However, such a reference would need a colon (“:”) between chapter and verse number (such as “18:31”) and, more importantly, Exodus chapter 18 only has 27 verses, so verse Exodus 18:31 is non-existent. Often mistaken as a reference to the Bible’s second book of the Old Testament, Exodus, with 18 being the chapter number and 31 being the verse number. And the title of the thirteenth track on his third studio album, Me Against the World (1995).Ī gothic cross in which “Exodus 1831” is written. A Boss Playa is a thinker, a leader, a builder, a moneymaker, a souljah, a teacher and most of all a Man!.Ī clear message to everybody. A regular playa plays women, a Boss Playa plays life. never survive the next level of Thug Life. In a 1995 letter titled “Is Thug Life dead?” to Nina Bhadreshwar (publicist for Deathrow Records) he elaborated: begins with a dust kicker, a thug nigga then finally a boss playa. For Tupac, “boss playa” is the next level a “thug nigga” should try to reach. Some believe it belongs together with the “Notorious”-tattoo to form “Notorious Outlaw”, however, the type of writing is significantly different to form a unity.īack Front view of Tupac’s tattoos ( Chi Modu)Ī three-point crown with the text “Boss Playaz”. Furthermore, Tupac had formed a rap group called “The Outlawz” in 1995. It is said to be an acronym for “Operating Under Thug Lawz as Warriorz”. He also has a song titled ‘ Only God Can Judge Me’ ( All Eyez On Me, 1996) featuring Rappin’ 4-Tay.Īn outlaw is a person who has broken the law and who lives separately from society because they want to escape legal punishment. Tupac strongly believed nobody was to judge on him, but God. Next to it, it reads “Only God Can Judge Me”. Mutulu Shakur, he wrote a “ Code of Thug Life” a code of conduct for gangs.Ī black panther: symbol of courage, valour and power and an obvious reference to the Black Panther movement, in which his mother Afeni played an important role, together with many other members of his family.Ī Jesus-like figure depicted with a crown of thorns in front of a burning cross. “Thug Life” was an integral part of Tupac’s life and persona: it is an acronym for “The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everybody”, in 1993 he formed a rap group called Thug Life, and together with his stepfather Dr. Without a doubt Tupac’s most famous tattoo: “Thug Life” written across his belly, with the “i” being substituted by a bullet. The concept of “50 NIGGAZ” quickly morphed into “Thug Life”, a more inclusive, better defined philosophy. “NIGGAZ” is also an acronym for Tupac, meaning “Never Ignorant Getting Goals Accomplished”. According to Michael Eric Dyson, author of Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur, this tattoo symbolizes black unity: bring together 1 black man from each of the 50 states in the United States and they would be stronger than any weapon even a Kalashnikov assault rifle. But the big difference in style and type of writing contradicts that somewhat.Īn AK-47 with “50 NIGGAZ” written on top of it. According to some, it goes together with the “Outlaw”-tattoo on his left forearm read “Notorious Outlaw”. The word “Notorious” written vertically over the whole right forearm. This skull with crossbones underneath the word “Heartless”, was at a later stage supplemented by the phrase “My only fear of death is coming back reincarnated”. Next to it is written “Be Ambitious with Love While Young”. It shows a skull with a bunch of cash and a scale balancing what seems to be a baby on one side and bars of gold on the other. Possibly one of his lesser known and lesser photographed big tattoos, but at the same time one of the most complex. His original stage name and his first tattoo, which he got in 1989. The “2.DIE.4” probably refers to his own song, ‘ Something 2 Die 4’ ( Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., 1993), in which he said: You know what my momma used to tell me / If ya can’t find something to live for / You best find something ta die for. This might also be a reference to Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur, a Black Queen as he often referred to her. She is a symbol for strong (black) women. Written underneath the portret of Nefertiti, an Egyptian queen and the Great Royal Wife of Akhenaten, an Egyptian Pharaoh. Tupac’s last studio album was posthumously released under the alias Makaveli. He was so impressed by the figure and his ideas, that he wanted to change his stage name from “2Pac” to “Makaveli”. It was here Tupac grew an interest into Niccolò Machiavelli. It is widely known that Tupac read a lot, especially while serving time in prison in 1995. Front Front view of Tupac’s tattoos ( Danny Clinch)
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