The Rose That Grew from Concrete, Tupac's Poetry

Before Tupac Shakur sold his first records, he wrote poetry on loose sheets of paper. On November 1, 1999, three years after his death, 72 of these writings were collected and published as The Rose That Grew from Concrete by Pocket Books under its MTV Books imprint. According to the preface by his mother, Afeni Shakur, they were written between 1989 and 1991, when Tupac was between 17 and 20 years old-shortly after moving from Baltimore to Marin City, California. Presented here are context, dedications, and background information on the poems.

Meeting Outside the Elementary School: Leila Steinberg Collects the Pages

The key to the poems is Leila Steinberg. In her introduction to the book, she recounts how she met Tupac in Marin City in the spring of 1989: she was sitting outside an elementary school reading a book by Winnie Mandela when a young man appeared behind her and recited lines from it by heart. She invited him to her class and to her weekly writing circle. Within a few weeks, he made her his manager. (In a 2011 interview with XXL, Steinberg describes the first meeting somewhat differently-so the details reflect her memory, not an established factual record.) A large portion of the poems was written in this circle, including the title poem. Tupac gave the pages to Steinberg for safekeeping; her collection became the book.

At the same time, Tupac was rapping with Strictly Dope. The poems show his other side: in love, insecure, angry at racism and poverty, often deeply personal.

Handwriting Beside the Print Version: Three Forewords and Four Parts

Beside each typed version, the book features a facsimile of the handwriting-complete with crossed-out lines, corrections, and Tupac’s shorthand (“u”, “2”, “4”, “R”, a drawn eye for “I”). Only In the Event of My Demise appears exclusively in handwriting.

Preceding the poems are three introductory pieces: the preface by Afeni Shakur, Steinberg’s introduction, and a foreword by the poet Nikki Giovanni (1943-2024) titled “Tupac, C U in Heaven,” taken from the final line of Carmencita of the Bronx!. In it, Giovanni emphasizes the vulnerable side of the author: the poems to lovers, to his mother, and to “his child in heaven.”

The 72 poems are divided into four parts, each named after one of the poems: personal soul-searching, love and friendship, political dedications and family, and finally social criticism.

Eight Lines Defying All Laws of Nature

The Rose That Grew from Concrete is only eight lines long and bears the notation “Autobiographical” in the book. The rose that grows from a crack in the concrete against all laws of nature is Tupac’s image for himself: someone who grew up in poverty and yet held on to his dreams. Steinberg calls it one of the first poems he wrote in her circle. The imagery has long since outgrown Tupac: Ashanti, for instance, named her 2004 album Concrete Rose after the book.

From the Berkeley Lecture Hall to an Album on the Charts

A library review (Susan Salpini, Purcellville Library) called the poems passionate, sometimes angry, and often compelling. Steinberg reports in the book that a course on Tupac’s poetry and history, developed by Arvand Elihu, was already running at UC Berkeley in 1997.

In November 2000, the album The Rose That Grew from Concrete followed, on which Nikki Giovanni, Mos Def, Q-Tip, Sonia Sanchez, dead prez, and Afeni Shakur, among others, recite the poems; it reached No. 89 on the Billboard 200. A new edition of the book was published in 2009. More about the book itself can be found on the book page.

All 72 Poems in Four Parts

Order as in the book.

I. The Rose That Grew from Concrete: The Rose That Grew from Concrete · In the Depths of Solitude · Sometimes I Cry · Under the Skies Above · Life Through My Eyes · When Ure Heart Turns Cold · Untitled (Please Wake Me When I’m Free) · The Eternal Lament · Only 4 the Righteous · What of Fame? · The Shining Star Within! · Starry Night · If I Fail · What Is It That I Search 4 · The Fear in the Heart of a Man · God

II. Nothing Can Come Between Us: Nothing Can Come Between Us · My Dearest One!! · If There Be Pain … · Things That Make Hearts Break · Black Woman · And Still I Love U · The Mutual Heartache? · 1st Impressions · A Love Unspoken · Forever and Today · When I Do Kiss U · Carmencita of the Bronx! · Untitled (Every Word) · Love Is Just Complicated · Elizabeth (A Different Love) · I Know My Heart Has Lied Before · From First Glance · 1 for April · Wife 4 Life · Tears from a Star · March 1st, The Day After April · Why Must U Be Unfaithful · The Power of a Smile · Genesis (The Rebirth of My Heart) · Love Within a Storm · What Can I Offer Her? · Jada · The Tears in Cupid’s Eyes · Cupid’s Smile II · What I See! · In the Midst of Passion · 2 People with 1 Wish · Hours Pass By

III. Just a Breath of Freedom: Just a Breath of Freedom · For Mrs. Hawkins · The Sun and the Moon · Fallen Star · Government Assistance or My Soul · Family Tree · Or My Soul · When Ure Hero Falls · Untitled (Strength Is Overcome by Weakness) · U R Ripping Us Apart!!! · A River That Flows Forever · Can U C the Pride in the Panther · Tears of a Teenage Mother · Where There Is a Will …

IV. Liberty Needs Glasses: Liberty Needs Glasses · How Can We Be Free · The Promise · And 2morrow · No-Win · The Unanswerable? · Nightmares · So I Say Goodbye · In the Event of My Demise