Ghetto Gospel

## Single by 2Pac featuring Elton John

"**Ghetto Gospel**" is a song by 2Pac, released as the lead single from his posthumous album *Loyal to the Game* (2004). The song was produced by Eminem and features a sample of Elton John's 1971 song "Indian Sunset". The original version was created for Special Olympics' 1992 compilation Christmas album but was never released, due to Shakur getting into legal trouble. It sampled Tracy Chapman's "Crossroads" with production handled by Big D the Impossible.

## Background

The track was originally created as a Christmas song for the Special Olympics' album in 1992. Shakur recalled that he bought their first album, *A Very Special Christmas*, when he was younger. He heard Sting's "Gabriel's Message" and became fixated on it. He continued, "So now when the chance come for me to do it, I wanted to do something that would affect people, not today but tomorrow, whenever you played it a year from now. And I didn't want it to be just, you know, 'Snow and chestnuts rolling down.' I didn't want to do a remake. I wanted to do a Christmas carol, and black people really never did Christmas carols. [...] 'Ghetto Gospel' is a reality. It's a reminiscent-type song. Losing your grandparents, how we don't really care about our senior citizens these days. And that's such a Christmas-y thing, 'cause you know your grandma will always give you a present. If she [has to] give you her teeth, she's going to give you a present." He added, "'Ghetto Gospel' is like being gospel without being sellout, you know, not being phony. I'm not saying I've changed. I make a lot of mistakes and I say that in the song. But it says 'God ain't finished with me yet.' [There's] a path for me, and I make mistakes and I might fall, but I'm gonna get up and I keep trying 'cause I believe in it. And that's ghetto, you know, to do what you feel. It's not all pretty, but it's still what I feel. It's still from my soul, my heart. So it's ghetto gospel." He remarked that it was different musically than anything else he ever did. He expressed admiration for American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, which made him want to bring soul into the song. He continued, "A lot of her music is, so that was the basis of the song. Then I got Jesse to rap on it because, to me, he represents the young black male of tomorrow. He's more advanced than I was at that age. He's my peer now, but he's six years younger than me. That shows how far we've come, and how bad the world is."

## Personnel

* Bernie Taupin – writer
* Deon Evans – writer
* Elton John – writer
* Luis Resto – writer, producer
* Marshall "Eminem" Mathers – writer, producer
* Mike Strange – recording engineer
* Steve King – recording engineer
* Tony Campana – recording engineer
* Tupac "2Pac" Shakur – vocals, writer

## Lyrics

* Original
* Single

**Lyrics**
[Verse 1: 2Pac]

If I could recollect before my hood days

I'd sit, reminisce in bliss on the good days

I stop and stare at the younger

My heart goes to 'em

They tested, it was stressed that they under

We never really went through that

Because we was born B.C. - you and me before crack

And nowadays things changed

Everyone's ashamed of the youth cause the truth look strange

And for me it's reverse

We left them a world that's cursed and it hurts

Cause any day they'll push the button

And all good men like Malcolm X and Bobby Hutton died for nothin'

Don't 'em let me get teary

The world looks dreary

But when you wipe your eyes, see it clearly

There is no need for you to fear me

If you take the time to hear me

Maybe you can learn to cheer me

It ain't about black or white 'cause we're human

I hope we'll see the light before it's ruined

My Ghetto Gospel

[Hook: *2Pac*]

It's ok, it's ok, it's ok

*Yeah, my Ghetto Gospel*

*It's ok, it's ok, it's ok*

[Verse 2: 2Pac]

Tell me, do you see that old lady? Ain't it sad?

Livin' out of bags but she's glad for the little things she has

And over there there's a lady, crack got her crazy, well guess she's givin' birth to a baby!

I don't trip to let 'em fade me

From outta the frying pan we jump into another form of slavery

And even now I get discouraged

I wonder if they take it all back will I still keep the courage?

I refuse to be a role model

I set goals, take control, drink out my own bottle (Yeah)

I make mistakes but learn from everyone

And when it's said and done

I bet this brother will be a better one

If I upset you, don't stress and never forget that God isn't finished with me yet

I feel his hand on my brains when I write rhymes I go blind and let the Lord do his thing

But am I any less holy?

I choose to puff a blunt and drink a beer with my homies

(And this is not world peace, we tried and failed) and there is war on the streets

My Ghetto Gospel

[Hook: *2Pac*]

It's ok, it's ok, it's ok

*Yeah, my Ghetto Gospel*

*It's ok, it's ok, it's ok*

[Verse 3: 2Pac]

I remember grandma's hands used to hold me, mold me, I never forget the things she told me

Brothers' a butt and played the big shot, cause you know

Grannies are the only thing that little Ghetto kids got

Moms work and papa's buried

She dropped me over granny's house

Bless her heart cause she worry

And ghetto grannies are like books, we got so many crooks cause so many grannies gettin' shook

And gettin' dropped in the nursing home

And times is hard and even worst alone

And how could you be so cold

You'll get your turn as soon as you turn old

All they ask of every person

They try to figure out what's on the mind of a brother when he's cursing

9 out of 10 you'll find the problems, time to take a listen and see what you could do to solve them

Cause everybody needs a little help on the way to relying on one's self

So think about it... why 2Pac hit cha, hit cha with a little ghetto gospel

My Ghetto Gospel

[Hook: *2Pac*]

It's ok, it's ok, it's ok

*Yeah, my Ghetto Gospel*

*It's ok, it's ok, it's ok*

[Verse 4: 2Pac]

I was a stone cold gangsta man

Until you gave me ghetto gospel, I thank you man

Used to roll in the back and do drugs a lot

Now I'm bangin' these tracks, slanging rhymes I got

In this world of greed tryin' to succeed on my beliefs

Now I lay me down to sleep

Lord can you hear me speak?

Can you forgive me for my sins?

If I had it all to do again, I'd still play to win

I hope the Lord can understand me

A man's gotta do what he can for his family

And pay the price of being hellbound

But I rather see hell later than see hell now

And the devil ain't got nothing on the president, cut back and keep us strapped in our residence and be like animals in cages

We can rant and rave about slavery for ages

Or we can start making positive and hit 'em with a little ghetto gospel

My Ghetto Gospel

[Hook: *2Pac*]

It's ok, it's ok, it's ok

*Yeah, my Ghetto Gospel*

*It's ok, it's ok, it's ok*

[Outro]

It's ok, it's ok, it's ok

(My ghetto gospel)

It's ok, it's ok, it's ok

(My ghetto gospel)

It's ok, it's ok, it's ok

(My ghetto gospel)

It's ok, it's ok, it's ok

**Lyrics**
[Intro]

Uh, hit 'em with a little ghetto gospel

[Chorus: Elton John, *2Pac*]

Those who wish to follow me (*My ghetto gospel*)

I welcome with my hands

And the red sun sinks at last

Into the hills of gold

And peace to this young warrior

Without the sound of guns

[Verse 1]

If I could recollect before my hood days

I'd sit and reminisce, thinkin' of bliss and the good days (Days)

I stop and stare at the younger

My heart goes to 'em, they tested with stress that they under

And nowadays, things change

Everyone's ashamed of the youth, 'cause the truth look strange

And for me, it's reversed

We left 'em a world that's cursed, and it hurts (Hurts)

‘Cause any day, they'll push the button

And all good men like Malcolm X or Bobby Hutton died for nothin'

Don't it make you get teary? The world looks dreary

When you wipe your eyes, see it clearly

There's no need for you to fear me

If you take your time to hear me, maybe you can learn to cheer me

It ain't about black or white, 'cause we human

I hope we see the light before it's ruined

My ghetto gospel

[Chorus: Elton John, *2Pac*]

Those who wish to follow me (*Ghetto gospel*)

I welcome with my hands

And the red sun sinks at last

Into the hills of gold

And peace to this young warrior

Without the sound of guns

[Verse 2]

Tell me, do you see that old lady, ain't it sad?

Livin' out a bag, but she's glad for the little things she has

And over there, there's a lady

Crack got her crazy, guess who's givin' birth to a baby?

I don't trip or let it fade me

From out of the fryin' pan, we jump into another form of slavery

Even now, I get discouraged

Wonder, if they take it all back, will I still keep the courage?

I refuse to be a role model

I set goals, take control, drink out my own bottles (Own bottles)

I make mistakes, but learn from every one

And when it's said and done, I bet this brother be a better one

If I upset you, don't stress

Never forget that God isn't finished with me yet

I feel his hand on my brain

When I write rhymes, I go blind and let the Lord do his thing

But am I less holy

'Cause I choose to puff a blunt and drink a beer with my homies?

Before we find world peace

We gotta find peace and end the war in the streets

My ghetto gospel

[Chorus: Elton John, *2Pac*]

Those who wish to follow me (*Yeah, ghetto gospel*)

I welcome with my hands

And the red sun sinks at last

Into the hills of gold

And peace to this young warrior

Without the sound of guns

[Outro]

Lord, can you hear me speak?

To pay the price of bein' hellbound

## Track listing

* Elton John
* Marshall Mathers
* Tupac Shakur

* Elton John
* Marshall Mathers
* Tupac Shakur
* Nathaniel Hale
* Shakur

## References

1. ↑ "Tupac : The Lost Interview". *Rap Basement*. September 13, 2006. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012.