you’re fed up, you gotta keep your head up.” — Tupac Shakur (“Keep Ya Head Up”, lyric excerpt)
- “Some say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice.” — Tupac Shakur (“Keep Ya Head Up”, lyric excerpt)
- “I say the darker the flesh then the deeper the roots.” — Tupac Shakur (“Keep Ya Head Up”, lyric excerpt)
- “I remember Marvin Gaye used to sing to me.” — Tupac Shakur (“Keep Ya Head Up”, lyric excerpt)
- “He had me feelin’ like black was the thing to be.” — Tupac Shakur (“Keep Ya Head Up”, lyric excerpt)
- “Time to heal our women, be real to our women.” — Tupac Shakur (“Keep Ya Head Up”, lyric excerpt)
- “We can never go nowhere unless we share with each other.” — Tupac Shakur (“Keep Ya Head Up”, lyric excerpt)
- “‘If you can’t find somethin’ to live for, you best find somethin’ to die for.'” — Tupac Shakur (“Something 2 Die 4”, lyric excerpt)
- “I am a hard person to love, but when I love, I love really hard.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating)
- “Loyalty is the foundation upon which genuine brotherhood is built.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating)
- “Sometimes the person you’d take a bullet for ends up being the one behind the gun.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating)
- “Don’t be a hard rock when you really are a gem. Baby girl, respect is just a minimum.” — Tupac Shakur (“Keep Ya Head Up”, lyric excerpt)
Tupac Shakur Quotes on Life and Wisdom
In interviews, Tupac was as quotable as in his songs — blunt, funny and philosophical about the world as he saw it.
- “Every time I speak, I want the truth to come out. Every time I speak, I want a shiver.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994)
- “Even if I get in trouble, ain’t speaking the truth what we’re supposed to do?” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994)
- “I believe in karma: everything that you do bad comes back to you.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1996)
- “In my heart, I think what I’m doin’ is right, so I feel like I’m going to heaven.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1996)
- “That’s all my music is about: the oppressed rising up against the oppressor.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1992)
- “To me, a perfect album talks about the hard stuff and the fun and caring stuff. Everything in life is not all beautiful, not all fun.” — Tupac Shakur (LA Times interview, 1995)
- “What I want to know, though, is why all of a sudden is everybody acting like gangs are some new phenomenon in this country? Almost everyone in America is affiliated with some kind of gang.” — Tupac Shakur (Chicago Tribune interview)
- “We as rappers brought the violence that we saw on the streets and put it on our records.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994)
- “Irresponsibility with lyrics is you talk about murder and death, but you don’t talk about the pain.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994)
- “Or you talk about killin’, and robbin’, and stealin’, but you don’t talk about jail, death, and betrayal, and all the things that go with it.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994)
- “I want to grow. I want to be better. You grow. We all grow. We’re made to grow. You either evolve or you disappear.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating interview line)
- “Out on bail, fresh out of jail, California dreamin’.” — Tupac Shakur (“California Love”, lyric excerpt)
- “I think I’m a natural-born leader. I know how to bow down to authority if it’s authority that I respect.” — Tupac Shakur (interview)
Tupac Shakur Quotes on Change and Hope
He believed music could move people to act. These lines call for change, from his song ‘Changes’ to his final interviews.
- “The masses, the hungry people, they outweigh the rich. So as long as I appeal to the hungry, and the poverty-stricken people, it’s all good.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1993)
- “I want to see a true picture. I don’t care if a rap critic feels uncomfortable.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1992)
- “What about when I felt uncomfortable for 400 years?” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1992)
- “They use the ghetto for their pain, their sorrow, their culture, for their music, for their happiness, for their movies.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994)
- “They got money for wars, but can’t feed the poor.” — Tupac Shakur (“Keep Ya Head Up”, lyric excerpt)
- “You gotta make a change.” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt)
- “It’s time for us as a people to start makin’ some changes.” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt)
- “Let’s change the way we eat, let’s change the way we live.” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt)
- “And let’s change the way we treat each other.” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt)
- “And still I see no changes.” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt)
- “That’s just the way it is, things’ll never be the same.” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt)
- “We gotta start makin’ changes, learn to see me as a brother ‘stead of two distant strangers.” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt)
- “I see no changes, all I see is racist faces.” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt)
- “We was asking with the Panthers. We was asking with the Civil Rights Movement, we was asking! Those people that were asking, they’re all dead and in jail.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994)
- “Is life worth living? Should I blast myself?” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt)
- “Give the crack to the kids who the hell cares? One less hungry mouth on the welfare.” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt)
- “First ship ’em dope and let ’em deal to brothers.” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt)
- “Give ’em guns, step back, watch ’em kill each other.” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt)
- “It’s time to fight back, that’s what Huey said. Two shots in the dark, now Huey’s dead.” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt)
- “I got love for my brother, but we can never go nowhere unless we share with each other.” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt)
- “Take the evil out the people, they’ll be acting right.” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt)
FAQs About Tupac Shakur Quotes
What are Tupac Shakur’s most famous quotes?
Among his most quoted lines are his 1994 promise to ‘spark the brain that will change the world’, the rose that grew from concrete from his poetry book, and his ‘Keep Ya Head Up’ message to struggling mothers — all included above with their sources.
Did Tupac Shakur write poetry?
Yes. His collection The Rose That Grew from Concrete was published posthumously in 1999 and gathers poems he wrote between the ages of 19 and 21. Several lines in this collection come from it.
What did Tupac Shakur say about dreams?
He returned to dreams constantly — from the rose that kept its dreams in his poem, to telling interviewers that the seed must grow regardless of the fact that it’s planted in stone.
Are all Tupac Shakur quotes on the internet real?
No — many lines circulating online have no verified source. In this collection, any line without a confirmable primary source is clearly marked as attributed rather than presented as a definite quote.
Editor’s Picks
| Quote | Best For |
|---|---|
| “The seed must grow regardless of the fact that it’s planted in stone.” — Tupac Shakur (interview) | Dreamers |
| “I’m not saying I’m gonna rule the world, or I’m gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will change the world.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994) | Changemakers |
| “There’s gonna be some stuff you gonna see that’s gonna make it hard to smile in the future. But through whatever you see, through all the rain and all the pain, you gotta keep your sense of humor.” — Tupac Shakur (interview) | Tough days |
| “I’d rather die like a man than live like a coward.” — Tupac Shakur (“Only God Can Judge Me”, lyric excerpt) | Standing tall |
| “Through every dark night, there’s a bright day after that.” — Tupac Shakur (“Me Against the World”, lyric excerpt) | Never quitting |
| “But my plan is to show you that I understand: you are appreciated.” — Tupac Shakur (“Dear Mama”, lyric excerpt) | For mom |
| “Baby don’t cry, you gotta keep your head up.” — Tupac Shakur (“Keep Ya Head Up”, lyric excerpt) | Encouragement |
| “Loyalty is the foundation upon which genuine brotherhood is built.” — Attributed to Tupac Shakur (widely circulating) | Loyalty |
| “Every time I speak, I want the truth to come out. Every time I speak, I want a shiver.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1994) | Truth seekers |
| “I believe in karma: everything that you do bad comes back to you.” — Tupac Shakur (interview, 1996) | Karma believers |
| “We gotta start makin’ changes, learn to see me as a brother ‘stead of two distant strangers.” — Tupac Shakur (“Changes”, lyric excerpt) | Reformers |
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Learn more about his life and career: Tupac Shakur on Wikipedia.
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