[Verse 1: 2Pac] I never had a father figure I was raised by the thugs and the drug dealers - That's why I love niggas ! Until they place me in my casket, guess I'll be a hopeless bastard Gettin' high in the back, plastered Can't nobody make a way for me - times is hard On a nigga, mama pray for me I'm smokin' weed for the stress and drinkin' for the pain From the strain on the young brothers brain Ain't a motherfucking thing to do, but hang and stay true Thugs get lonely too.. I'm drinking 22's of brew, till I'm tipsy And I ain't going out throwing up my middle finger, miss me ? Tryna get my hands on the cash How long will it last, will it last a little longer if I blast ? And trust me, I'll probably be the last to preach Cause ain't no hope for the future if they asking me And what my poppa never told me - You see I learned from the kindness of strangers and homies So now I can't turn back, time to make it through They wanna ban me, while tryna feed my family But all the homies in the hood told me: nigga it's all good.. And muthafuck Hollywood ! For tryna shut a real nigga down, stayin' true to the game Fuck the fame, I still won't change R U Still Down ?
[Chorus: Natasha Walker & 2Pac] R U Still Down? (Tell Me - R U Still Down ?) (repeat 4X) [Verse 2: 2Pac] Now up and at em it's on, I was raised to be strong And mama told me be a thug since the day I was born I came up out the gutter never changed my style Got for real about my papers, cause the game was wild And the fame was a plot to try to change me-ee And what's strange is nobody knew my name 'fore it came Now the whole world is calling me a killer And all I ever did - was try to reach the kids with the real All the time I was ballin', never heard my friends callin' Couldn't stop myself from fallin', I'm all in Shit's gettin' sleazy, believe me Best to take what ya need, but don't be greedy Cause in my mind I see sunshine, I thought I didn't have to run, now i'm duckin' from the gun yellin': one time-ee Take your time to feel my record, and if you did Chill a second, my blind method, will still wreck it My young homies stay strong I wonder if they'll listen to a nigga when he gone ? R U Still Down ?
[Chorus]
[Verse 3: 2Pac] I'm gettin' high, so a nigga think he touch the sky Turn tough inside, in the rush to die Livin' life as a thug time to face the truth What's goin' on with the wasted youth ? Please God, come and.. save me Had to work with what ya gave me They got a nigga goin' crazy I can't read the signs.. i'm blind But a nigga know he need his nine, cause times They ain't what they used to be Ain't a penitentiary built.. Big enough for me and my niggas on the streets Man listen ! cause these ain't the old days Ain't no way I'mma bustin my ass and gettin no pay It seems I can't find my focus, and homey I ain't paranoid I seen the future and it's hopeless Lord knows, its hard on a young scrub It seems I had less problems when I slung drugs But since I'm lacin young brothers with the game Wanna see me locked in chains and tryin' to dirty up my name And them same motherfuckers that was callin' me Will be the first to turn their backs, when I'm fallin', see ? I should have seen it from the jump, but now it's clear One nigga got the town in fear R U Still Down ?
[Outro] All I want to know - R U Still Down ? Tell Me - R U Still Down ?
*multiple times* Tell Me - R U Still Down? R U Still Down ?