Oct 12, 2017

Thug Life -1994- Thug Life : Volume 1 (Out Da Gutta / Interscope)

  • September 26, 1994

   
 
 
Discogs page
Wikipedia page
Listen in iTunes, Spotify, deezer or myzuka

Eastside :
1. Bury Me A G feat. Natasha Walker (Y?N-Vee)
2. Don't Get it Twisted (by Thug Life)
3. Shit Don't Stop feat. Y?N-Vee
4. Pour Out A Little Liquor (by 2Pac)
5. Stay True feat. Stretch
 
Westside :
6. How Long Will They Mourn Me ? feat. Nate Dogg
7. Under Pressure feat. Stretch
8. Street Fame (by Thug Life)
9. Cradle To The Grave (Moe-Z Remix)
10. Str8 Ballin' (by 2Pac)
 


The patchwork of various aborted projects

The short Thug Life album gives the impression that "Thug Life" was kind of short lived project... In fact, it was probably the biggest project he had... Firstly 2Pac had the idea of a soundtrack (cf. Thug Life Demo Tape), then tried to record a kind of double album before All Eyez on Me : Thug Life Original albums Do U Love The Thug Life ? and Mr. Middle Finger. But he struggled with the release of his projects. The first of them being delayed because of sample issues (among them "How Long Will They Mourn Me"), then some demo being leaked, then with two trials, he had to censor himself and to not publish violent songs against cops... 

So he re-recorded many tracks (cf. Out on Bail) and launch new sessions for a new Soundtrack project (cf. Honor Among Thugz)... This short album is the reflect of the various steps of the evolution of the project :

- 1st sessions with Johnny J & Warren G (tracks 4 & 6 : March of 93)
- Mr. Middle Finger sessions produced by Stretch (Tracks 1 & 3 : Sept. of 93)
- new Thug Life soundtrack (Tracks 2 & 8 : end of 93)
- Out on Bail remade songs (track 10 : end of 93)
- Thug Life / Live Squad new sessions (Tracks 5 & 7 : first half of 94)
- Moe-Z final mix (Track 9 and new mix for n#10 : Sept. of 94)

Coast II Coast

Even if it doesn't really correspond to the content, to the vibe or to the producers, we can notice that 2Pac already wanted to associate East and West in his albums. In 1993, the original Thug Life concept was to record two different albums, one west coast oriented produced by Warren G and Johnny J, featuring Big Syke, Macadoshis, Rated R (cf. Thug Life Original project), the other produced by Stretch in New York featuring Stretch & Y?N-Vee (cf. Mr. Middle Finger). This tendency came back even in his Death Row years at the peak of his feud with Bad Boys with the One Nation project that was sometimes planned as an East/West collaboration but at other times as a double album like 2Pac with the east side, then 2Pac with the west side...
 
 
 
 
 
DETAILED TRACKLIST
(Special thanks to Bomb 1st members Filla and Dominator for sample credits)
 
Eastside :
 
01. Bury Me A G feat. Thug Life & Natasha Walker (Y?N-Vee) / Stretch & 2Pac
  • 1993/06-07 (~). 
  • Story. 2Pac kind of hesitated between solo and group version for his Mr. Middle Finger solo album (the other one probably for the B-Side). Both versions were supposedly recorded around the same day, according to Mopreme, so in the early recordings of the album. Then 2Pac chose this group version to promote the group Thug Life in his then forthcoming solo album project Street Fame / Out on Bail, then went back to the solo version (cf. R U Still Down '94) probably when Volume 1 was enough advanced, before definitely chosing to transfer the song in Volume One in February '94. In late 94, he will also record a new version with Dramacydal for Young Thugz EP, almost released as a b-side to Hard 2 Imagine planned single (cf. Dramacydal LP).
  • Studio : recorded at Echo Studio, CA. 
  • Samples : 
02. Don't Get it Twisted (by Thug Life) / Pro-Jay & Mopreme
  • 1993/11 (~). 
  • Story. Very probably recorded around the time they recorded original version of "Cradle 2 The Grave" also produced by Pro-Jay, and other Thug Life songs ("Anotha Jack" and "Out Da Gutta", what gave birth to the Out Da Gutta label in November 13). Both songs appear in first Volume 1 draft tracklist, Honor Among Thugz. Professor Jay with his group Da Nayborhoodz released the album Afta Dark... Illa Than Expected in 1995 with Macadoshis and Rated R as Double Jeopardy in featuring. But it was very likely mostly recorded around that time in 1993, even before these songs. Macadoshis clearly refers to that album in his verse. Pro-Jay also produced for En Vogue, Thicke, Mya or Usher.
  • Studio : presumably recorded at Blue Palm Studios, North Hollywood. 
  • Samples : 
03. Shit Don't Stop feat. Thug Life & Y?N-Vee / Stretch & Mopreme
  • 1993/10 (~) (new verses ? new chorus). 
  • Story. Originally recorded as a solo song in Aug.-Sept. of 93 for Mr. Middle Finger, as "Here We Go". The solo version does not appear in any Out On Bail tracklists in October so 2Pac might have recorded this group version in the beginning of October (not credited to Echo studio, supposed place where he recorded "Here We Go"). At that time Y?N-Vee were recording their album (with "Don't Leave", cf. Y?N-Vee), and were planned to be in Thug Life project also with "Fake Ass Bitches (Y?N-Vee Version)" (cf. Honor Among Thugz). Mopreme was then working with Stretch on Mr. Middle Finger (and also on Stretch/Live Squad's new project : "Hurts The Most" and maybe the unheard track "Pay Me", cf. Diary of a Poor Man / Ghetto Blues). The group will record a Single/Video new version with new lyrics in 95 and without 2Pac as a tribute for him being incarcerated (cf. Rarities).
  • Studio : presumably recorded at Blue Palm Studios.
  • Samples : 
    • Parliament - "Aqua Boogie"  (melody, bassline, vocals)
04. Pour Out A Little Liquor / Johnny J
  • 1993/01 (~) - 11 (sample replayed). 
  • Story. Recorded for Thug Life Original Album (but we don't know if the mix was similar). Then given to Death Row's Above The RIM soundtrack in late 1993. They will shoot a video for the song and also record a radio version with alternate clean lyrics maybe in early 94.
  • Studios : Recorded at Echo Studio, CA.  
  • Samples :
    • The O'Jays - "Cry Together" (melody interpolation)
    • The Honey Drippers (70's Funk) - "Impeach The President" (drumline interpolation)
    • Spice 1 - "Welcome to the Ghetto" (vocals)
05. Stay True feat. Mopreme & Stretch / Stretch & 2Pac
  • 1994/04/30 (~). 
  • Story. 2Pac is describing him enjoying time in car drinking with his friends, and having just caught a third justice case in his second verse (he was arrested for speed with Mopreme in April 29 with also a weapon). Until late August of 94, the song was still the title track of 2Pac solo 3rd album. But Interscope having refused "Runnin' (Brown Man Thug Life Version)" for the Thug Life album for being too violent (cf. Honor Among Thugz), and the song being one of the strongest, probably 2Pac quickly chose one of his better songs to replace it, what led him to totally refund his solo album without the song.
  • Studio : recorded at Westlake Studios, LA, mixed at Encore Sound Studios, North Hollywood, CA.
  • Samples :
Westside :
 
06. How Long Will They Mourn Me ? feat. Thug Life & Nate Dogg / Warren G & Nate Dogg
  • 1993/04 (~) - 1994/01 (?). 
  • Story. Recorded for Thug Life Original Album but with a slightly different beat. Banned from Bomb1st said the sample was difficult to clear and it led the whole project to be greatly delayed or eventually shelved. The song is not announced in Thug Life Volume 1 : Honor Among Thugz in late 93, so maybe the second mix has been made after that in early 94.
  • Studios : Recorded at Echo Studio, CA. 
  • Samples :
07. Under Pressure feat. Stretch / Stretch & 2Pac
  • 1994/05 (~). 
  • Story. It is said the song was initially a Live Squad song intended to be in their second album Diary of a Poor Man (like "God Bless The Dead" and unreleased "Danger Times", "It Hurts The Most"), before Stretch gave the song for the Thug Life album. 2Pac talks about his time in a jail cell, presumably after his 7 days in May 10-17 of 1994 for having beaten up Allen Hughes.
  • Studio : recorded at Westlake Studios, LA, mixed at Blue Palm Studios, North Hollywood, CA. 
  • Samples :
08. Street Fame (by Thug Life) / Stretch
  • 1993/11  (~). 
  • Story. Originally the title song for 2Pac 3rd solo album around October of 93 (after Mr. Middle Finger original project being dropped), it was supposedly a song with The Notorious B.I.G. as a featured artist. Nothing indicates that a 2Pac version has ever been recorded because it disappeared from Out on Bail tracklists right after "Runnin'" was recorded the 29th of October. So we could assume that after having finally chosen an Easy Mo Bee beat to record with B.I.G., he gave the planned beat and concept to the group. Another possibility is that they recorded this song without 2Pac the day he was arrested after having shot at the drunk off-duty cops that morning of the All Saints day in Atlanta. Maybe a studio session was already booked, that would be the reason they recorded this first song without him.
  • Studio : presumably recorded and mixed at Blue Palm Studios, CA.
  • Samples :
09. Cradle To The Grave feat. Thug Life (Remix) / Pro-Jay REMIXED By Moe-ZMD
  • 1993/11 (~) - 1994/08 (new mix). 
  • Story. In promo version of Thug Life Volume One in summer of 94 (cf. Honor Among Thugz), it was still the original version of the song produced by Pro-Jay of Da Nayborhoodz. 2Pac started to work with Moe-Z in August, at the last moment before the release of the Thug Life album. Moe-Z who produced at that time a very good album with West coast rapper Radio, Recognize da Real, who is also doing the hook of the third last "Runnin" version released in One Million Strong in 1995.
  • Studio : presumably recorded at Blue Palm Studios, CA, remixed at Soundcastle, Santa Monica, CA.
  • Samples :
    • Quincy Jones - "Ironside" (sirene)
    • The Nite-Lighters - "Damn" (drums)
    • Kool & The Gang - "N.T." (drums)
10. Str8 Ballin' / Easy Mo Bee
  • 1993/11/02-03 (~) - 1994/01 (new take ?) - 06-08 (new intro). 
  • Story. Originally recorded during Easy Mo Bee sessions for 2Pac solo album Out on Bail. According to LG, 2Pac recorded the song the night following "Out On Bail". We can hear the same rage, understandable after being stuck in jail for having shot at two off duty drunk cops harassing a black man... The song appears earlier in tracklists as concepts "Hustler's Theme" and "Baller's Theme" and 2Pac already asked Easy Mo Bee to work a beat with that Bootsy Collins' sample. After jail, 2Pac was probably too upset to write a whole new song, that could be the reason why he reused his lyrics from "I'm Gettin' Money" (cf. Thug Life Demo). According to Easy Mo Bee, 2Pac recorded many vocal takes for the song. A less angry one in early '94 for R U Still Down / Stay True, and then circa June for Thug Life Volume 1 (there was an alternate mix in Volume One Promo). The song seems to have replaced "Ready 4 Whatever" or "Thugz Theme" in the album (cf. Honor Among Thugz).
  • Studio : recorded at Unique Studios, NY, mixed at Blue Palm Studios, North Hollywood.
  • Samples : 
 
 
 
By at
Labels:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)