![]() ![]() despair when faced with having no choice but to be the predator. We hear the repetitions of a church bell over and over, which are hauntingly dark and achieve a constant sensation of being trapped in a conflicting cycle of hope vs. He says, “Hail Mary, catch me if I go.” Hope is then only to be followed by despair, and the cycle starts over again. Hope that the Mother Mary may be there in the hour of his passing as she was in the hour of the death of her son when he was crucified on the cross (“meanings,” 2012). Omes twisted and turns as it gets darker and the layers of meaning thicken and evoke emotions of pride when he says “Peeped the weakness in the rap game and sewed it” and then guilt with “Bow down, pray to God…” Tupac is torn with conflict, all the while maintaining a small glimmer of hope. Tupac then, by the usage of words and the mixing of terms, begins to weave a satire of new meanings by ridiculing the cycle of life that he is living in and the difficult, yet obvious choices that have to be made in order to survive. His answer is clear in the opening sentence, “I ain’t a killer, but don’t push me,” and gives us further insight to his reality while hinting at the struggle to come. First he sets the tone by reducing his limited options to one simple question, “Do you wanna ride or die?” It is a metaphor and poses to the listener the very intense question of what are you willing to do to survive and how much do you want to live. predator cycle and expresses the conflicts that come with the frustration of being stuck in this dark satirical allegory. Using metaphors, symbolism, strong imagery, and oxymorons, Tupac illustrates the ups and downs of the prey vs. Tupac explores the catch 22 of falling prey to evil if choosing to become a predator in order to survive, and shares the conflicting emotions of many young African American men who have been born into this. ![]() predator that is showcased in “Hail Mary” is unique and incorporates heart, mind, body and soul. Tupac’s application of the eternal theme of the struggle between good and evil to the cycle of prey vs. The song “Hail Mary” by Tupac Shakur has sparked continued interest and attracted much criticism. ![]()
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