Smile For Me Now
2Pac · Other Songs - 2Pac
That's gonna make it hard to smile in the future
(No noubt)
But whatever you see, through all the rain and pain
You gotta keep a sense of humor
Gotta be able to smile through all this bullshit
Remember that just keep ya head up
Our lifesytle's be close caption, addicted to fatal attraction
Pictures and actions be played back in the mist of mashin'
No fairytales for this young black male
Some see me stranded in this land of Hell. lail and crack cells
[Unverified] culture or the repercussion
While bustin' on back-stabbing vultures
Sellin' my soul for material wishes, fast cars and bitches
Wishin' I live my life a legend, immortalized in pictures
Why shed tears? Save your sympathy
My childhood years was spend burying my peers
In the cemetery, here's a message to the newborns
Waiting to breath, if you believe you can achieve, just look at me
Against all odds, though life is hard, we carry on
Living in the projects, broke, with no lights on
To all the G's that follow me, protect your essence
Born with less but you're still precious, just smile for me now
Oh, won't you smile for me?
(Just smile for me now)
Oh, won't you smile for me?
(Nigga you black, smile for me now)
Oh, won't you smile for me?
(You ain't got nothin' to worry about)
(Smile for me now)
Oh, won't you smile for me?
(And the next generation)
Now as I open up my story with the blaze of your blunt
So you can picture thoughts slowly upon phrases I run
And I can walk you through the dayz that it done
I often wish that I can save everyone
But I'm a dreamer, have you ever seen a nigga
Who was strong in the game?
Over-looking his tomorrows and they finally came
Look back on childhood memories and I'm still feelin' the pain
Turnin' circles in my 9th grade dealin' cocaine
Too many hassels in my local lights, survivin' the strain
And a man without a focused life could drive him insane
Stuck inside a getto fantasy, hopin' it'd change
But we're not focused on reality, we broken in Jane
Had a dream of livin' wealthy, makin' it big
Over football [unverified] what take it, he did
And after all my mama's thankin' God
For blessing her child
All my mama gotz to do now is collect and then smile
(Smile)
Oh, won't you smile for me?
(Smile for me now)
Fuck tha world as we unload, we witness furious speeds
Un-answered questions keep us all stressin' curious G's
Back stabbed and bleeding, crooked thoughs, laced with weed
Learnin', duckin' stray shots, bullets be hot
They burnin', inhale the shroom smoke, visualize the flames
Will I be smothered by my own pain?
Strange wisdoms cowards conversate'
So quick to dis' us, takin' pictures for the Feds
In desperate hopes they get us, hit us all, give us plenty centuries
Forgive my stance, sinse I entered many penitentiaries
The best revenge is fuck friends we milatary minded soljahs
Bustin' shots blindly, trying to find Jehovah
To help me, somebody save me, lost and crazy
Scared to drop a seed, hopin' I ain't cursed babies
Maybe now, niggaz feel me now picture my pain
Embrace my words, make the world change
And still I smile nigga
Oh, won't you smile for me?
(Smile for me now)
Oh, won't you smile for me?
(Smile for me now)
Smile For Me Now
Tupac Shakur's "Smile For Me Now" stands as a poignant testament to his ability to blend street-level realism with melodic vulnerability. Recorded during the height of his career, the track exemplifies the West Coast hip-hop sound of the mid-to-late 1990s, characterized by its laid-back flow and introspective lyrics. The song explores themes of resilience and the desire for peace amidst a life defined by struggle, a recurring motif in 2Pac's discography. Its enduring appeal lies in its raw emotional honesty, capturing the artist's transition from the gritty narratives of his earlier work to a more reflective tone. As a staple of his catalog, the recording remains a powerful example of how hip-hop served as a vehicle for personal storytelling and social commentary during that era.