Bomb First (My Second Reply)

Welcome to Tupacology! This blog is dedicated to analysing Tupac's lyrics, this site is for Tupac fans who perhaps want to look deeper into the poetry in his music. If you believe that Tupac was an average MC like P. Diddy, Nas, etc. I hope these blog entries change your mind.

I'll start by looking at perhaps Tupac's most original album, and one of his most lyrically intense: Makaveli: The Don Killuminati: 7 Day Theory. The first track is called Bomb First (My Second Reply).

To start off there have been controversial suggestions that a voice in the background says 'Suge Shot Me.' This of course refers to Suge Knight, the Executive Producer of Tupac's record label, Death Row Records.

I'm not saying either way, in fact I'd like to hear what you think happened, but Snoop Dogg certainly seems to thing that Suge was responsible. But lets not forget, Suge was in the car at the time Tupac was shot, sitting right next to him, and was grazed in the head with a bullet.

An assassination attempt by any reasonably intelligent mobster would not include the initiator to be sitting right next to the victim, however I'm open to all suggestions.

Nevertheless, a voice certainly does seem to say this at the beginning of the song. I will skip any of the Outlawz verses as these are hardly ever relative to the insight of what Tupac was trying to say. Tupac starts off his verse by saying:

Allow me to introduce first
Makaveli the Don
Spittin' spiritual Lyrics like the Holy Koran

First let me explain for all those who don't know. Tupac took the name Makaveli, from the Italian political philosopher who wrote The Prince, which principally teaches to rule with fear instead of love. The Don is obviously the leader of an Italian mafia hierarchy. Tupac then says:

Niggas get shook like 5-0
My .45 lurks next to me when we ride
For survival

The 5-0 is the police and 'shaking' would refer to losing them and a .45 is a pistol.

Money making plans, pistol close in hands
Swollen pockets
Let me introduce the topic then we drop it
Expose snakes cause they breathe freely
See me rise
Located world wide like the art of graffiti

Here I believe Tupac is introducing the topic of 'snakes.' He cleverly only says one line about the degradation of his enemies and continues to glorify his own ambitions.

I think I'm tougher than any
My attitude shitty born in the dope fiends titty

Tupac refers here to his mother, Afeni Shakur, being a crack fiend when Tupac was young. This is an example of a deep contradiction particularly within this album which Tupac consistently portrays. Such a cold referral to his mother and his experience as a youth would indicate an unemotional leader certainly using the Machiavellian technique of fear to capture the audience. However, as we see in later songs, such as White Man's World, his lyrics suggest such a sentimental and kind aspect, with respect to women in particular.

And every city you'll find me looking for trouble
Right behind me my outlaw niggas down to die for me
(Nawhat I mean)
I hit the scene
Niggas ducking for my guillotine stare I'm right there
My every word
A fucking night mare
Getting high let me see the sun rise and fall
This is for my dogs down to die for y'all

These are purely confrontational lyrics which demonstrate an intimidating disposition. Quite common in many of Tupac's albums is a tendency to introduce with a very wicked demeanor almost as if demonstrate the pain upon which he has suffered as a youth. Obviously, there are contradictions to this, particularly with the albums that were released posthumously (more in number than when he was alive) and consequently had no influence on the organisation of the album.

Extreme Venom
No mercy when we all up in em cut em down
To hell is where we send em
My whole team
Trained to explode ride or die
Murder muthafuckas lyrically and I'm not gon' cry
Me
A born leader
Never leave the block without my heater
Two big pitts, I call them Mobb bitch nigga eaters

Another theme of showing 'no mercy' is prominent in this song, with him specifically saying 'No mercy when we all up in em' and also when he says 'Murder muthafuckas lyrically and I'm not gon' cry.' It's interesting that Tupac chose to say 'lyrically' because one would expect him to be far more callous in his approach and perhaps not worry about being too harsh, but here it shows that his cruelty is not particularly genuine. His line about 'Mobb bitch nigga eaters' is about his hatred for the rapper Mobb Deep.

And I won't whimper till I'm gone
Thug life running through my veins so I'm strong
Ha ha ha
Bye Bye bye lets get high and ride
Oh, how do we do these niggas but I'm not gonna cry

Again, an example of 'no mercy,' when he says 'but I'm not gonna cry.'

I'm a Bad Boy killa (killa)
Jay-Z die too
Looking out for Mobb Deep
Nigga when I find you
Weak muthafuckas don't deserve to breathe
How many niggas down to die for me
Yeah eh yayuh
West coast ridah comin right behind ya
Shoulda never fucked with me
I want money hoes sex and weed
I won't rest till my row dogs free

His 'Row dogs' are his Death Row fellow rappers, in some cases friends and other cases not. Skipping all the Outlawz verses.

Shoot first, look at they head burst bleeding
Didn't want no shit this evening
Believe me

This part would indicate again, that perhaps he does not 'go out looking for trouble' as the introduction would suggest, but the wrongs of his enemies force him to do so. In a reversal of suggestion, hes saying here that his intimidation and want for confrontation is due to the faults of his enemies and not due to his cruel disposition.

We, bomb first when we ride, please
Reconsider for' you die
G's, and thug niggas on the rise
Plan plot strategise
To bomb first
We, bomb first when we ride, please
Reconsider for' you die
G's, and thug niggas on the rise
Plan plot strategise
To bomb first

Perhaps ironically, Tupac is telling his enemies to reconsider their wrongdoings before he 'bombs first.' And then the last line which is truly revealing Tupac says, after a gunshot:

Lets pray my niggas
For we definitely have sinned

This is another example of the contradiction always seemingly obvious with almost aspect of Tupac. The whole point of the song really is to intimidate his enemies and 'rule with fear' which he does extremely successfully and then he ends up saying 'we definitely have sinned.'