Ghetto Gospel – English Lyrics

• By: 2Pac

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the raw honesty and spiritual depth of 2Pac's "Ghetto Gospel." This song offers an authentic window into the realities of urban life and a powerful message of hope, unity, and self-reflection. Through its evocative lyrics and conscious hip-hop style, you'll not only experience a musical masterpiece but also gain insights into the social fabric and profound emotions that shaped a generation. Learning the language of this song will allow you to grasp the nuances of 2Pac's poetic storytelling and his vision for a better world.

[English]

(radio chatter)

(helicopter hovering)

(sirens wailing)

(woman sobs)

- [Tupac] Hit 'em with a little ghetto gospel

- [Elton John] Those who wish to follow me

- [Tupac] My ghetto gospel

- [Elton] 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 sounds of guns

- [Tupac] If I could recollect before my hood days

I sit and reminisce

Thinking of bliss and the good 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

'Cause any day they'll push the button

And all come in like Malcolm X

or Bobby Hutton died for nothing

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 and 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

- [Elton] Those who wish to follow me

- [Tupac] My ghetto gospel

- [Elton] 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

- [Tupac] Tell me do you see that old lady

Ain't it sad

Living out of bags

Plus she's glad for the little things she has

And over there, there's a lady

Crack got her crazy

Guess who's giving birth to a baby

I don't trip or let it fade me

From out 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

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 chose to puff a

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

- [Elton] Those who wish to follow me

- [Tupac] My ghetto gospel

- [Elton] 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

- [Tupac] Lord can you hear me speak

To pay the price of being hell bound

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
recollect /ˌriː.kəˈlekt/ B2	verb - to remember something from the past
reminiscent /ˌrem.ɪˈnɪs.ənt/ C1	adjective - characterized by remembering past events
bliss /blɪs/ B1	noun - extreme happiness
ashamed /əˈʃeɪmd/ A2	adjective - feeling guilt or embarrassment
cursed /kɜːrst/ B1	adjective - bringing or deserving of a curse
teary /ˈtɪə.ri/ B1	adjective - filled with tears
dreary /ˈdrɪə.ri/ B2	adjective - dull, bleak, and uninteresting
slavery /ˈsleɪ.və.ri/ A2	noun - the state of being a slave
discouraged /dɪsˈkɜːr.ɪdʒd/ B1	adjective - having lost confidence or enthusiasm
courage /ˈkɜː.rɪdʒ/ A2	noun - the ability to do something despite fear
role model /roʊl ˈmoʊdəl/ B1	noun - a person looked up to as an example
rhyme /raɪm/ A2	noun - correspondence of sound between words verb - to compose or treat in rhyme
holy /ˈhoʊ.li/ A2	adjective - associated with divine power
peace /piːs/ A1	noun - freedom from disturbance
gospel /ˈɡɑː.spəl/ B1	noun - the teachings of Jesus Christ
warrior /ˈwɔːr.i.ər/ A2	noun - a person who fights in battles

Key Grammar Structures

• If I could recollect before my hood days

  ➔ Conditional Clause (Type 3)

  ➔ This uses the structure "If + past perfect, would/could/might have + past participle" to discuss a hypothetical past situation.

• Thinking of bliss and the good days

  ➔ Gerund

  ➔ The gerund "Thinking" acts as a noun, showing the action of thinking.

• They tested with stress that they under

  ➔ Reduced Relative Clause

  ➔ The relative pronoun and auxiliary verb have been omitted, and "under" acts as an adjective. The full clause would be "that they are under".

• And for me, it's reversed.

  ➔ Passive Voice

  ➔ "It's reversed" is in the passive voice, indicating that something has been changed or turned around.

• We left 'em a world that's cursed

  ➔ Relative Clause

  ➔ "that's cursed" is a relative clause, modifying "world".

• Don't it make you get teary

  ➔ Inversion (of Subject and Auxiliary Verb)

  ➔ The auxiliary verb "don't" comes before the subject "it" to emphasize the question or statement. It's common in informal speech.

• I refuse to be a role model

  ➔ Infinitive of Purpose

  ➔ "to be" functions as an infinitive indicating purpose (to be a role model).

• If I upset you, don't stress, never forget

  ➔ Imperative Sentences

  ➔ The sentences "don't stress" and "never forget" are imperative sentences, giving a direct command or instruction.

• Before we find world peace

  ➔ Subordinate Clause of Time

  ➔ "Before we find world peace" functions as a subordinate clause of time, indicating when something else will happen.