The Rose That Grew From Concrete A Look into the Poetry of Tupac Shakur Brief Bio Tupac’s poetry Review Poetic devices You’re listening to “Keep Ya Head

The Rose That Grew From ConcreteA Look into the Poetry of

Tupac Shakur

Brief Bio Tupac’s poetry

Review Poetic

devicesYou’re listening to “Keep Ya Head Up” (4:22)

Tupac Shakur

Tupac is well known for his Thug Life image, he had those very same words tattooed across his belly. But most people never knew that Tupac renounced his Thug Life, thought it was stupid, and a thing of the past. Tupac Shakur was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1971. Early in his life, he moved to Baltimore, MD, with his mother and sister. Although poor and at-risk he attended The Baltimore School for the Performing Arts. At this school, Tupac left a lasting impression on his teachers and was showing tremendous potential. Unfortunately, Tupac was unable to continue his education.

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Tupac, mostly known for his rap music,

was an avid poet. He wrote all the time;

most of his writings became rap lyrics but

many became poems. Some of those

poems where collected and published in

an anthology called,

The Rose That Grew From Concrete.

You will read some of those poems and

identify within those poems poetic

devices. Some poems will have more than

one, some poems will have none. Your job

is to decide if the statement given is true

or false.

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Tupac bio cont… Tupac as a rap star had accomplished so much in the short time he was making music. His surprising acting ability also got him a role in the motion picture, Juice in 1992. The role made Tupac a household name and showed the world that music may not be Tupac's #1 attribute. Tupac eventually released a second album "Strictly for my N*****" which featured songs like "I Get Around " and "Keep Ya Head Up". This album increased the popularity of the already talented rapper, it had even bigger success than his first album. The next year in 1993 he starred along side Janet Jackson in the motion picture, Poetic Justice. He also was featured in the film Above the Rim. In 1995 he released "Me Against the World", which sold millions and was on the #1 spot on Billboard’s chart for five weeks in a row. His latest CD, released in 1996" All Eyez on Me," was the first solo rap artist double CD pack in history, and came out on top its first week spending four weeks at #1 and sported the number #1 “How do you want it?” single. While on his way from a boxing event in Las Vegas, Tupac Shakur was showered by bullets of unknown gunmen on September 13, 1996. He died a few days later. His murder was never solved.

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The following terms are some of the poetic devices you will be identifying. If you feel the need to review some of those poetic devices, please click on them.

Return Home Start reading Tupac’s Poetry

similemetaphor

personification

onomatopoeia

symbolism alliteration

rhyme

theme

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SIMILE

A comparison between two objects using a specific word or comparison such as “like,” “as, “ or “than”

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METAPHORConnects two ideas or objects and asserts that they are same

Read Tupac’s poem and click a metaphor.


PERSONIFICATIONan object or idea is represented as a person

human action


ONOMOATOPOEIA

•used to amplify and intensify the readers’ sensory •a very popular technique used in comic books•a word that imitates or suggests the source of the sound that it describes


SYMBOLISMsomething that represents a larger idea or value


ALLITERATION•the repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of words.•Tongue Twisters rely on alliteration


RHYMErefers to the repetition of the end sounds of words


THEMEthe overall (sometimes underlying) message in the poem; what the poem is about


The Rose that Grew from Concrete

Read the poem to the right. Decide if the

following statement is True or false:

Tupac uses symbolism in this poem.

Did you hear about the rose that grewfrom a crack in the concrete?Proving nature's law is wrong itlearned to walk with out having feet.Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams,it learned to breathe fresh air.Long live the rose that grew from concretewhen no one else ever cared.

TRUE

FALSE

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That is true!

The Rose is a symbol of a person, perhaps Tupac himself, who overcame

many obstacles.NEXT POEM

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WRONG!

The Rose is a symbol of a person, perhaps Tupac himself, who overcame

many obstacles.

NEXT POEMReturn Home

End

If There Be Pain

If there be pain, all u need 2 do is call on me 2 be with you And before u hang up the phone u will no longer be alone Together we can never fall because our love will conquer all

If there be pain, reach out 4 a helping hand and I shall hold u wherever I am Every breath I breathe will be into u 4 without u here my joy is through my life was lived through falling rain so call on me if there be pain

Tupac uses plenty of rhyme in this poem.

TRUE

FALSE


YOU’RE RIGHT!

Remember, Tupac was also a rapper. Most of his poems rhyme.

NEXT POEM

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WRONG!

Remember, Tupac was also a rapper. Most of his poems

rhyme

NEXT POEM

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Sometimes I Cry

The theme in this poem could probably be sadness and loneliness.

Sometimes when I'm alone I Cry, Cause I am on my own. The tears I cry are bitter and warm. They flow with life but take no form I Cry because my heart is torn. I find it difficult to carry on. If I had an ear to confide in, I would cry among my treasured friend, but who do you know that stops that long, to help another carry on. The world moves fast and it would rather pass by. Then to stop and see what makes one cry, so painful and sad. And sometimes... I Cry and no one cares about why.

TRUE

FALSE


TRUE

Sadly enough, this poem is about loneliness. Tupac never married and there is no record of a special someone other than his mother. So its safe to assume that Tupac was lonely and this poem reflects that.

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NOPE!

Sadly enough, this poem is about loneliness. Tupac never married and there is no record of a special someone other than his mother. So its safe to assume that Tupac was lonely and this poem reflects that. So that was true.

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GodWhen I was alone and had nothing I asked 4 a friend 2 help me bear the pain no on e came except...GOD

when I needed a breath 2 rise from my sleep no one could help me except....GOD

when all I saw was sadness and I needed answers no one heard me except ....GOD

so when I am asked who I give my unconditional love 2 look for no other name except.....GOD!

Tupac uses alliteration in this poem.

TRUE

FALSE


NOPE!

That is not true!However there is a lot of repetition.

NEXT POEM

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YOU’RE RIGHT!

That is false. There are no lines, but one, where more than two words begin with the same sound. But there is also a lot of repetition.

NEXT POEM

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A River That Flows Forever

Now this poem has alliteration.

As long as some suffer

The River Flows Forever

As long as there is pain


As strong as a smile can be


And as long as u R with me

we'll ride the River Together

TRUE

FALSE


Yup!

There is tons of alliteration in this poem;…flows forever….…as…as…strong…smile…and…as…as…

One last poem

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Nope!

It was true. There is tons of alliteration in this poem;…flows forever….…as…as…strong…smile…and…as…as…

One last poem

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Written in his own writing

Need Extra Credit?

Click here.Also check out

some Tupac videos

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THE ROSE THAT GREW FROM CONCRETE

To read more poetry from Tupac Shakur you can purchase this book

at most book stores. You will be surprised to

discover the deep intelligence and the many facets of this

controversial musician, actor, poet, and

philosopher.

START

OVER

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Need Extra

Credit?Click here.Also

check out some Tupac videos.

VideosGet to know Tupac a little better through this ten minute interview.

Tupac interview about growing upMusic video "Dear Mama“ Music video "Changes“ Music video "I Ain't Mad At Ya”Tupac did a concert in 2012. Don’t believe me?

check it out!Extra Credit!

Listen closely to the lyrics in one of the music videos, and on a seperate sheet of paper, list all the poetic devices you hear Tupac use.

or

Watch the other videos and write a one page report summarizing what you saw.

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http://www.screencast.com/t/BYqww2f9k5d

http://www.screencast.com/t/BYqww2f9k5d

http://www.screencast.com/t/1HO4wqZdA

http://www.screencast.com/t/rfQzeQvoOHp

http://www.screencast.com/t/NXsOARxsFg

http://www.screencast.com/t/Y9KMqO5Dc

Documents

The Rose That Grew From Concrete A Look into the Poetry of Tupac Shakur Brief Bio Tupac’s poetry Review Poetic devices You’re listening to “Keep Ya Head