He is considered by many to have been one of the best rappers of all time. Got me lost in Hell, to live and die in L.A. on bail [Val Young (2Pac):] (My angel sing) To live and die in L.A., it's the place to be (And the angels go) You've got to be there to know it When everybody wanna see (To live and die in L.A.) To live and die in L.A., it's the place to be You've got to be there to know it When everybody wanna see [2Pac:] I went home and hooked it up as fast as I could, and I think I came back the same night and he listened to the track three times, and in like 15 minutes he was already done with his lyrics. He went in the booth without telling anyone what the track was about he just laid it in one take–over about three tracks. It was full speed ahead until it was done–as if it was guided or meant to be. Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web! Ever since recording like that, without thinking twice like that, I have changed the way I look at making music.
Then he told Val Young what the concept was, and she went in and laid her chorus vocal in one take, too. No one thought twice no one doubted anything. To Live and Die In L.A. It's the place to be (Let my angel sing) You've got to be there to know it What everybody wanna see To live and die in L.A. In this “California Love Part 2,” he talks about all the particularities that make the City of Angels such a great place to live—and die, ranging from its immigrants to its infamous gangs.2Pac once again reconnects with producer QDIII, who revealed that the song was done in less than two hours, with 2Pac writing his lyrics in about 15 minutes and laying his vocals in one take before singer Val Young and guitarist Ricky Rouse came in to do their parts.I was in the studio with ‘Pac, I had some records with me, and there was this old song that I played for him to see if he liked the vibe. Lyrics to 'To Live and Die in LA' by 2Pac. Static I love Tupac's new record, 'Static' Right but don't you feel like that creates, 'Static' He felt it and told me to go home and hook up a beat like that. Street Science, you're on the air, 'Static' What do you feel when you hear a record like Tupac's new one? To live and die in L.A., where everyday we try to fatten our pockets Us niggaz hustle for the cash so it's hard to knock it Everybody got they own thang, currency … Lyrics © SILVER FOX MUSIC GROUP, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group

Although he was born in New York, “To Live and Die in L.A.” is Tupac’s ode to the metropolis he loved the most: Los Angeles. This song just flowed out of everyone that was a part of it. To live and die in L.A., where everyday we try to fatten our pockets Us niggaz hustle for the cash so it's hard to knock it Everybody got they own thang, currency … [Chorus: Val Young & 2Pac] My angel sing To live and die in L.A., it's the place to be And the angels go You've got to be there to know it When everybody wanna see To live and die in L.A Tupac Amaru Shakur, also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. After the vocals were done, 'Pac had Ricky Rouse [Makaveli musician] replace my keyboard bass and guitar parts with live bass and guitar parts, and the song was done–less than two hours total. Shakur was born in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City but relocated to Los Angeles in 1988.