Crooked Ass Nigga
Track Information
| Artist | 2Pac featuring Stretch |
| Track | Crooked Ass Nigga |
| Performers | 2Pac and Stretch |
| Producer(s) | Stretch |
| Writer(s) | Tupac Shakur and Randy Walker (Stretch) |
| Recorded | 1991 |
| Released | 12 November 1991 |
| Length | 4:13 |
Overview
Crooked Ass Nigga is a collaboration between 2Pac and Stretch, released on 2Pac's debut album 2Pacalypse Now in 1991. Produced by Stretch, the track marked one of the earliest official collaborations between the two artists and helped establish the creative partnership that would continue over the following three years.
Built around a hard-hitting East Coast production, the song sees 2Pac criticising police corruption, racial injustice and abuses of power, while Stretch contributes both production and a memorable guest verse. The chemistry between the two artists is evident throughout the recording and foreshadows their later collaborations on songs such as Pain, Under Pressure, 5 Deadly Venoms and numerous unreleased recordings.
Although often overshadowed by 2Pac's later work, Crooked Ass Nigga remains one of the defining tracks from 2Pacalypse Now and an important milestone in the history of both 2Pac and Live Squad.
Recording History
The song was recorded during the sessions for 2Pacalypse Now in 1991, when 2Pac was beginning his solo career after leaving Digital Underground. Stretch was already establishing himself as both a rapper and producer with Live Squad, and his involvement on the track marked the beginning of a creative partnership that would become one of the most important of 2Pac's early career.
Unlike many later collaborations between the pair, Crooked Ass Nigga received an official release during 2Pac's lifetime. Stretch's production combines heavy drums with a dark, aggressive sound that perfectly complements the song's politically charged lyrics and uncompromising message.
The recording remains one of the earliest examples of Stretch's production work reaching a mainstream audience and helped introduce Live Squad's sound to 2Pac fans long before the group's later contributions to Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., Thug Life and numerous unreleased recordings.
Release History
| Year | Release | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2Pacalypse Now | CD / Cassette / LP | Original album release. |
Samples
Samples Used
Sample information is currently being researched.
Lyrics
(2Pac)
A smoking ass nigga robbed me blind
I’ve got a tech nine now his smoking ass is mine
I guess I felt sorry for the bastard, he was broke
I didn’t know he smoked so I didn’t watch him close
He caught me on the sneak tip, now the punk’s in deep shit
Catch him on the streets, I’ma bring him to his feet, quick
Pass the clip, I think I see him coming now
Fuck the bullshit, posse deep and let’s run him down
Gots to be the first one to hit you when we meet
Coming quickly up the streets, is the punk ass police
The first one jumped out and said, “Freeze”
I popped him in his knees and shot him, punk, please
’Cause cops should mind their business, when we rush
Now you’re pleadin like a bitch, ’cause you don’t know how to, hush
Now back to the smoker that robbed me
I tell you like Latifah, motherfucker give me, body
One to the chest, another to his fucking dome
Now the shit can rest, yo, tell him to leave me the fuck alone
Two very bloody bodies on the streets
A nosey ass cop and a nigga that robbed from me
Run from your backup punk, how you figure?
My finger’s on the trigger for you crooked ass niggas
(Criminal behaviour, criminal, criminal behaviour)
(Suddenly I see)
(Criminal)
(Stretch)
Now listen to the mack of the crooked nigga trade
With the fine criminal mind, cold rips like a blade
It’s already quick steppin to the niggas with the props
And any motherfucker with the flim flam drops to the knot
Ten o’clock, is a motherfuckin gank move
Stretch is uptown, clocking weight the shit is real smooth
A nigga’s tryin to play me like he know me but he don’t
Sitting on ten keys, I’ma get him, think I won’t?
My nigga 2Pac, got the fuckin glock cocked, and he’s ready
When the kid, didn’t even bring the weight bag, instead he
Welcomed us, into his apartment
Oh, this even better, two to the head, he’s dead a clean get-away
Niggas got paid
And yet another sleeping ass nigga got slayed, word up
By a crooked motherfucker named Stretch
And the T-U-P-A-C, the police can’t catch
(Criminal behaviour)
Yeah, ya don’t stop
Crooked ass niggas
(Criminal, criminal behaviour)
(Suddenly I see, some niggas that I don’t like)
(2Pac)
Now I could be a crooked nigga too
When I’m rolling with my crew, watch what crooked niggas, do
I’ve got a nine millimeter glock pistol
I’m ready to get with cha at the drop, of a whistle
So make your move, and act like you wanna flip
I fire thirteen shots, and pop another clip
I bring luck, my glock’s like a fucking mop
The more I shot, the more motherfuckers dropped
And even cops got shot when they rolled up
Best to bring a knot, or get popped, I’m a soldier
I ain’t the type to fetch ya, ask Stretch, he’s my witness
Smoke till I’m blitzed, fuck a motherfucking piss test
I’m trigger happy, try to tack me and I’ll drop you quick
Long as I’ve got a clip I got some shit to hit ’em with
The nigga killer I get iller when the shit gets thick
My brain flips, I start thinking like a lunatic
I rip shit, came equipped with a bigger crew
I thought these niggas knew, I’m a crooked nigga too
[2Pac]
Crooked
Crooked ass niggas come in all shapes and sizes
They wear disguises, backstabbings what they specialize in
They’ll try to get cha, they’ll sweat cha to get in the picture
And then they hit cha, son of a bitch, now he’s richer
(Criminal behaviour, criminal, criminal behaviour)
(Suddenly I see, some niggas that I don’t like)
(Criminal behaviour)
(Criminal, criminal)
(Criminal behaviour)
(Criminal behaviour, criminal behaviour)
(Suddenly I see, some niggas that I don’t like)
(Suddenly I see, some niggas that I don’t like)
(Suddenly I see, some niggas that I don’t like)
(Criminal behaviour)
(Criminal, criminal)
(Criminal behaviour)
(Criminal)
(Criminal behaviour)
(Criminal behaviour)
(Suddenly I see, some niggas that I don’t like)
Got him
(Suddenly I see, some niggaz that I don’t like)
Got him
(Suddenly I see, some niggaz that I don’t like)
Got him