Tupac "Hail Mary" Pre-Class Essay

Tupac Shakur is one of the most well-known

rappers in the world, and arguably the most influential
on the West Coast, sharing that title only with N.W.A.
Tupac became famous by rapping about social
problems like racism and conflict within inner cities.
He was born into a family of Black Panthers, and their
mentality of solving American racism through violence
was prevalent through his music. "Hail Mary" was
released just under five months after Tupac's death,
and it was the final song on his fifth and final studio
album: The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory. "Hail
Mary" was technically a song by Tupac's alter ego,
Makaveli, but it features the contradictions that Tupac
has come to symbolize in rap culture: on one hand,
Tupac raps about Black Panther-style violence and
how people are only violent because they are forced
into crime, but on the other hand, he raps about
religion and trying to connect with god.
Tupac begins "Hail Mary" by explaining his views
on violence and revenge, following the ideals of the
Black Panther Party. Makaveli (Tupac) begins the
song by rapping that he "blows like a 12-gauge"
comparing the intensity of his rapping to shooting a
bullet "all through your body," and setting up the
comparison between himself and violence. He then
proceeds to rap: "I ain't a killer, but don't push me"
creating a contradiction between Tupac not being "a
killer" yet being willing to kill if he is "push[ed]" to do

so. Most of Tupac's family had a criminal history, and

as Black Panthers they shared this mentality of being
willing to do whatever they were "push[ed]" to do in
order to gain racial equality. Tupac follows this line (a
line that has been sampled multiple times, including
by Lil Wayne in "Right Above It," and has become a
slogan for rappers who commit crimes because they
feel they are being pressured to) by rapping:
"Revenge is like the sweetest joy next to getting
pussy." The music video shows Makaveli coming back
from the dead and killing the gang who set up his best
friend as the one who murdered Makaveli. This killing
is described as "revenge" in the music video, and it
shows an example of a situation where Tupac would
be willing to be "a killer." Tupac believes a gangsta
lifestyle that includes criminal acts is necessary in the
"killing fields" of Marin, California that he lived in,
because that was the only way to survive. He also
adds: "Selling drugs, we all wrapped up in living life as
thugs" because it is impossible for him or anyone else
to escape life as a "thug." The dichotomy between
Tupac considering "revenge...the sweetest joy" yet
not considering himself "a killer" is representative of
life in crime-riddled, "killing fields" neighborhoods,
where young people turn to crime because they are
"push[ed]" there by the actions of the people around
them.
Throughout the song, Tupac repeatedly makes
biblical references in order to strengthen his
connection with god and maintain an aspect of
morality even with his violent revenge. Right after

Tupac mentions the "12-gauge" he moves on to rap:

"And God said he should send one begotten son / To
lead the wild into the says of the man / Follow me!"
The "one begotten son" is Jesus Christ (based on
John 3:16), and the "Follow me" refers to when Christ
spoke this line to Peter and Andrew in Matthew 4:19.
These biblical references serve to show firstly his
devotion to god and the Bible, and secondly that he
needs god to send Jesus into his life, to guide the
"wild" that is the gangsta culture into "the man" which
is religion and peacefulness. Tupac also compares
himself to Jesus in these lines as after rapping that
god was supposed to send Jesus, he says to "follow"
himself; also, he then raps: "Eat my flesh, flesh of my
flesh" referring to John 6:54 and Genesis 2:23,
thereby comparing himself to Jesus once again, as
"eat[ing his] flesh" should make the person immortal.
In his next verse, Tupac shows a different take on his
religion, as he raps: "Bow down, pray to God, hoping
that he's listening" showing Tupac's deference to
religion. He then raps: "bless me please Father" and
"Hail Mary, catch me if I go" showing more deference
to religion and Christianity. Also, "catch me if I go" is a
striking prediction of his death that occurred soon
after recording this song, as he really did need the
Virgin Mary to save his soul after his death.
Overall, "Hail Mary" is a song about
contradictions. Tupac raps about violence and its
necessity, but he also raps about religion and its
necessity. Tupac realizes it is nearly impossible to
escape life as a "thug" so he accepts that although he

"ain't a killer," he will do whatever necessary if he is

"push[ed]." However, Tupac justifies this revengebased mentality--a mentality stylized after the Black
Panther party--by showing his connection to god and
deference to religion. Tupac uses "Hail Mary" to show
that he, and anybody surrounded by crime, can take
this contradiction and make it their own; Tupac
believes anyone can be devoutly religious, yet also
devoutly loyal to revenge when necessary.