There has been a long tradition of poetry written to help people see their own worth and potential. It has the power to bring us together, to inspire us to be better than we were, and it can show us that, despite all the odds and adversity, we can be great. We (humans) lost an amazing soul way too soon.On January 20th, at the presidential inauguration, we all saw the true power of poetry. I’ll share some of my favorites below, but definitely check out the songs that never made it to the radio. If you’ve never listened to Tupac, please check him out. “In The Event Of My Demise” was heartbreaking. “Where There Is A Will”, “The Promise”, and “And Tomorrow”.

While I loved everything, there were a few that really stood out to me. The Rose Beneath the Concrete was full of handwritten and typed poems that Tupac wrote when he was younger. The talent in this man was endless and I would have loved to see how he would speak out and lead right now. It makes me sad that so much of what he spoke about hasn’t changed. To see outside of my little town.įast forward to 2019 and I still find myself moved by Tupac’s lyrics. But he made me want to pay attention to what was going on around me. I cannot pretend to know or understand the life of a black man. There was something so powerful in his lyrics. I started listening with him and liked most of it.

I listened to a lot of music, but my high school boyfriend (one of the handful of Hispanic students) listened to a ton of rap.

I was brought up to think all police were good. I had no idea what type of problems happened in big cities and with minorities. I lived in small town Illinois that was almost all white. I was in high school in the 90’s (class of 95). Written in his own hand from the time he was nineteen, these seventy-two poems embrace his spirit, his energy - and his ultimate message of hope. His legacy is indomitable - as vibrant and alive today as it has ever been.įor the first time in paperback, this collection of deeply personal poetry is a mirror into the legendary artist’s enigmatic world and its many contradictions. His death was tragic - a violent homage to the power of his voice. His talent was unbounded - a raw force that commanded attention and respect. Tupac Shakur’s most intimate and honest thoughts were uncovered only after his death with the instant classic The Rose That Grew from Concrete. The Rose That Grew From Concrete by Tupac Shakur

The rose that grew from concrete