Nov 12, 2024

2Pac -1995- Me Against The World (Out Da Gutta / Interscope)

  •  Released the 14th of, 1995

pictures by Reisig & Taylor, 1994
 
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  1. Intro
  2. If I Die 2Nite
  3. Me Against The World feat. Dramacydal & Puff Johnson
  4. So Many Tears
  5. Temptations feat. AB Money
  6. Young Niggaz feat. Killa & Milia
  7. Heavy In The Game feat. Richie Rich & Lady Levi
  8. Lord Knows feat. Natasha Walker
  9. Dear Mama
  10. It Ain't Easy
  11. Can U Get Away feat. Eboni Foster
  12. Old School
  13. Fuck The World feat. Shock G
  14. Death Around The Corner
  15. Outlaw feat. Dramacydal

Producer - Tony Pizarro (1, 10), Easy Mo Bee (2, 5), Soulshock & Karlin (3, 12), Shock G (4, 13), Moe-Z (6, 15), Mike Mosley (7, 11), Brian G & Moe-Z (8), Master T & Tony Pizarro (9), Johnny J (13)


This album is the result of a long and struggling evolution which had 5 different sequences more or less ready to be released.

  1. 1993, July - Sept. : Mr. Middle Finger
  2. 1993, Oct. - Dec. : Out On Bail
  3. 1993, Dec. - 1994, March : R U Still Down '94
  4. 1994, April - August : Stay True
  5. 1994, Sept. - November : Fuck The World / Me Against The World

With other titles envisaged for the album : Nothing 2 Lose, Thug In Me, Street Fame, Troublesome, Here Cum Tha Pain, Crucified, Outlaw and Hard 2 Kill.

Step 1 was interrupted because of a demo tape was circulating in the studios without 2Pac's authorization in the beginning of October '93. 2Pac changed the global orientation of the album from a strictly East flavored thing directed by Stretch to more open thing.

Step 2 was rejected by Interscope after the justice charges against 2Pac for rape were confirmed the 16th of December 1993. 2Pac had to drop too violent songs against police ("Open Fire") and women ("Wonda Why They Call U Bitch").

Step 3 was delayed and transformed maybe because of an argument upon the mix of the album... circa March of 1994, and as well because he transfered songs to his Thug Life Volume 1 album ("Bury Me A G", "Runnin" and finally "Str8 Ballin").

Step 4 was interrupted because 2Pac had to give the title song "Stay True" to his other project Thug Life : Volume 1 (in replacement of "Runnin") finally released the 26th of September 1994.

Step 5 was interrupted because 2Pac was sentenced to prison in February of 1995, the 7th. 2Pac and Interscope simply move from a double album to a single album, hoping to release a new album with the rest of the material later (cf. Pre-DR Compilation).





This is probably the only album where we can say we have the final tracklist, as it was released (only Killuminati is also close). We have the right track order but also the planned singles 2Pac wanted to publish, the plans videos he wanted for the songs... even the fact he had given an alternate version of the title track to Bad Boys Soundtrack.



 
DETAILED TRACKLIST 
(Special thanks to Bomb 1st members Filla and Dominator for sample credits)
 
1. Intro / Tony Pizarro & Jill Rose
  • 1995/01/15. Mentioning the shooting at Qad studios, it is probably the last thing recorded for the album. Considering this, you could say that Me Against the World album was in Tony Pizarro's hands after Pac's incarceration.
  • Samples :
    • Al Hudson & One Way - "It's You" (melody)
2. If I Die 2Nite / Easy Mo Bee
  • 1994/08/30 - 9-10 (~) (final mix). These are the second sessions of 2Pac and Easy Mo Bee (after "Temptations"/"Out on Bail", "Runnin"). They recorded "My Block" the same day that ended up in The Show OST in 1995.
  • Samples : 
3. Me Against The World feat. Dramacydal & Puff Johnson / Soulshock & Karlin
  • 1994/09/24. It was the title of the solo album, even before recording the song (just before the album became Stay True in May 94), then a title for a clean version of  F.T.W. (Fuck The World) album. Interscope will give a slightly different version of the song to Bad Boys OST (March of 1995) with an alternate chorus. Later in 1995, as a b-side for Temptations 12'' Soulshock & Karlin will give the Soul Power remixes of the song. The Danish producers were then popular for their Soul Power remix of Sting's "Demolition Man" in 93 and "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" in 94 (and 2Pac always had love for Sting - if you listened to those remix you can recognize elements they used for "Me Against The World" and their remix of it). They have also worked for Toni Braxton, Brandi, TLC, Madonna, Jon B, Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince... They will also produce songs for Dramacydal album in beginning of 95 (cf. Dramacyde)and in 1997, they will be responsible for remixing head tracks for R U Still Down album : "Do 4 Love" and "I Wonder If Heaven Got A Ghetto". Puff Johnson will also record "U Can Call" and "Ratha Be Ya Nigga" for All Eyez on Me.
  • Samples :
4. So Many Tears / Shock G
  • 1994/08-09 (~) - 1995/01 (Stretch edited out). Original version had a verse by Stretch but consequently to the shooting at Qad studios (Nov. 30th) and Tupac suspecting him, they edited his verse off of the song. There is also an Easy Mo Bee remix version that contains that Stretch verse (cf. F.T.W.).
  • Samples :
    • Stevie Wonder - "That Girl" (melody)
    • Quincy Jones - "The Dude" (guitar interpolation)
    • The Bible, Psalm 23 (quote interpolation : "Though I walk through the valley of death")
5. Temptations feat. AB Money / Easy Mo Bee
  • 1993/10/26 - 1994/08-10 (?) (final mix). This version is very similar to the original recorded during Easy Mo Bee sessions (cf. Out On Bail). Tony Pizarro tried to give a new mix "Recall" of it for his Stay True mixtape, but 2Pac always prefered the original (Easy Mo Bee being a legend...). We long time thought it was G-Money singing the chorus, a Moe-Z regular teammate, but Moe-Z started to work with 2Pac only in summer of 94... G-Money is only singing in the Moe-Z remix of the song. In fact, it is AB Money, the partner of Easy Mo Bee in their group Rappin' Is Fundamental who got the successful album The Doo Hop Legacy in 1991 and then participated to Mile Davis' last album Doo-Bop in 1992.
  • Samples :
6. Young Niggaz feat. Killa & Milia / Moe-ZMD & Le-Morrious "Funky Drummer" Tyler
  • 1994/09-10 (~). It is said that a clean version of the song good have been recorded. Nothing is known about Le-Morrious Tyler except he also recorded the song "Blinded" with Dramacydal... Killa and Milia also sing in "Throw Ya Hands Up" and many other Moe-Z remix (cf. F.T.W.).
  • Samples :  
7. Heavy In The Game feat. Richie Rich, Lady Levi & Eboni Foster / Mike Mosley & Sam Bostic
8. Lord Knows feat. Natasha Walker / Brian G, revised by Duane Nettlesbey, Tony Pizarro, remixed by Moe-ZMD
  • 1993/09 (~) - 1994/10-12 (new mix). Initially titled "If I Wasn't High" in first Mr. Middle Finger tracklists in 93 (but this early version probably does not exist because Stretch who was the supposed producer is never credited elsewhere after that). 2Pac met Brian G after having recorded "Skank Wit U" with Don Jagwarr and him around the summer of 93. The first Brian G version had a similar beat but much more singing. Beat was revised and chorus lightened by Duane Nettlesbey for R U Still Down '94, then the song was remixed by Pizarro with a new chorus, and then by Moe-Z also with a new chorus by his singers. But 2Pac was not happy with it and a new version was made mixing up all previous ones, mainly the original vibe, Natasha Walker light chorus and elements of the final Moe-Z remix. It seems that like for "Nothing To Lose", he didn't want his friend Natasha Walker being out of the song she recorded.
  • Samples : 
9. Dear Mama feat. Reggie Green & Sweet Franklin / Master T, remixed by Tony Pizarro
  • 1993/10/26 - 1994/07/14 (new mix, chorus). The Easy Mo Bee sessions original version (cf. Out On Bail) is way different especially with an alternate chorus with only scratched sentences : "It Would be a damn thing" by Yo-Yo from Ice Cube's album and "What did you say about my mother ?". It is said Ice Cube refused to clear it (maybe because 2Pac had kind of jacked part of his style and was screaming everywhere his sentence "Lench Mob Thug Life niggaz be the craziest" ?).
  • Samples : 
10. It Ain't Easy / Tony Pizarro
  • 1994/07 (~) - 08 (final mix). Tony Pizarro tried another version with one of his singer (Sweet Franklin or Kim Armstrong) at the chorus but 2Pac finally chose this version close to the very first original demo without any chorus. This song had a kind of original version with totally different lyrics and beat, recorded in the summer of 93 for Mr. Middle Finger.
  • Samples :
11. Can U Get Away feat. Eboni Foster / Mike Mosley
  • 1994/09/20 - 10-12 (new mix). Original version of the song is known as "Hot Mix" with a different singer, and there is as well a "Reggae Remix" of this original (cf. F.T.W.). 2Pac will sing the song whilst in prison during an interview.
  • Samples :
12. Old School feat. Ezi Cut & Jay-B (scratches) / Soulshock & Karlin
  • 1994/09/27 - 10-12 (~) (final mix). The DJs are from Denmark, like Soulshock & Karlin, and are from the same crew.
  • Samples :
13. Fuck The World feat. Shock G (chorus) / Shock G
  • 1994/02-03 (~) - 10-12 (~) (final mix). We absolutely don't know what happened to that song recorded in early 94 for R U Still Down '94 but then totally forgotten (cf. Exodus) until this album. It has been said that 2Pac and Shock G could have had an argument, why not about that song... 2Pac could have recorded a new hook specifically for that album.
  • Samples :
14. Death Around The Corner / Johnny J
  • 1993/04 - 1993/12 (new vocals) - 1994/10-12 (~) (short edit). This version has been initially recorded for R U Still Down '94, but there is also a totally different Thug Life Original unleaked version with very different lyrics, but the same instrumental. The song also had this interlude known as "Bitchin' interlude" also recorded in early 1993 with Capucine Jackson, Johnny J's wife speaking. Tony Pizarro will try to use it for his Stay True mixtape.
  • Samples : 
15. Outlaw feat. Dramacydal / Moe-Z
  • 1994/08/31 - 10-12 (~) (short edit). Probably the first collaboration of Moe-Z with 2Pac (if we except his remix of "Runnin" featuring his friend Radio, which could be from earlier that month for Thug Life Volume 1, cf. Stay True timeline). Maybe 2Pac had previously heard the single "Groovin" by Radio, DarQ & Rock Chill (with also a remix by DJ Battlecat who had already remixed 2Pac songs). The original is a bit longer and has an outro by reggae singer Rah Rah (cf. F.T.W.). In addition of the numerous unreleased and remix songs he made for 2Pac, Moe-Z also produced many songs for Dramacydal's scrapped album (cf. Dramacyde).
 
 
 
 
 
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