Content & Theme in Tupac's "My Block"

Through his lyrics on "My Block", Tupac Shakur relays a message of struggle, speaking out about the difficulties that face African-Americans in making it out of their first-world slums. Tupac speaks of how he has watched and continues to watch those with bad backgrounds become unable to achieve what they are capable of. For example, in his lines "Black male slipping in hail when will we prevail // Fearing jail but crack sales got me living well" he demonstrates the necessity of the dangerous drug trade. He uses this line to demonstrate exactly the desperation that inhabits those surrounding him. By saying "Black male slipping in hail when will we prevail" he demonstrates how quickly a man will turn to crime. He illustrates exactly how hopelessness can devour and how it can make extreme decisions look like the safest and most logical ones. Tupac becomes, through his lyrics, the voice of the speechless and by using his popularity he can exhibit the difficulty of the fight that many face.