Keep Ya Head Up

Infobox Single
Name = Keep Ya Head Up


Cover size =
Caption =
Artist = Tupac Shakur featuring Dave Hollister
Album = Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.
A-side =
B-side = I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto
Released = October 28, 1993
Format = 12" single
Recorded = 1992
Genre = Hip hop
Length = 4:22
Label = Interscope
Writer = Tupac Shakur
Producer = DJ Daryl
Certification =
Last single = "I Get Around"
(1993)
This single = "Keep Ya Head Up"
(1993)
Next single = "Papa'z Song"
(1993)
Misc ="Keep Ya Head Up" is a song by Tupac Shakur. It addresses issues concerning lack of respect toward the female gender, especially poor black women. It has a very positive message and is often used as an example of Shakur's softer side. Many consider it to be one of the deepest rap songs ever made and is often referenced by other artists in their work, building Shakur's persona as a very conscious and influential rapper, voted #11 in About.com's Top 100 Rap Songs, with "Dear Mama" voted #4. [ [http://rap.about.com/od/top10songs/ss/Top100RapSongs_9.htm Top 100 Rap Songs] ]

It was first released in Shakur's 1993 album "Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.", later appearing after his death in 1998 in his "Greatest Hits" compilation. The beat is sampled from Zapp & Roger's "Be Alright" and the chorus is sampled from The Five Stairsteps' "O-o-h Child". The song peaked at #2 on the U.S. Rap chart, #7 on the Hip Hop/R&B chart and #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The same beat was used the year before on southern rapper Big Mello's album "Bone Hard Zaggin".

The song was also covered by Lyfe Jennings and released on his 2006 album, "The Phoenix".

The song is also used in the soundtrack of the movie Freedom Writers.

Video

The video opens up with the words "Dedicated to the memory of Latasha Harlins, it's still on", in reference to the L.A. Riots. The video has a basic format with Shakur rapping in the middle of a circle surrounded by a crowd of people and in some scenes seen holding a young child. At times the video shows scenes of what Shakur is rapping about. The music video also features Jada Pinkett Smith.

References