Soulja's Story

## Song by 2Pac

"**Soulja's Story**" is a song by 2Pac, released as the third track from his debut studio album, *2Pacalypse Now* (1991). It samples the following songs: ​The D.O.C.'s "Let the Bass Go", Tom Scott and The L.A. Express' "Sneakin' in the Back", Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine", Melvin Bliss' "Synthetic Substitution", and Isaac Hayes' "No Name Bar". The follow-up song, "Souljah's Revenge", was released from his sophomore album.

## Analysis

It has been proposed that the song was inspired by the life of American author, activist and prisoner, George Jackson, a member of the Black Panther Party. Jackson became known as part of the Soledad Brothers, who were charged with the murder of a white prison guard in retribution for three Black prisoners who were shot to death by another guard. His younger brother, Jonathan, died from attempting to free him in August 1970. Jackson later on tried to escape the notorious San Quentin State Prison, though was shot to death by the prison guards in August 1971.

The song itself talks about two brothers who become separated, one going to prison and the other drug dealing. Eventually the younger brother, under the advisement of his mother, visits the prison to free his older brother. This fails, and both are killed. In a track-by-track commentary, 2Pac said, "Dope dealers are known as soldiers 'cause they're tuned into war. In this story, a little brother idolizes his big brother dope dealer. So when the big brother goes to the penitentiary, the little brother tries to break him out—and dies. He didn't know it's a fast life—he didn't know it's not like they tell you."

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro]

*They cuttin' off welfare*

All he wanted to be, a soldier, like me (*They think crime is rising now*)

All he wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier (*You got whites killing Blacks*)

All he wanted to be, a soldier, like me (*Cops killing Blacks*)

All he wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier (*And Blacks killing Blacks*)

All he wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier (*Shit just gon' get worse*)

All he wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier (*They just gon' become soldiers*)

All he wanted to be, a soldier, like me (*Straight soldiers*)

[Chorus]

All you wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier

All you wanted to be, a soldier, like me

All you wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier

All you wanted to be, a soldier, like me

All you wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier

All you wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier

All you wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier

All you wanted to be, a soldier, like me

[Verse 1]

Crack done took a part of my family tree

My mama's on the shit, my daddy split and moms is steady blaming me

Is it my fault, just 'cause I'm a young Black male?

Cops sweat me as if my destiny is makin' crack sales

Only fifteen and got problems

Cops on my tail, so I bail 'til I dodge 'em

They finally pull me over and I laugh

"Remember Rodney King?" and I blast on his punk ass

Now I got a murder case

You speak of Heaven punk? I never heard of the place

Wanted to come up fast, got a Uz' and a black mask

Ducking fuckin' task, now who's the jackass?

Keep my shit cocked cause the cops got a Glock too

What the fuck would you do? Drop them or let 'em drop you?

I chose droppin' the cop

I got me a Glock, and a Glock for the n\*\*\*as on my block

Mama tried to stab me, I moved out

Sold a pound a weed, made Gs, bought a new house

I'm only seventeen, I'm the new king

Got me a crew, bought 'em jewels, and a Uz'-thing

But all good things don't last

Task came fast, and busted my Black ass

Coolin' in the pen, where the good's kept

Now my little brother wants to follow in my footsteps, a soldier

[Chorus]

All he wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier

All he wanted to be, a soldier, like me

All he wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier

All he wanted to be, a soldier, like me

All he wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier

All he wanted to be, a soldier, like me

All he wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier

All he wanted to be, a soldier, like me

[Verse 2]

Buck, buck, n\*\*\*as get fucked, don't step to this

Quiet as kept, I'm blessed on a quest with a death wish

Tell 'em to come and test and arrest, n\*\*\*a, it's hectic

Here's the anorexic, I'm makin' it to an exit

Walking through the streets on the Black tip

Packed with several gats 'cause I'm on some pay 'em back shit

N\*\*\*as don't wanna try me, brother, you'll get shot down

Now I'm king of the block since my bigger brother's locked down

I'm hot now, so many punk police have got shot down

Other coppers see me on the block and they jock now

That's what I call a kingpin

Send my brother what he needs and some weed up to Sing-Sing

Tellin' him just be ready, set

Pack ya shit up quick and when I hit, be prepared to jet

N\*\*\*as from the block on the boat now

Every single one got a gun that'll smoke, pow

These punks about to get hit by the best

I'm wearin' double vest, so aim at my fuckin' chest

I'll be makin' straight dome calls

Touch the button on the wall, you'll be pickin' up your own balls

I can still hear my mother shout

"Hit the pen, n\*\*\*a, break your bigger brother out"

I got a message for the warden

I'm comin' for your ass as fast as Flash Gordon

We get surrounded in the mess hall

Yes, y'all, a crazy motherfucker making death calls

Just bring me my brother and we leavin'

For every minute you stall, one of y'all bleedin'

They brought my brother in a jiffy

I took a cop just in case things got tricky

And just as we was walkin' out (Bang)

I caught a bullet in the head, the screams never left my mouth

My brother caught a bullet, too

I think he gon' pull through, he deserve to

The fast life ain't everything they told ya

Never get much older, following the tracks of a soldier

[Chorus]

A soldier, a soldier

All he ever wanted to be, a soldier, like me

All he wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier

All he wanted to be, a soldier, like me

All he wanted to be (All he ever wanted to be), a soldier, a soldier

All he wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier

All he wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier

All he wanted to be, a soldier, like me

[Outro]

All he wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier

All he wanted to be, a soldier, like me

All he wanted to be, a soldier, a soldier

All he wanted to be, a soldier, like me

All he wanted to be—

Straight soldier, 1993 onward

*Yellin' it 'cause nobody else is tellin'—*

## References

1. ↑ Stephens, R. L. (June 22, 2017). "Pac's Passion". *Jacobin*.
2. ↑ Robertson, Darryl (August 28, 2018). "On George Jackson's Death Anniversary, See Who Inspired Verses by Tupac and Nas". *Vibe*.
3. ↑ Scarano, Ross (November 14, 2016). "Here's Tupac's Song-by-Song Commentary on His Debut, '2Pacalypse Now'". *Complex*.