--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: were listening to Tupac right before…" description: "\"“were listening to Tupac right before . . . you know.” “A’ight, so what do you think it means?” “You don’t know?” I ask. “I know. I wanna hear what you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/angie-thomas-2699_black-panther_were-listening-to-tupac-right-before-you_2990190.jpg" --- # were listening to Tupac right before . . . you know.”… ![“were listening to Tupac right before . . . you know.” “A’ight, so what do you think it means?” “You don’t know?” I ask. “I know. I wanna hear what you think.” Here he goes. Picking my brain. “Khalil said it’s about what society feeds us as youth and how it comes back and bites them later,” I say…” quote by Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/angie-thomas-2699_black-panther_were-listening-to-tupac-right-before-you_2990190.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/angie-thomas-2699_black-panther_were-listening-to-tupac-right-before-you_2990190.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/angie-thomas-2699_black-panther_were-listening-to-tupac-right-before-you_2990190.jpg) > ““were listening to Tupac right before . . . you know.” “A’ight, so what do you think it means?” “You don’t know?” I ask. “I know. I wanna hear what you think.” Here he goes. Picking my brain. “Khalil said it’s about what society feeds us as youth and how it comes back and bites them later,” I say. “I think it’s about more than youth though. I think it’s about us, period.” “Us who?” he asks. “Black people, minorities, poor people. Everybody at the bottom in society.” “The oppressed,” says Daddy. “Yeah. We’re the ones who get the short end of the stick, but we’re the ones they fear the most. That’s why the government targeted the Black Panthers, right? Because they were scared of the Panthers?” “Uh-huh,” Daddy says. “The Panthers educated and empowered the people. That tactic of empowering the oppressed goes even further back than the Panthers though. Name one.” Is he serious? He always makes me think. This one takes me a second. “The slave rebellion of 1831,” I say. “Nat Turner empowered and educated other slaves, and it led to one of the biggest slave revolts in history.” “A’ight, a’ight. You on it.” He gives me dap. “So, what’s the hate they’re giving the ‘little infants’ in today’s society?” “Racism?” “You gotta get a li’l more detailed than that. Think ’bout Khalil and his whole situation. Before he died.” “He was a drug dealer.” It hurts to say that. “And possibly a gang member.” “Why was he a drug dealer? Why are so many people in our neighborhood drug dealers?” I remember what Khalil said—he got tired of choosing between lights and food. “They need money,” I say. “And they don’t have a lot of other ways to get it.” “Right. Lack of opportunities,” Daddy says. “Corporate America don’t bring jobs to our communities, and they damn sure ain’t quick to hire us. Then, shit, even if you do have a high school diploma, so many of the schools in our neighborhoods don’t prepare us well enough. That’s why when your momma talked about sending you and your brothers to Williamson, I agreed. Our schools don’t get the resources to equip you like Williamson does. It’s easier to find some crack than it is to find a good school around here.”” [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A dialogue about systemic oppression, how marginalized groups are targeted, and the cycle of poverty and limited opportunities. **In simple terms:** Oppressed communities face systemic barriers and fear from those in power. Key Takeaway Recognize and address root causes of inequality. Themes oppression race poverty education systemic injustice empowerment Mood reflective critical hopeful Type dialogue social commentary When to use this quote - urban neighborhoods - school systems - law enforcement - family discussions - activist movements Key Concepts social inequality structural racism economic disparity community resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can communities break the cycle of poverty? - What role does education play in empowerment? A Different Perspective Solutions require systemic change, not just individual effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black panther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-panther/) [Black Panthers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-panthers/) [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Corporate america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporate-america/) [Daddy Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daddy-says-236860/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Listening Tupac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening-tupac-3108617/) [Oppressed Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressed-says-4695299/) [Poor people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-people/) [Society Oppressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-oppressed-4351911/) [Tupac Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tupac-right-4695300/) ## Related quotes > [“To be sure, I had, and have, spent the better part of my post-college life growing up in the public eye, with my shameful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-powell/to-be-sure-i-had-and-have-spent-the-better-part-of-my-post-college/) [Kevin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-powell/) > [When you say 'revolution' when you have only men outside, you know that something is going wrong. I'm not like a hardcore feminist, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/when-you-say-revolution-when-you-have-only-men-outside-you-know-that/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [“Right. Lack of opportunities," Daddy says. "Corporate America don't bring jobs to our communities, and they damn sure ain't quick to hire us. Then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/right-lack-of-opportunities-daddy-says-corporate-america-don-t-bring/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [Ya can't tell me nothing especially when you, riding in the drop top listening to tupac, riding in the drop top listening to tupac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rock-city/ya-can-t-tell-me-nothing-especially-when-you-riding-in-the-drop-top/) [Rock City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rock-city/) > [I grew up listening to Tupac, Biggie and other hip hop artists in the 90s. To this day, their music is still some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-isabella/i-grew-up-listening-to-tupac-biggie-and-other-hip-hop-artists-in-the/) [Michael Isabella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-isabella/) > [Riding in the drop top listening to tupac, riding in the drop top listening to tupac, riding my mercedes listening to jayz, listening to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rock-city/riding-in-the-drop-top-listening-to-tupac-riding-in-the-drop-top/) [Rock City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rock-city/) > [My biggest influence is Tupac. He was a poet, and listening to Tupac is what inspired me to start rapping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanel-west-coast/my-biggest-influence-is-tupac-he-was-a-poet-and-listening-to-tupac-is/) [Chanel West Coast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanel-west-coast/) > [daddy says the world is a drum tight and hard and i told him i’m gonna beat out my own rhythm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-giovanni/daddy-says-the-world-is-a-drum-tight-and-hard-and-i-told-him-i-m/) [Nikki Giovanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-giovanni/) > [“Daddy says every person on earth is born iwth a device that lets them know right from wrong. Some call it their conscience, others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-teepell/daddy-says-every-person-on-earth-is-born-iwth-a-device-that-lets-them/) [Toni Teepell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-teepell/) > [“What’s flattery?” “Flattery,” Wendy told him, “is when your daddy says he likes my new yellow slacks even if he doesn’t or when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/what-s-flattery-flattery-wendy-told-him-is-when-your-daddy-says-he/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [What daddy says goes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-rose/what-daddy-says-goes/) [Amber Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-rose/) > [“No, you need to listen, she says. This ain’t Silverlake, an you ain’t the daddy. Out here in the real world, the person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-young/no-you-need-to-listen-she-says-this-ain-t-silverlake-an-you-ain-t-the/) [Moira Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-young/) > [The Devil isn’t made by what Mommy says, or what Daddy says. The Devil is there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/the-devil-isn-t-made-by-what-mommy-says-or-what-daddy-says-the-devil/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [“Mother says she can never stay mad at Daddy no matter how hard she tries. And Daddy says, ' Stay mad! You won't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/mother-says-she-can-never-stay-mad-at-daddy-no-matter-how-hard-she/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [“The nearest living human beings ever get to Heaven, Daddy says, the “angel age” between nine and thirteen, before their voices break and “all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-stansfield/the-nearest-living-human-beings-ever-get-to-heaven-daddy-says-the/) [David Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-stansfield/) ## More by Angie Thomas > [“The black officer checks Daddy while his partner glances around at all of the onlookers. There's quite a few of us now. Ms. Yvette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-black-officer-checks-daddy-while-his-partner-glances-around-at/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“For real?” I say what I’m supposed to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/for-real-i-say-what-i-m-supposed-to/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I think that the more of us who take the time to understand how someone else is feeling, the more likely we are to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/i-think-that-the-more-of-us-who-take-the-time-to-understand-how/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [The transition from unknown to known-in-publishing has been empowering but also challenging. It's an honor to know that people actually want to know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-transition-from-unknown-to-known-in-publishing-has-been/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I really do hope 'The Hate U Give' provides mirrors for readers who don't often get them in books. I've had so many young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/i-really-do-hope-the-hate-u-give-provides-mirrors-for-readers-who-don/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Slave masters thought they were making a difference in black people’s lives too. Saving them from their “wild African ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/slave-masters-thought-they-were-making-a-difference-in-black-people-s/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [As a black woman, I feel like I have a unique experience that we don't often see in media portrayals of the South.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/as-a-black-woman-i-feel-like-i-have-a-unique-experience-that-we-don-t/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Who the fuck complains about going to Harry Potter World? Or Butter Beer? Or wands?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/who-the-fuck-complains-about-going-to-harry-potter-world-or-butter/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“With King Lords, we had a whole bunch of folks who had our backs, no matter what. They bought us clothes and shit our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/with-king-lords-we-had-a-whole-bunch-of-folks-who-had-our-backs-no/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I wanted to write a book like a rapper would write it - I didn't want to hold back. Rappers catch a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/i-wanted-to-write-a-book-like-a-rapper-would-write-it-i-didn-t-want/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [Bent Literary Agency had a Q&A on Twitter, and I took a chance and asked if the Black Lives Matter movement was an appropriate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/bent-literary-agency-had-a-q-a-on-twitter-and-i-took-a-chance-and/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Has this situation made you fearful of cops?" she eventually asks. "I don't know," I say truthfully. "My uncle's a cop. I know not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/has-this-situation-made-you-fearful-of-cops-she-eventually-asks-i-don/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [My maternal grandmother was a star on her high school basketball team in small-town Mississippi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/my-maternal-grandmother-was-a-star-on-her-high-school-basketball-team/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Now I am that person, and I’m too afraid to speak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/now-i-am-that-person-and-i-m-too-afraid-to-speak/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [Representation makes a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/representation-makes-a-difference/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) [Explore all 153 Angie Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) ## More Black panther quotes > [When I was writing 'Black Panther,' on one level, I was angry because DC would never let me write 'Batman,' so I was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-i-was-writing-black-panther-on-one-level-i-was-angry-because-dc/) [Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/) > [“A friend once told me a story about a former Black Panther leader in a Midwest community who in the 1960s had his phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-j-rodr-guez/a-friend-once-told-me-a-story-about-a-former-black-panther-leader-in/) [Luis J. Rodríguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-j-rodr-guez/) > [Fang swerved closer to me, big and supremely graceful, like a black panther with wings. Oh, God. I'm so stupid. Forget I just said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/fang-swerved-closer-to-me-big-and-supremely-graceful-like-a-black/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [I am proud that my daughter believes, as I do, that hungry children should be fed whether they are Black Panthers or White Republicans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-douglas/i-am-proud-that-my-daughter-believes-as-i-do-that-hungry-children/) [Tommy Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-douglas/) > [The great thing about Meg in 'A Wrinkle In Time' and Shuri in 'Black Panther' is that none of them are stereotypes of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-russell/the-great-thing-about-meg-in-a-wrinkle-in-time-and-shuri-in-black/) [Taylor Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-russell/) > [The Black Panther Party was not a gang. 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I refer to the case of Van Jones, the man the Obama administration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-democrats-must-get-in-touch-with-their-inner-asshole-i-refer/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Oddly enough, Black Panther's almost like an analog to Tarzan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelfreeze/oddly-enough-black-panther-s-almost-like-an-analog-to-tarzan/) [Brian Stelfreeze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelfreeze/) > [Electoral politics was always an objective of the Black Panther party, so Barack Obama is a part of what we dreamed and struggled and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-seale/electoral-politics-was-always-an-objective-of-the-black-panther-party/) [Bobby Seale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-seale/) > [When I was younger, I had these romantic ideas about the Black Panther Party and what it meant to be a part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/when-i-was-younger-i-had-these-romantic-ideas-about-the-black-panther/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [There is a movement we call Afro-Futurism, where we imagine a black way of life free of white supremacy and bigotry. 'Black Panther,' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/there-is-a-movement-we-call-afro-futurism-where-we-imagine-a-black/) [Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/) > ['Crazy Rich Asians' has been compared to 'Black Panther,' but I feel like that's a false equivalency. The idea that there's only this film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonoya-mizuno/crazy-rich-asians-has-been-compared-to-black-panther-but-i-feel-like/) [Sonoya Mizuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonoya-mizuno/) > [“There,he reminds me of you." Shelby indicated a black panther stretched in a path of sunlight, calmly watching the river of people who passed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/there-he-reminds-me-of-you-shelby-indicated-a-black-panther-stretched/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > ['Black Panther' has made me embrace my natural black hair. The representation of natural black hair in the film has made me reflect on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-wright/black-panther-has-made-me-embrace-my-natural-black-hair-the/) [Letitia Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-wright/) > [ Having gone through the \[Marvel\] writer program, I knew Black Panther was in the pipeline and I knew they were big fans of my… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-robert-cole/having-gone-through-the-marvel-writer-program-i-knew-black-panther/) [Joe Robert Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-robert-cole/) [Browse all 145 Black panther quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-panther/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“were listening to Tupac right before . . . you know.” “A’ight, so what do you think it means?” “You don’t know?” I ask. “I know. I wanna hear what you think.” Here he goes. Picking my brain. “Khalil said it’s about what society feeds us as youth and how it comes back and bites them later,” I say. “I think it’s about more than youth though. I think it’s about us, period.” “Us who?” he asks. “Black people, minorities, poor people. Everybody at the bottom in society.” “The oppressed,” says Daddy. “Yeah. We’re the ones who get the short end of the stick, but we’re the ones they fear the most. That’s why the government targeted the Black Panthers, right? Because they were scared of the Panthers?” “Uh-huh,” Daddy says. “The Panthers educated and empowered the people. That tactic of empowering the oppressed goes even further back than the Panthers though. Name one.” Is he serious? He always makes me think. This one takes me a second. “The slave rebellion of 1831,” I say. “Nat Turner empowered and educated other slaves, and it led to one of the biggest slave revolts in history.” “A’ight, a’ight. You on it.” He gives me dap. “So, what’s the hate they’re giving the ‘little infants’ in today’s society?” “Racism?” “You gotta get a li’l more detailed than that. Think ’bout Khalil and his whole situation. Before he died.” “He was a drug dealer.” It hurts to say that. “And possibly a gang member.” “Why was he a drug dealer? Why are so many people in our neighborhood drug dealers?” I remember what Khalil said—he got tired of choosing between lights and food. “They need money,” I say. “And they don’t have a lot of other ways to get it.” “Right. Lack of opportunities,” Daddy says. “Corporate America don’t bring jobs to our communities, and they damn sure ain’t quick to hire us. Then, shit, even if you do have a high school diploma, so many of the schools in our neighborhoods don’t prepare us well enough. That’s why when your momma talked about sending you and your brothers to Williamson, I agreed. Our schools don’t get the resources to equip you like Williamson does. It’s easier to find some crack than it is to find a good school around here.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Angie Thomas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/were-listening-to-tupac-right-before-you-know-a-ight-so-what-do-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Black panther" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/were-listening-to-tupac-right-before-you-know-a-ight-so-what-do-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/angie-thomas-2699_black-panther_were-listening-to-tupac-right-before-you_2990190.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/angie-thomas-2699_black-panther_were-listening-to-tupac-right-before-you_2990190.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/angie-thomas-2699_black-panther_were-listening-to-tupac-right-before-you_2990190.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“were listening to Tupac right before . . . you know.” “A’ight, so what do you think it means?” “You don’t…” — Angie Thomas", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Angie Thomas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“were listening to Tupac right before...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/were-listening-to-tupac-right-before-you-know-a-ight-so-what-do-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/were-listening-to-tupac-right-before-you-know-a-ight-so-what-do-you/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```