Tupac Amaru Shakur (/ˈtuːpɑːk ʃəˈkʊər/ TOO-pahk shə-KOOR; June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. As of 2007, Shakur has sold over 75 million records worldwide. His double disc albums All Eyez on Me and his Greatest Hits are among the best selling albums in the United States. He has been listed and ranked as one of the greatest artists of all time by many magazines, including Rolling Stone which ranked him 86th on its list of The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. He is consistently ranked as one of the greatest rappers ever, as well as one of the most influential rappers of all time.
Shakur began his career as a roadie, backup dancer and MC for the alternative hip hop group Digital Underground, eventually branching off as a solo artist. The themes of most of Shakur's songs revolved around the violence and hardship in inner cities, racism and other social problems. Both of his parents and several other people in his family were members of the Black Panther Party, whose ideals were reflected in his songs.
The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (commonly shortened to The 7 Day Theory or Don Killuminati and sometimes called Makaveli) is the fifth studio album by Tupac Shakur. Released under his new stage name Makaveli, it was his first studio album to be posthumously released. The album was completely finished in a total of seven days during the first week of August 1996. The lyrics were written and recorded in only three days and mixing took an additional four days. These are the last songs Shakur recorded before his fatal shooting on September 7, 1996. The album was originally due for release in March 1997, but due to his death, Suge Knight released it four months earlier.
George "Papa G" Pryce, Former Head of Publicity for Death Row, claimed that "Makaveli which we did was a sort of tongue-in-cheek, and it was not ready to come out, [but] after Tupac was murdered, it did come out... Before that, it was going to be a sort of an underground."
Though Shakur had been using the new name Makaveli or Makaveli Tha Don as far back as All Eyez On Me, the Makaveli album was conceived as a sort of introduction for Shakur's alternate stage name. Thus, the album’s sleeve contains the text, "Exit 2Pac, Enter Makaveli". The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory was recorded and mixed in 7 days in August 1996.
In the life we live as thugs,
Everbody fuckin wit us so can't you see
It's hard to be a man.
Ridin wit my gun in hand.
Why explain the game? Niggas ain't listenin.
Stuck in positions. If victims can't stand the heat,
Then stay the fuck out the kitchen.
Have these bustas switchin, lookin at me mean.
Itchin, givin suckas plenty space.
Have these bitch niggas snitchin.
Where are we now? Guns found daily.
The feds surely hope that they could finally nail me for sellin dope.
They backwards, make tracks burst whenever I rap.
Attack. Words bein known to explode on contact.
Extreme at times. Blinded by my passion and fury.
Look at me laugh at my competition's flashin my jewelry.
You'd stay silent if you niggas knew me. Truely effective.
The shit you heard ain't do me justice. Got a death wish, bitch.
Run up, face me and trace wit an infared beam.
It seems niggas ain't recognize my team.
Ain't nobody holdin you back. Explode the track to confetti.
Unload it. Cuz niggas ain't ready. The life of an outlaw.
[Chorus repeats]
Code 3. Attack formation. Pull out your pistols.
Keep an eye out for the devils cuz they itchin to get you.
Mercy to this madman screamin kamikaze in tongue.
Automatic gunfire makin all my enemies run.
Who should I call when I'm shot and bleedin.
Indeed the possibility has part a chase in cream.
Dope got me hatin fiends. Scheam wit my team, just a chosen few.
My foes victim of explosives. Come closer. Exhale the fumes.
We got memories fadin fast. A slave for cash.
Accelerate, mash, blast, then dash.
Don't look now. How you like it, raw.
Niggas ain't ready for the wrath of the outlaws. Never surrender.
Death is for a son to stay free. I'm thugged out.
Fuck the world cuz this is how they made me.
Scarred but still breathin.
Believe in me and you could see the victory.
A warrior with jewels. Can you picture me?
Life of and outlaw.
[Chorus repeats]
City under siege. It's like I can't even breathe.
I'm from the state of car theives. G, deep from the street.
Plenty beef. I play for keeps, arrange the whole crime scene.
Mobb Deep. This nigga from behind tryin to creep.
No halfs wit no straps, jack.
It's on to bounce back.
And an ounce so fat, they snatch my style ?
Get this grip wit hollows to get cha.
Snip wit clippers. Get the picture?
I wrote my life down like a scripture.
And I'm still on lost in the land of the lonely.
Where ain't nobody holy. A matter of a fact, we unholy.
Everybody livin soley for themselves. Too hostile on a land hell.
Somebody need me. You know we lost hope and we needin it.
Wit the evil it's forever. But it might be low down, scandalouz
Like a tramp is. All for the street fame on how to be managed.
To plan shit. 6 months in advaced to what we plotted.
Approved to go on swole and now I got it.
Un uh, crack my window. Knowin they'd love to catch Kastro sleepin.
Attach a strap under my pillow and a hand like we freakin.
Creepin deep into morning. Peepin out the weak.
While they yawnin and let my cloud speak for it's self.
No doubt. Outlaw. Outta my mind, outta time. You're all blind.
Some kind of life of mine Kato don't mind.
Findin it funny, matter of fact, cuz it is.
Perhaps finally I look at that true over the years as an outlaw.
Eh, Noble.
What's up nigga.
Would you die for me, nigga?
Hell yeah.
Would you kill for me?
On my grandmother, nigga.
Ah yo.
What's up.
Let's ride on them stupid bitches right now.
Watch out.
Well now they all say they roaches and parasites.
Snakes and all they might
Thug Life break night.
Drink till we fist fight.
Life or death. But you can't win with a vest.
But there won't be no breathing for the reason
Punk bitch on your breath.
I see day is dark and I admit it's dark.
So chase ?
Beware foolin marks.
And yo, Makaveli, give me them bullets that was left for PO's belly.
And let me bust back to them niggas till they all sweaty.