Shorty Wanna Be a Thug

## Single by 2Pac

"**Shorty Wanna Be a Thug**" is a song by 2Pac. In the song, Pac portrays the mindset of a young man aspiring to embody the persona of a thug. Producer Johnny J provides insights into the song's creation, stating that 2Pac delved into the thought process of these youths and titled the track accordingly. The song samples elements from Hank Crawford's "Wildflower."

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Chorus]

Said he wanna be, shorty's gonna be a thug

Said he wanna be, one day he's gonna be

Said he's gonna be, shorty's gonna be a thug

Said he's gonna be, one day he's gonna be

Said he wanna be, shorty's gonna be a thug!

Said he wanna be, one day he's gonna be

Said he wanna be, shorty's gonna be a thug

[Verse 1]

Was a nice middle-class n\*\*\*a

But no one knew the evil he'd do when he got a little bigger

You'd often find him blazed, for puffing on a Newport

Plotting on another way to catch a case

Was only 16, yet convicted as a felon

With a bunch of old n\*\*\*as, but you the only one ain't tellin'

I tell you it's a cold world, stay in school

You tell me it's a man's world, play the rules

And fade fools, break rules until we major

Blaze up, getting with hoes through my pager

Was raised up, commence to money-makin' tactics, uh

It's getting drastic, n\*\*\*as got automatics

My finger's on the trigger

Tell the Lord to make way for another straight thug n\*\*\*a

I'm sitting, getting buzzed, looking for some love

From the homies, ‘cause shorty wanna be a thug

[Chorus]

Said he's gonna be, said he's gonna be

One day he's gonna be, shorty's gonna be a thug

Said he's wanna be, said he's wanna be

One day he's gonna be, shorty's gonna be a thug

Said he's gonna be, one day he's gonna be

Said he wanna be, shorty's gonna be a thug

Said he wanna be, one day he's gonna be

Said he wanna be, shorty's gonna be a thug

[Verse 2]

Straight from the hall to the pen'

An adolescent n\*\*\*a standing way higher than six feet ten

He carried weight, like a Mack truck

Gonna bust on playa haters, if them mothafuckas act tuff

Then that's when, a lethal weapon with the razor

This little n\*\*\*a smoking weed and getting blazed up

No one could figure, when the guns blast, pull the trigger

Could take the life of a young n\*\*\*a, guns bigger

No mother and father, you see, the n\*\*\*a's all alone

Old timers my role model, the war zone

Been laced with this game 'til it's a part of me

My heart don't beat no fear, and that ain't hard to see

The future is looking dim

I'm tryin' to make a profit out of living in this sin

I'm in the dark, getting buzzed, looking for some love

Out with the homies, ‘cause shorty wanna be a thug

[Chorus]

Said he's gonna be, said he's gonna be

One day he's gonna be, shorty's gonna be a thug

Said he's wanna be, one day he's gonna be

Said he's gonna be, shorty's gonna be a thug

Said he's wanna be, one day he's gonna be

Said he wanna be, shorty's gonna be a thug

Said he wanna be, one day he's gonna be

Said he wanna be, shorty's gonna be a thug

[Outro]

Shorty's gonna be a thug

Little bad ass n\*\*\*a, to the young n\*\*\*as

Gotta stay sharp, n\*\*\*a, play your part!

Got plenty of time (you bad mothafuckas)

You only get three mistakes, and then it's life, big baby

(n\*\*\*as craaazy) Watch the signs!

Damn, n\*\*\*a! Sixteen, n\*\*\*a?

Sixteen?! Too bad, mothafuckers

## References

1. ↑ A., Aron (February 13, 2021). Tupac Delivered A Cautionary Tale On “Shorty Wanna Be A Thug”. *HotNewHipHop*.