Lost in the whirlwind

[alow]

Im sure everyone is familiar with 2pac's line in "Me and my girlfriend" on the 7 day theory:

"Look for me, lost in the whirlwind, 96 bonnie and clyde, me and my girlfriend........."

I recently found out (and perhaps its not news to you) that he is quoting Marcus Garvey:

"Look for me in the whirlwind or the storm"
Marcus Garvey - 1928

i never had really thought about the line, and was distracted by the metaphor in the song itself, but after listening to it, i wondered what he meant by it, i thought perhaps it was merley there because it rhymed, but it seemed rather out of place, and its roots were recently brought to my attention

I suppose that 2pac is not directly quoting Garvey, however i think it is evident he was probably trying to get a similar message across, and after learning the context in which Garvey said this, i believe it is one of the most poignant messages that he (2pac) delivered, regardless of where it came from, or who originally said it. the portion of Garvey's letter from which this came is almost poetry, and i feel is very appropriate coming from 2pac.

In my opinion this one line, this one quote, this one allusion in an obscure song, serves more than one purpose and is the culmination of everything 2pac was trying to say through his music.

what are your thoughts on this line and what do you think he was trying to get across?

 

[Dante]

being lost in the whirlwind is a pretty common american concept that goes as far back as the old west.

 

[Swollen_Member]

I think he was referering to all the bullshit that surrounded his life, ie) lawysuits, beefs etc... and it was him and his 'girlfriend' dealin with it.

 

[alow]

being lost in the whirlwind is a pretty common american concept that goes as far back as the old west.

so are you saying that this is what he meant and he was not alluding to Marcus Garvey's letter, or are you just stating that this goes back farther than Garvey?

I think he was referering to all the bullshit that surrounded his life, ie) lawysuits, beefs etc... and it was him and his 'girlfriend' dealin with it.

this is one of the conclusions i came to after thinking about it

 

[omgwtflol]

You're thinkin' way too much into this.

 

[mechman]

I think it means that he was lost in the controversy surrounding him, and getting cought up in the DR lifestyle and the hollywood sort of lifestyle. Like Swollen_Member said.

 

[CalcuoCuchicheo]

He's lost in the whirlwind of life - akin to what Swollen_Member said.

And yes, Marcus Garvey didn't create this concept. He might be giving him a nod, more than likely he's using an applicable concept to his situation because it rhymes.

 

[alow]

i try not to look into things too much, and i dont believe i am, i just felt that this seemed very pertinent to the message i feel he was trying to get across, and because many of the above stated opinions are just that, you may not agree with me and i respect that. However after reading the quoted segment of the letter, i believe my assumptions are appropriate and relevant, although i do see where there is room for dispute.

"If I die in Atlanta my work shall then only begin, but I shall live, in the physical or spiritual to see the day of Africa’s glory. When I am dead wrap the mantle of the Red, Black and Green around me, for in the new life I shall rise with God’s grace and blessing to lead the millions up the heights of triumph with the colors that you well know. Look for me in the whirlwind or the storm, look for me all around you, for, with God’s grace, I shall come and bring with me countless millions of black slaves who have died in America and the West Indies and the millions in Africa to aid you in the fight for Liberty, Freedom and Life."
-Marcus Garvey, "first message to the negroes of the world from Atlanta Prison", February 10th, 1925

 

[Hankaveli]

Ok I will add a little Info to this, and where I beleive it really came from.

The Book "Look For me in the Whirlwind" A Collective Biogrphy of the NY 21.
His mother being one of the 21.

So I think this was more a Nod to them and the black panthers as a whole. kind of saying "Ride or Die" in another way.

One of those was "Look for Me in the Whirlwind: A Collective
Autobiography of the NY21," about the 1971 trial of Shakur and 20 other
leading Black Panthers charged with plotting to carry out bombings around
New York City.

"I wasn't very cooperative with this right here," Shakur told Guy, holding
up the book after spotting it on her friend's bed. "And this right here, in
the back of the book - 'Letter to My Unborn' - was the one concession. They
had to print this letter if I was to participate

http://archives.econ.utah.edu/archives/marxism/2004w10/msg00182.htm

***Edit** The book is out of print BTW.

 

[Swollen_Member]

^Thats some deep shit.

 

[Hankaveli]

^Thats some deep shit.

yeah I love "Tid Bits" of knowledge, and especialy one's that concern Tupac.

 

[Swollen_Member]

Yeah I know, especially since it relates to two Tupac songs..."Letter to my Unborn".

 

[Hankaveli]

Yeah I know, especially since it relates to two Tupac songs..."Letter to my Unborn".

oh yeah, thanks for pointing that out. ment to point that out in my first post.

 

[bigCASH]

i never knew who Marcus Garvey was until i read this post...but i'm glad i did. I'm going to look up some more stuff about him....

and i just realized that Ludacris was wearing a shirt with Garvey on it at the end of the "pimpin all over the world" video...kind of off topic but still related