2009-12-23 19:59:02 -

"Before there was thug life, apparently, there was hug life. Who knew?"

By Bill Simmons

"Years ago, I did a story on Tupac, and I tracked down some poems he wrote when he was in high school. They were all about flowers and sunsets and warm kisses. Before there was thug life, apparently, there was hug life. Who knew? I can guarantee that "Hug Life" would not have sold 5 million records. "

sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/one/091218


Tupac:
"Right now, it is it is almost.. it is almost uhh,
IMPOSSIBLE for you not to see how strong rap has gotten
Y'knowhatI'msayin, it's it's like umm..
our our brothers and sisters, our youths, and some of our adults
their ear is PINNED to rap music right now
And

if you really wanna get our message out
and really wanna start teachin, we need to start doin that
We we really need to start usin, our methods, y'knowhatI'msayin?
The Last Poets did it with poetry
And uhh, and and.. even in our history
from a ancient Afl- African civilization
poets went from village to village
And that's how, stories and messages and lessons were taught
Y'knowhatI'mssayin, and so like you say, history repeats itself
And so.. it it was, it was.. at it was, y'know obvious
It was, pick it up, y'know?
Bein the race that we are, bein the strong race that we are
We picked it up, we picked up those positive, those positive vibes
and we started rappin and so
I think it is, it's a very good medium too"

www.tupacnation.net/forum/showthread.php?t=31878