Holla At Me
| Title | Holla At Me |
|---|---|
| Artist | 2Pac |
| Album | All Eyez On Me |
| Release Date | 1996-02-13 |
| Description | In “Holla at Me”, 2Pac addresses three crucial episodes of his life. In the first verse, the rapper subliminally talks about his former close friend, Stretch, who he felt had betrayed him and helped set him up on the infamous 1994 Quad Studios shooting—an unofficial theory that was later confirmed by one of ‘Pac’s shooters. This was not the last time that a Shakur line referenced the alleged betrayal. In the scathing “Against All Odds” track, off 1996’s The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, the legendary emcee alludes to Stretch: And that nigga that was down for me, restin' dead Switched sides, guess his new friends wanted him dead The second verse addresses The Notorious B.I.G. and ‘Pac’s feel that Biggie and Puffy knew about the set up and purposefully did not warn him. This is basically the suspicion that led to “Hit ‘em Up”, one of the most famous and acclaimed disses of all time, and the foundation stone to the epic East Coast–West Coast rap feud. The third and final verse deals with Ayanna Jackson and her claims that ‘Pac, alongside several associates, raped her in the fall of 1993. Tupac was charged with sexual assault, although he vehemently denied all accusations until his untimely death. Nothing has been proved to this day, but, in 2018, Ayanna talked to DJ Vlad about the case and raised suspicions on herself, since she seemed not able to support her own allegations. On February 14, 1995, Tupac began serving his time, which ranged from 1½ to 4½ years in prison. Nine months later, then-Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight paid $1.4 million to bail him out. This resulted in an agreement in which ‘Pac accepted to be freed by Knight if he signed a three-year contract with the label. He became a Death Row artist and indeed dropped three pieces (one double album in All Eyez on Me and one project on The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory), before being shot on September 7, 1996 and dying six days later. |
| Lyrics | [Refrain: Nancy Fletcher] Niggas out there jealous 'cause we be bailin' with Death Row They try to playa hate, but they can't fade us though We be mobbin' through the neighborhood, yeah With that funky sound (So funky) We be throwin' down [Intro: 2Pac] This goes out to you, playa You know, you know who you are [Chorus: 2Pac] Gotta be careful, can't let the evil of the money trap me So when ya see me, nigga, you better holla at me Gotta be careful, can't let the evil of the money trap me So when ya see me, nigga, you better holla at me Gotta be careful, can't let the evil of the money trap me So when ya see me, nigga, you better holla at me [Verse 1: 2Pac] Are you confused? You wonder how it feels to walk a mile inside the shoes Of a nigga who don't have a thing to lose? When me and you was homies No one informed me it was all a scheme You infiltrated my team and sold a nigga's dreams How could you do me like that? I took ya family in I put some cash in ya pocket, made you a man again And now you let the fear put your ass in a place Complicated to escape, it's a fool's fate Without your word, you're a shell of a man I lost respect for you, nigga, we can never be friends I know I'm runnin' through your head now What could you do? If it was up to you, I'd be dead now I let the world know, nigga, you a coward You could never be live until you die See the motherfuckin' bitch in your eye Type of nigga, that let the evil of the money trap me When ya see me, nigga, you better holla at me (holla at me) You might also like[Chorus: 2Pac & Nancy Fletcher] Gotta be ready, can’t let the evil of the money trap me So when ya see me, nigga, you better holla at me You better beware where you lay We better not find where you stay So I gotta be careful, can't let the evil of the money trap me So when ya see me, nigga, you better holla at me You better beware where you lay We better not find where you stay [Verse 2: 2Pac] Curious, spittin' lyrics on the verge of furious I'm addicted to currency, nigga, that's why we doin' this I got shot up, I surprised the niggas the way I got up And then I hit the studio, it's time to blow the block up No hesitation, this information got you contemplatin' Heartbreakin' and eliminatin' with this conversation Break him and let him see the face of a mental patient It's a celebration of my criminal elevation, more participation I want members across the fifty states We keep the nation anticipatin' until we break Will I be great, is it my fate to live the life of luxury? Some niggas bought my tapes, so much jealousy it scares me So be prepared, 'cause only the strong survive, life isn't fair (fair) Probably never knew the way it feels to die So you see, come fuck with me, I give that ass a try Nigga, holla at me [Chorus: 2Pac & Nancy Fletcher] Gotta be careful, can’t let the evil of the money trap me So when ya see me, nigga, you better holla at me You better beware where you lay We better not find where you stay And now I gotta be careful, can't let the evil of the money trap me So when ya see me, nigga, you better holla at me You better beware where you lay We better not find where you stay [Verse 3: 2Pac] I should've saw the signs, I was blinded Criminal minds of a young black brotha doin' time So many brothas framed in this dirty game It's a shame, so much pressure on my brain Why she blame me? Secrets in the dark, only her and I know Now I'm sittin' in the state pen', doin' time slow Guess she made a bad decision that got me livin' Just like an animal, I'm caged up in state prison My niggas dissin' 'cause hell hath no fury like a woman scorned A cemetery full of motherfuckers not knowin' Picture my prophecy, I got some attacking me, on top of me I'm runnin' from the coppers, but never let 'em stop me 'Cause I'm a soldier, hell, ever since I was a little nigga Havin' fantasies of one day getting older Niggas is paranoid, trust; a no-no Love is a mystery, fuck the po-po Holla at me [Chorus: 2Pac & Nancy Fletcher] So when you see me, nigga, you better holla at me You better beware where you lay We better not find where you stay Gotta be careful, can't let the evil of the money trap me So when ya see me, nigga, you better holla at me You better beware where you lay We better not find where you stay A nigga gotta be careful, can't let the evil of the money trap me So when ya see me, nigga, you better holla at me You better beware where you lay We better not find where you stay [Refrain: Nanci Fletcher] Niggas out there jealous cause we be bailin' with Death Row They try to playa hate, but they can't fade us tho' We be mobbin' through the neighborhood, yeah With that funky sound (so funky) We be throwin' down [Chorus: 2Pac & Nancy Fletcher] Gotta be careful, can't let the evil of the money trap me So when ya see me, nigga, you better holla at me You better beware where you lay We better not find where you stay Gotta be careful, can't let the evil of the money trap me So when ya see me, nigga, you better holla at me You better beware where you lay We better not find where you stay |