![]() “He had this long conversation with her and, I don’t know, I guess she just struck him somehow,” James said last year. He also dedicated “Keep Ya Head Up” to a “little girl name Corin” - the daughter of Salt-N-Pepa’s Cheryl “Salt” James. It’s a record made for black men to inherit, hence the dedication of the song to his “godson, Elijah.” Black women are so often stereotyped, and scapegoated in hip-hop and in pop culture in general, but Shakur embraced the strength and importance of black women. ![]() But the latter resonates on a far deeper level. Shakur was a classic Gemini - it’s no surprise “I Get Around” and “Keep Ya Head Up” are on the same album. “Who was writing about black women before ‘Keep Ya Head Up?’ Now everybody got a song about black women.” “I think the s- that I say, no one else says,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 1995. As his legal troubles mounted, and his demeanor toward women came under fire, Shakur’s devotion to the song never wavered. “Keep Ya Head Up,” written when he was 21, not only spoke to black women, it defended them from within a genre that was and still very much is a man’s game. Raised by women, Shakur’s soul found solace in his mother, Afeni Shakur, and close friend Jada Pinkett. 16, 1993, S4MN is a fluid, aggressive, emotional and erratic project immortalized mainly for three singles: the rebellious “Holler If Ya Hear Me,” the joy-in-promiscuity classic “I Get Around” and the evergreen “Keep Ya Head Up.” Grounded by a sample from The Five Stairsteps’ 1970 “O-o-h Child,” ‘Shakur’s sentimental remake - things are gonna get easier - remains rap’s hallmark ode to black women. The project predates the cultural controversies, his sexual assault case, his incarceration, the 1994 Quad Studio shooting and the Death Row era that became his life’s final chapter. Overall, "Keep Ya Head Up" is a powerful call to action that uplifts women and encourages marginalized communities to persist through the challenges they face.3:35 PMTupac Shakur’s 1993 sophomore album, Strictly 4 My N.-.-.-.A.Z., was his last “pure” album. The song ends with the plea to "keep your head up," serving as a reminder to stay positive and hopeful in the face of adversity. Shakur recognizes the hardships they face and encourages them to stay strong and keep fighting, even when it seems impossible. The final verse focuses on single mothers, who are often forced to raise children alone. Despite the odds, he urges listeners to keep pushing forward and never give up hope. The song shifts to Shakur's personal struggles in the third verse, describing how he dreams of success in the music industry despite financial difficulties and the likelihood of incarceration. ![]() The lyric "I think it's time to kill for our women" expresses the need to protect and value women, rather than perpetuating violence against them. The second verse addresses the mistreatment of women in general, questioning why men harm and neglect those who create and nurture life. The chorus, "Keep-keep ya head up, ooh, child, things'll get brighter," serves as a reminder to stay optimistic despite difficult circumstances. The first verse acknowledges the discrimination faced by black women, specifically those on welfare, and implores them to persevere in the face of adversity. The song opens with a shoutout to two children, Elijah and Corin, setting the tone for the message of hope and encouragement that follows. "Keep Ya Head Up" by Tupac Shakur is a powerful anthem that uplifts women and addresses the struggles they face in society. ![]()
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