Nov 12, 2024

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

  •  Released the 14th of, 1995

pictures by Reisig & Taylor, 1994
 
Discogs page
Wikipedia page
Listen in Youtube, Spotify, Deezer or in myzuka 
  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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Oct 8, 2024

Nas -1994-1996- From Nasty To Esco (Homemade Compilation)

  • 1994-1996 : Soundtracks songs, B-Sides, leftover from Illmatic to It Was Written.
  • The evolution from the young ghetto guide Nasty Nas to the infamous mafioso star Nas Escobar.
Nas by Danny Clinch, Illmatic photoshoot

### This compilation follows the tracklist of an old bootleg titled Nas Archives, today very difficult to find. We just replaced the album released songs by lost songs recorded from that period. ###

Tracklist :

  1. Capital Rap Show Freestyle (1994)
  2. One Love (One L Remix) feat. Sadat X (1994)
  3. On The Real (Original) feat. KL (Screwball) & Cormega (1994)
  4. One On One (1994)
  5. Fast Life (Norfside Remix) feat. Kool G Rap (1996)
  6. Understanding feat. Az & Biz Markie (1995)
  7. Life Is Like A Dice Game (1995)
  8. The World is Yours (Q Tip Mix) (1994)
  9. Déjà Vu (1995)
  10. Life's A Bitch (Arsenal Mix) feat. Az (1994)
  11. Everything Is Real feat. Nashawn (??) & Shapelle (1995) - speed -7% *
  12. Wake Up Show Anthem '94 feat. Organised Konfusion, Ras Kass, Dred Scott, Shyheim, Chino XL, Saafir & Lauryn Hill (1994)
  13. Street Dreams (Unreleased 3rd Verse) (1996)
  14. Street Dreams pt. 2 feat. R. Kelly (1996)
  15. La Familia (Original) feat. Cormega, Foxy Brown & Az (1996)
  16. Watch Dem Niggas (Unreleased 3rd Verse) (1996)
  17. Analyze This feat. Lord Tariq & Jay-Z (1996)
  18. The Message (Unreleased Version) (1996)
  19. Affirmative Action (Poke & Tone Remix) feat. Foxy Brown, AZ, Cormega & Jungle (1996)
  20. It Ain't Hard To Tell (Large Professor Remix) (1994)
  21. The Bridge Keeps Rockin' (Clueless Freestyle) (1996)

* The speed or pitch of the usual leak is obviously wrong - voices are deformed. We tried to slow down -7.0 (new track duration is 2:25, against 2:15), it sounds perfect and the Nas delivery really sounds like in 1995, what suspect many fans.

Credits :
1. Tim Westwood Radio, UK (May 6th, 1994). Archives
2. Godfather Don & Victor Padilla from the Beatnuts, One Love single, 1994
3. Marley Marl. On The Real single (1997). Released for the 10th anniversary of Illmatic.
4. Chris Large & Mr. Freak Nasty. Street Fighter OST (1994)
5. Saalam Remi. From Kool G Rap's Check Da Bitch single (1996) or Epic Street sampler
6. Large Professor. Bad Boys Soundtrack promo (1994-1995)
7. Easy Mo Bee. Unreleased. Nas talks about his daughter, Easy Mo Bee confirmed it was between Illmatic and It Was Written
8. Q-Tip. Alternate lyrics, from The World is Yours single (1994)
9. Chris Winston. Unreleased. Nas says 95 in his lyrics.
10. Def Jef & Meech Wells. Life's A Bitch single (1994).
11. L.E.S. (?). Unreleased. Leaked with 91-93 demos but with a distort voice which makes him sound younger.
12. Sway & Tech. From Wake Up Show Freestyles, Vol. 2 (1996)
13. Poke & Tone. From Street Dreams single (1996).
14. Poke & Tone. From Street Dreams single (1996).
15. Unreleased. Recorded before Nas/Cormega dispute. (1996).
16. Poke & Tone. Unreleased. (1996)
17. Trackmasters. Unreleased until unofficial Lord Tariq Past & Present compilation (1999) and Lord Tariq's Analyze This single (2001).
18. Poke & Tone & DJ Kid Capri. Unreleased. With the original Scarface voice sample in the intro (1996).
19. Poke & Tone. From Street Dreams single (1996).
20. Large Professor. From It Ain't Hard To Tell (Remix) single promo (1994).
21. Poke & Tone. Beat from Foxy Brown's "Get Me Home" feat. Blackstreet (1996). From DJ Spinbad, Clueless mixtape (1996).

 
It is funny to think that Danny Clinch made these pictures for Illmatic album around the time he made a wonderful photoset for 2Pac's forthcoming album then titled Mr. Middle Finger or Out On Bail (famous front cover of Until The End of Time)

Unused Tracks : 

. One Love (The LG Experience Remix) (1994)
. It Ain't Hard To Tell (Stink Mix) (prod. by Dave Scratch & Dj Ron) (1994) 
. It Ain't Hard To Tell (The Laidback Remix) (1994)
. Life's A Bitch (Buckwild Remix 1) feat. Az (1994)
. Life's A Bitch (Buckwild Remix 2) feat. Az (1994)
 
. Tim Westwood Freestyle feat. Mobb Deep (1995)
. Tim Westwood Freestyle feat. De La Soul (1996)
. Funk Flex Freestyle feat. Cormega (1996) / Partially included in Cormega's The Montana Way / The Montana Diary mixtape (1997). Maybe recorded just before Mega was dropped from the group by Steve Stoute in summer of 96. A shame ! He was the one who could have saved the Firm project from disaster.

. 40th Side Of Things (Good Fellas) feat. Syl Drama & Cormega (1995)  / Hot Day & Jae Supreme. Jae Supreme said "Produced by The Dream Team (Hot Day & Jae Supreme). The 1st guy spittin, is my cousin Syl Drama. We did this demo for Cormega album." Nas here re-use his 3rd verse from "Déjà Vu". We prefered include it in our Cormega's Montana Way advanced version, especially because of DJ Hot Day who Mega started with.
. Fast Life (Original) feat. Kool G Rap (1995) / On the chorus, the singer is saying "everywhere we go bitches know who we are" instead of "people" in the Kool G's album version
. One + One feat. Large Professor (1996) / Large Professor. From Large Professor's The LP (1996-2009)

Al Pereira, Nas, 2Pac and Redman at Club Amazon (1993, July 23)

The diligent kid who was preparing his destiny

Nas always looks so serious... not often smiling and joking in comparison of Tupac ! In July 1993, he was still an unknown for the general public, even if his features with Main Source, MC Serch and his first single Half Time gave him one of the biggest hype, earning him the underground nickname of "new Rakim". Maybe at that time, he was deeply preoccupied by the recording of his first album, to not miss his entrance into the Hip-Hop hall of fame.

At the time of these pictures, 2Pac was recording his whole New York flavored album (almost entirely unleaked), well titled Mr. Middle Finger, mainly produced by produced by the Queensbridge rapper Stretch, probably also known from Nas. It is said that when Nas met 2Pac, they quickly became friends, as often with 2Pac. The Notorious B.I.G. was also at this party, about to go on tour with 2Pac and his Thug Life group. They were all good friends at that time...


A nasty aftertaste for Nasty Nas

When Nas finally released his album Illmatic, the 19th of April 94, 2Pac has had to change his projects (three times) and was announcing his new R U Still Down (Original album) for the following summer. Illmatic is an instant classic acclaimed by the whole Hip-Hop community, East to West. But five months later in September, while 2Pac again had to change his solo album plans for his group's first album Thug Life : Volume 1, The Notorious B.I.G. released his first album Ready To Die, also acclaimed by the whole community, also with a picture of the rapper as a child in the front cover, also with amazing stories told about the hood, but with a much greater commercial success... 

At the end of the year of 94, Nas was the admiration of the critics, B.I.G. was the king of New York and 2Pac was going to prison... In March of 1995, 2Pac's new solo Me Against The World was finally released, exploding the chart whilst he was behind bars...

 

The revenge of Nas : the metamorphosis into Nas Escobar...

Can these facts explain the turning point from Nas, maybe during the first half of 95, adopting his new nickname Escobar after the Colombian drug lord, and the gangster style which fits with it ? The leftover songs from late 94 - early 95, "Understanding", "Life Is Life A Dice Game", "Déjà Vu" or "Everything Is Real" still sound Nasty Nas. Maybe he was mad at the success of The Notorious B.I.G., feeling that he had stolen something from him - and from 2Pac - with the cover and the storytelling, stolen the New York crown he deserved... Maybe considering that the gangster imagery, was selling more than his pure lyricism.

His new songs, like "The Message", are full of a kind of bitterness about that. The lyrics seem to talk about B.I.G. and 2Pac... introduced as characters into his fictional gangsta stories. 


What's the catch ? Was Nas dissing The Notorious B.I.G. ?

So maybe we can understand why when 2Pac listened to It Was Written in the 3rd of July 96 (the album was released the 2nd), hearing the first song starting by "Fake Thugs, no love...", with his heavy paranoia syndrome, he took it against him and was very hurt, more than if it would have been from an unknown rapper... "And friends became strangers". He straight recorded answers to Nas with "U Don't Have 2 Worry" and "War Gamez" before filling up his new album with words against him (cf. Makaveli : Killuminati early diss album project).

Nas was hearing here and there that 2Pac was talking against him. It is probably the time - in July-August of 96 where he and Steve Stoute - a kind of Puff Daddy / Suge Knight for the Queens - decided to fire Cormega from the Firm project. The time Nas recorded a few songs where he disses 2Pac/Makaveli in the original Firm Intro "Welcome To The Firm" with Noreaga (who already entered the East/West rap war) : "Black Pirellis rolling over this Makaveli", and in "Real Niggas" (cf. DJ Clue Vs. The Firm), before solving their short lived different in early September of 96. 

Nas would have said to 2Pac he was thinking to the Notorious B.I.G. when wrote the lyrics of "The Message". 2Pac & Nas never recorded together but they were planning to do so. The Dogg Pound song, "Don't Stop, Keep Going" is the only song which can really reunite them because both of them recorded a verse for that same song (not at the same time, maybe half a year later). But Nas never recorded with The Notorious B.I.G...


 

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Oct 2, 2024

Nas -1991-1993- Nasty Nas Tape (Pre-Illmatic Collection)

  • Early recordings until the release of his first album Illmatic, the 19th of April 1994.
 
Pictures from 92.
 
### This homemade compilation follows and completes the fanmade tape Pre-Illmatic 91-94. ###

  1. 17 Years Old Freestyling (1990)
  2. Just Another Day In Projects (1991)
  3. True Dialect (1991) - snippet
  4. #1 With a Bullet feat. Kool G Rap & White Boy (1992)
  5. Live at the Barbeque feat. Main Source, Akinyele & Joe Fatal (1991)
  6. Stretch & Bobbito Show '91 feat. Akinyele (1991)
  7. I'm a Villain
  8. Half Time (Butcher Remix) (1992) 
  9. Nas Will Prevail
  10. Lunchroom Battles Freestyle feat. Akinyele (1991)
  11. Number Man (1992) - snippet
  12. Back to the Grill feat. MC Serch, Red Hot Lover Tone & Chubb Rock (1992)
  13. Represent (DJ Premier Demo Mix) (1993)
  14. Stretch & Bobbito Show '93 feat. 6.9, Sudan, Jungle & Wiz (Bravehearts) (1993)
  15. Memory Lane (DJ Premier Demo Mix) (1993) 
  16. Life's a Bitch (Freestyle) feat. Az (1993)
  17. It Ain't Hard To Tell (Large Professor Demo Mix) (1993)
  18. Gotta Get Over (Wake Up Show Freestyle) (1994)
  19. Whose World Is This (DJ Hollywood Session) (1993)
  20. Interview & Dogg Pound Freestyle (1994)

A-side (tracks 1-10) and B-Side (11-20) are more or less 40' each.

Credits :

  1. Unknown source (1990).
  2. Unreleased (1991).
  3. Recently leaked. Unreleased (1991).
  4. Johnny Blanco. Leftover from Kool G Rap's Live & Let Die (1992).
  5. Large Professor. From Main Source, Breaking Atoms (1991).
  6. From 89.9 FM (1991).
  7. Jae Supreme. Unreleased (1992).
  8. Large Professor remixed by Dr. Butcher. From Nas, Half Time (12'') (1992).
  9. Large Professor. Early version of "It Ain't Hard To Tell". Unreleased (1992). 
  10. Radio (1991).
  11. Large Professor. Unreleased (1992).
  12. MC Serch. From MC Serch, Back To The Grill (12'') & Return of The Product (1992).
  13. DJ Premier. Unreleased (1993).
  14. From Stretch Armstrong & Bobbito 10-28-93 (1993).
  15. DJ Premier. Unreleased (1993).
  16. Unknown source (1993).
  17. Large Professor. Unreleased (1992).
  18. From Sway & Tech, Best of Wake Up Show Free Styles, Vol. 1 (1994) 
  19. Unknown source (1993).
  20. Radio (1994).

Large Professor, Nas and Akinyele in '91

Parallel between Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones and Tupac Amaru Shakur...

Nas and 2Pac had their first official record the same year in 1991 as a featured artist for a group under the guidance of a mentor, old brother who will guide them forward in the beginning of their career : "Live at The Barbeque" with Large Professor's Main Source for Nas and "Same Song" with Shock G's Digital Underground for 2Pac. 

But whereas 2Pac straightly released his first album the same year at the age of 20. Nas will wait three years to release his first album, but as well at the age of 20. 

Both have parents who introduced them into intellectual and cultural world. But Nas' father is a jazz musician whereas 2Pac's mother and stepfather were political militants. Following wikipedia article about him, after having left school after his eight grade, Nas educated himself in African culture through the Five-Percent Nation (Afro-Muslim) and Nuwaubian Nation (Kemelism, ancient Egyptian mystic revival). So Nas' cultural imagery is more about African roots and mystic, whilst 2Pac's one is more about Communism, anit-colonialism and right to self-determination. What is somehow in accordance with their respective name : Nasir "helper and protector", Olu Dara "Lord is good" ; Tupac Amaru refering to the last Inca leader, to a well known indigenous rebellion leader in Peru, and to the Peruvian Communist guerilla group of the same name... Nevertheless, Tupac also incarnates an Afro king in the video of "Same Song". 

 Their background can depict well the main difference between their kind of lyricism. Whereas Nas tells stories full of images like an ancient African griot ; 2Pac's lyrics are more like political speeches with clear ideas and strong mottos. The Nas' poetry is more about rhetoric figures (metaphores, allegories...), Tupac's one about symbolism (to be entirely behind his words, to appropriate himself words and expressions).

Anyway, both of them depict themselves as rebel to America from their first lyrics (thinking to "Live at The Barbeque" and "Panther Power"). And both of them, despite their cultural background, their awareness side, they will tend to lose themselves into a gangster/mafioso persona, a commercial and nihilist shining side of themselves, which provided them money, women but attracted them in a gridlock... far from the social work goal they regularly attributed to themselves. 

Ill Will, Grands Wizard (Wiz) & Nas 

Friends & neighborhood

As we can see considering the Bobbito show of 93, from the early years, Nas promoted his friends around him like Wizard (Wiz from Bravehearts) and his young brother Jungle.

But even in his recent records, Nas dedicates songs to the memory of Ill Will. He told he was back in the days his upstairs neighbor, best friend, a DJ, and the one who introduced him in the Hip-Hop. He was killed in May 1992. 


Nas, aka the man who needs 10' to roll a blunt.
A good thing, otherwise maybe he wouldn't have this career... 


Nas and the king of the Queens Kool G Rap


fanmade tape made by gadc333
the picture is from Illmatic set in 94. 

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Sep 24, 2024

Nas & The Firm -1996-1997- DJ Clue Vs. The Firm Collection (homemade compilation)

  • 1996-1998 : freestyles, leftover songs recorded during the Firm's The Album sessions. Most of these tracks here have been published in DJ Clue various mixtapes.


Credit : Marc Baptiste

### This homemade compilation follows the beginning of the DJ Clue's Freestyles & Exclusives mixtape, completed by other tracks from DJ Clue mixtapes and leftover tracks from The Firm's album, more or less in a chronological order. ###

Nas & The Firm -1996-1997- DJ Clue Vs. The Firm (Tape Kingz)

  1. Escobar Season Begins (Hot 97 Freestyle) (1996)
  2. Freestyle (by Foxy Brown) (1996)
  3. Freestyle (by Nature) (1996)
  4. The Foulness pt. 1 & 2 (1995)
  5. Welcome To The Firm feat. Femme Fatale, Noreaga, Nature & Mary J Blige (1996)
  6. The Foulness pt. 3 (6. 456 Freestyle) feat. Nature (1996)
  7. Boss of Bosses (Firm Freestyle) feat. Foxy Brown (1996)
  8. Desperados (Original) feat. Foxy Brown, Canibus, Nature & Az (1996)
  9. The Foulness pt. 4 (Forever Fresh Freestyle) feat. Nature (1996)
  10. Everyday Thing feat. Nature & Dr. Dre (1995-1996) *
  11. La Familia (Version 2) feat. Foxy Brown, Nature & Az (1996)
  12. Take It In Blood pt. 2 feat. Nature (1996)
  13. The Case (by Foxy Brown) (1997)
  14. Escobar '97 (Clue Mix) (MIB OST) (1997)
  15. The Welcoming feat. Nature & AZ (1997)
  16. Live Freestyle On Angie Martinez Hot 97 (1997)
  17. T.O.N.Y. Freestyle (1997)
  18. Time feat. AZ & Nature (1997)
  19. Firm Biz (World's Famous Remix) feat. Half-A-Mill, Nature, Az & Foxy Brown
  20. Sosa Vs The State feat. Az & Nature (1997)
  21. Love Is All We Need (Alternate Verse) feat. Mary J Blige (1997)
  22. Head Over Heels feat. Allure (1996)
  23. Head Over Heels (Clue's Version Remix) (by Az) feat. Tone & Allure (1997)
  24. Blood Money part 2 feat. Noreaga & Nature (1997)
  25. Real Niggas feat. SE (1996)

* It'd be possible to include the Drauma version but the fact Dre raps the exact same verse indicates it was a reference track for him. The question would be to know when the Drauma version was recorded, and when Dre one...

Bold : contain 2Pac diss.

Details :

  1. Starting with Biz Markie's "Make Music With Your Mouth" beat. DJ Clue - Spring pt. 2 The Payback (1996)
  2. DJ Clue - Spring pt. 2 The Payback (1996) & DJ Clue Freestyles & Exclusives (1997)
  3. DJ Clue Freestyles & Exclusives (1997)
  4. Starting with Big Daddy Kane's "Young, Gifted & Black". DJ Clue - Summatyme Shootout Pt.1 (1995)
  5. DJ Clue Freestyles & Exclusives (1997)
  6. DJ Clue The 456 Goin 4 Broke (1996) 
  7. DJ Clue Platinum Plus (1997)
  8. DJ Clue Platinum Plus (1997)
  9. Fall pt. 1 (1996) & DJ Clue Freestyles & Exclusives (1997)
  10. Unreleased. Leftover from The Firm's album. Included in unofficial Phone Tap (?)
  11. DJ Clue Holiday Hold Up (1996)
  12. DJ Clue The 456 Goin 4 Broke (1996)
  13. DJ Clue Show Me The Money (1997)
  14. DJ Clue Manatti pt. 2, The Rematch (1997) 
  15. DJ Clue R&B pt. 2 Just Cruisin Again (1997) & DJ Clue Freestyles & Exclusives (1997)
  16. Radio Hot 97 (1997)
  17. DJ Clue & DJ Clue Freestyles & Exclusives (1997)
  18. Unreleased. Leftover from The Firm's album.
  19. Phone Tap (Remix) (1997)
  20. Unreleased. Leftover from The Firm's album.
  21. DJ Clue Show Me The Money (1997)
  22. DJ Clue Holiday Hold Up (1996) 
  23. DJ Clue & Allure's Head over Heels (Remix) Promo (1997) 
  24. Noreaga & Rufus Blaq Blood Money / Outta Sight (1997)
  25. SE single ? (1996). A song recently leaked from an unknown group from the Queens with a Nas verse dissing 2Pac. So recorded in the summer of 96, like "Welcome To The Firm".

A parallel between The Firm and Tha Outlawz

Where does come the idea of a supergroup ? It is said from Nas, his manager Steve Stoute, the production team Trackmasters (Poke & Tone, Frank Nitty, Gowdy & Richbourg) and Dr. Dre who was apparently part of the project from the beginning. The name of the group is of course inspired by the famous movie of the same name by Sidney Pollack with Tom Cruise (The Firm, 1993). 

Nothing to do with 2Pac in the formation of a supergroup. And of course the mafioso theme is more than common in the Hip-Hop world... But, from another point of view, when Nasty Nas turned into Nas Escobar (a new nickname like 2Pac becoming Makaveli) and gathered around him Az, Cormega and Foxy Brown for "Affirmative Action", and then for a whole mafioso concept with some nicknames (Escobar and Sosa, Foxy already has), we can't help but think to a more or less important influence of 2Pac and his terrorist group Outlaw Immortalz. 2Pac presented them in January of 96 in "When We Ride" in All Eyez On Me (Mussolini, Kadafi, Napoleon, Hussein...). If you add the fact that Dr. Dre produced some tracks for both albums, and that they are released on a label he founded, and over his supervision... 

What's the difference ? Outlawz is a group of young rappers, not famous (Mopreme and Big Syke neither). The topic of the terrorism, the most hated international figures - maybe with the exception of Napoleon who was not an enemy of the U.S.A. - is only a provocation against the white American ordinary way of thinking. If Escobar or Sosa could be one of them, the general topic of the Firm is about mafia business, illegal traffic. Less about political and ideological provocation and confrontation.

Sam Sneed, Nas & Dr. Dre

Dr. Dre starting to work with Nas

This picture could presumably be from summer 95 when Nas came to L.A. to record "Don't Stop (Original)" for the second album of Tha Dogg Pound (cf. Dogg Shit / West Coast Aftershock)... Sam Sneed on the picture tends to give think that. Do they have had this idea of a project together at that time ? The reverse way Ice Cube worked with East Coast Public Enemy's Bomb Squad producing team in 1990 for Amerikkka's Most Wanted and the exact same way Kool G Rap had his album Live & Let Die almost entirely produced by Sir Jinx, except three tracks by... the Trackmasters !  

Dr. Dre was clearly not at his ease in this East/West absurd war, alongside the provocative Suge Knight (Let's think to the 95 Music Awards speech), even if when he went off the N.W.A. he was kind of dissing Eazy-E. It was a personal thing. With Snoop Dogg and the Dogg Pound, he still was the leader of Death Row. Maybe something already was going wrong with the cancelling of his projects Chronic II or Dre/Cube thing. But the arrival of 2Pac probably achieved to perturb everything in the label. 2Pac was a bulky figure, very demanding, very nervous and susceptible at that time... Everything was turning around him. Suge Knight made him the new top leading figure of the label. Were "California Love" and "Cant' C Me" given to him because it was imposed by Suge ?

When Dr. Dre left Death Row in March 96, he rapidly founded his own label Aftermath - to not depend of anybody. He started to work at his compilation album Dre Dre presents : The Aftermath, in which the first track and first single was the supergroup Group Therapy one hit song "East Coast/West Coast Killas" produced by Dr. Dre. So his first act was a kind of reconciliation or "therapy" with Dre's ex-partner RBX from his first album Chronic, and above that a reconciliation between East and West coasts with also Cypress Hill for the West, and for the East KRS-One and... Nas ! 

"While childish MCs battle over coastal fronts", said RBX. It clearly sounds like a critic to 2Pac who started his "Hit Em Up" (released in June 4) by "Westside, Bad Boys killa, you know who's the realest." But both sides were reduced to the same critic : to aliment a stupid rivalry to make media exposure, instead od fompeting with their skills. This single was released the 13th of August 96, one month before 2Pac's death... In fact, in his lunatic mind, 2Pac didn't want this coastal war, that's why he launched the One Nation project in June. But the contradiction was obvious in his words and his emphasizing lyrics were perfectly used by Suge Knight to draw the maximum exposure...

The 1st of September, Dr. Dre released his own single "Been There, Done That". Which was an original beat made by Bud'da, and lyrics written by J-Flexx from the Sam Sneed's Street Scholars. So the song was presumably written before Dre's departure from Death Row... like "Everyday Thing" with Drauma from the Street Scholars reference for Dr. Dre ?

Dr. Dre & Az in the studio. Is it Sam Sneed behind ?

Az aka Sosa the first lieutenant, but what about Cormega ?

Az released his first solo album in 95, Do Or Die, a very good album, but in people's mind, he stays the perfect counterpoint to Nas in "Life's A Bitch", like Big Syke was 2Pac's one (and Stretch before him). It is not the same harmony, but their different tone of voices sound perfectly well together, a very welcome balance.

Was Az with Nas in 95 ? Could they have recorded "Everyday Thing" in 95 ? That could be... But why do they left over this beautiful song ? There are three other major omissions : "Sosa Vs. The State", "La Familia" and the wonderful "Time". The alternate version of Desperados with Nas and Foxy Brown, and the Dr. Dre remix of "Firm Biz" with Mary J Blige could have also added a lot too...

But the worst thing is for sure the ejection of Cormega... It is said it occurred because of a debt he had to Steve Stout due to his prison time (and as usual due to a disagreement at the signature about who receives what...). He was recording with Nas in late 95 and in 96 ("On The Real", "40th Side of Things"), and then with the group in 1996, of course "Affirmative Action" but also "The Familia" and "Affirmative Action Remix (The Symphony Freestyle)". In the 8' "Funk Flex Freestyle" with Nas (starting by his second "Message" verse), he presents the group and claims : "Firm Biz". So he was at this time a real member of the group.

Cormega was probably dropped around the summer of 96. In fact, he was the perfect gifted MC to give to the group a thicker identity... Like Stretch was for 2Pac, and then Kurupt or Hussein who can beat 2Pac in strict terms of MCing, and so pushed him to do better. Nas was the leader, but the rest of the group was too far from him.

The dispute between Mega and Nas went over the time and is as important for both than 2Pac with his ex-friend Stretch. If the friendship had not been destroyed, for sure 2Pac and Nas careers would have been different... It is also said Mega and Nas had an artistic dispute, could Mega have changed something to the album ? For sure, Cormega never dealt with commercial concessions. It would have kept The Firm's album in a better orientation.

Foxy Brown & Kurupt

Very early-stage for her first appearance and first album (17-18), more than 2Pac (19-20) and Nas (18-21). The same way 2Pac always wanted to work with female rappers and included Storm his Outlawz in late 95, Nas added to his mafioso group a female rapper.

Somewhere around the recordings of his album Ill Na Na in 1996, Foxy met Kurupt and they started to date each other, maybe - the story would be beautiful - when Kurupt was back in Philadelphia in summer 96 and was recording his Philly sessions far away from the Death Row tensions... At the peak time of this nonsense East-West war fueled by Suge Knight, Puff Daddy, 2Pac's paranoia, East Coast rappers lack of humor (regarding "New York New York" funny video, not offensive)... Kurupt and Daz themselves sent shots (cf. Thug Pound) but their first intentions in 95 was to have a second album with some East/West connections with "Don't Stop Original" featuring Nas and "Got My Mind Made Up Original" featuring Lady of Rage & Redman, Method Man & Inspectah Deck... (cf. Dogg Shit to Westcoast Aftershock).

Circa 1998, Foxy recorded the freestyle "Nigga Whut" with Kurupt and "Got To Get It" with Dogg Pound, maybe when Kurupt started to record his double album Kuruption! in 1997. Freed from Death Row, Kurupt like Dr. Dre reconciled East and West.

After the fail of the Firm's album, Nas went his way and Foxy felt betrayed.

For sure DJ Clue owes a lot in his first mixtapes 1995-1997 to these Firm freestyles and early tracks, with of course people around them : Mobb Deep, Capone-N-Noreaga, Mary J Blige, Puff Daddy's team.

 


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