- 1987-1990 : early recordings, pre-Interscope and early Interscope sessions.
- Tupac aka MC New-York with his first groups : East Side Crew, Born Busy, Two From The Crew, One Nation Emcees, Strictly Dope, Jungle Po$$e
### WORK IN PROGRESS. Except for Strictly Dope and Born Busy, most 2Pac early recordings are still to be leaked. ###
Tracklist - Listen in YT
Part 1 : Blueprint for a first album (1990)
with Jungle Po$$e :
- All In The Daze of a Criminal - reference track
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with Strictly Dope & Force One Crew : - Static (Raggamuffin' Original) feat. Wicked J & Cooley Ranks
- My Burnin' Heart (Force One Remix) feat. Ray Luv
- Panther Power (Force One Remix) feat. Ray Luv & Tasha Lambert
with Digital Underground : - Same Song (Around The World Mix) feat. Digital Underground
- Panther Power (Contract Live)
- Genocide (Contract Live)
with One Nation Emcees : - Fantasy feat. Ryan D
- Never Be Beat (Original) feat. Ryan D
- Panther Power (Original) feat. Ryan D
with Born Busy : - I Saw Your Girl feat. Ace Rocker - acapella / snippet / big d remix
- That's My Man Throwing Down feat. Ace Rocker - acapella / big d remix
- Terrors On The Tables - acapella / remix
- Check It Out feat. Ace Rocker - acapella / remix
- Babies Having Babies feat. Mouse Man - acapella / remix
- Freestyles feat. Ace Rocker & Mouse Man (beat box)
DETAILED TRACKLIST down the page.
The first act of the Tupac's career is usually known as "Same Song" recorded with Digital Underground in the end of 1990 for the soundtrack of the movie Nothing But Trouble. The Bay Area group formed by Shock G, Money B, Chopmaster J, Dj Fuze... had their first recording in 1987 called « Underwater Rimes » and they signed in on Tommy Boy Records in 1989.
Before meeting Digital Underground, touring and releasing "Same Song" with them in the end of 1990, signing with Interscope and preparing
- Eastside Crew (1985-1987) with Dana Mouse Smith aka Mouse Man. They met at school in Baltimore in late 1984 and started to listen music and write rhymes together. Only the song "Babies having babies" has been leaked in an acapella form with the Born Busy sessions. Probably recorded in Baltimore or New-York. A live version of "Genocide", recorded later circa 1990, has recently been released in the Dear Mama TV serie. Mouse Man has told the story of their early friendship (summarized there).
- Two From The Crew (No songs have been leaked yet). Recorded in N.-Y.
- Born Busy (1987-1988) with Ace Rocker, Dana Mouse Smith aka Mouse Man and DJ Plain Terror (at this time, they were writing lyrics for Jada Pinkett - there is a home video where Tupac and Jada feign to interpret Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's "Parents Just Don't Understand"). The leaked songs are only acapellas (except for a recently leaked snippet of "I Saw Your Girl"). Probably recorded in N.-Y.
- One Nation Emcees (1988-1989) with Ryan D and DJ Klark Gable (the two will later form the group 51.50 Illegally Insane). Recorded in Marin City. Many of these songs will be re-recorded with Strictly Dope.
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| Idea of a cover for his Strictly Dope album |
- Strictly Dope (1989-1990), with Ray Luv, DJ Dize & Chopmaster J (the last one was also DJ for Digital Underground). Recorded at Chopmaster J home studio.
- Force One Crew (1990-1991), with Wicked J (aka Julian Brooks of Mod Squad), Coolie Ranks, Chopmaster J...
- Jungle Po$$e (1989-1990), with D-Money (Danka), Playa-Playa (Bob), Wiz (Marc). Eventually a Sista (Named Mysta) aka Yonnie Stokes was probably close to the group at that time. 2Pac named her firstly in his Jungle Posse girls (in a handwritten "Dedication 4 the album" 2Pacalypse Now), maybe to Ray Luv too. 2Pac had a project of mini-album titled "All In The Dayz of a Criminal" with them, but it seems they never recorded anything together at that time - or maybe a first version of "Scared Straight".
- Digital Underground (1990-1992), with Shock G, Money B, DJ Fuze...
- T.N.T. Crew (1990-1991) : with Pee Wee, Money B...
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Tupac aka MC New York is very young here : about 15 circa 1985-1987 |
The only sessions officially published are almost the closest to the Digital Underground / 2Pacalypse Now sessions : Beginnings : The Lost Tapes with Strictly Dope (firstly available in 1997 by AIM as 1 in 21 : A Tupac Shakur Story and then by ZYX as The Lost Tapes in 2000). According to Chopmaster J, these tracks have been long time lost in reason of a firestorm in his home studio. The last 2 mixes of "Static" are presumably from 1991 and contain a sample of Shock G’s line taken from "Same Song" ("Tupac, go ahead and rock") which was originally spoken immediately before Tupac’s verse in that "Same Song".
The late 90's Klark Gable sessions have been more or less leaked from the Makaveli bootlegs era in 1997-1998. The Marin City sessions and the Born Busy sessions have been leaked later in the 2000's.
For the rest, there was a late project called "Early Years" (Project – The Early Years), but it seems to have been shelved, blocked by Amaru (if it has ever really existed). This project would have compiled a lot of tracks from these various times. There was also a project of remixing the acapella tapes of Born Busy called "Shakurspeare" (after the name of the famous dramatist that Pac enjoyed to play at the art school in New York - cf. this trailer song), but the project seems to have been shelved as well.
All in the Daze/Dayz of a Criminal - project with the Jungle Po$$e, late 1990
In these handwritten papers and tracklists, we can see that the project was really well planned. It has indifferent title "Dayz" or "Daze" (that fits well with the lyrics). Apparently, the project was Tupac writing and recording a reference song over a beat made by Kendrick Wells one day and the next day his friends D-Money, Playa-Playa and Wiz were recording their verses. But they were supposed to pay (1000 $ each ??) and they never came to record and the song was left unfinished.
The mini album was also including a solo song by D-Money ("Young Godfather"), eventually a song by the Jungle Po$$e without 2Pac ("3 Dangerous Niggas"), the original of "Scared Str8" with Ray Luv (maybe just an early mix, cf. 2Pacalypse leftovers) or "I Thought U Knew" (here titled "Leave Me The Fuck Alone"), and one song by Yonnie Stokes aka Sista named Mysta ("Rushin' Em From Richtown" / "Hear Me Tough"), a girl who will give some vocals in 2Pacalypse Now, will record some songs for the project Ghetto Gospel/4Colored Girlz Only with The Kidz in 1992 and will even record with Thug Life in late 1993 (cf. Honor Among Thugz)
Because the Jungle Po$$e didn't come in studio, maybe 2Pac used the studios (already payed ?) to record the mentioned songs "Scared Str8" with Ray Luv or "I Thought U Knew" with Ryan D.
1990 : Tupac & the Digital Underground : how do they meet ?
Tupac was recording as MC New York in Stricly Dope with Ray Tyson Luv, produced by Chopmaster J, who was then also a DJ for Digital Underground. He eventually made Shock G listen to the tracks he was doing with Strictly Dope and Shock G decided to invite Pac to tour with them. Pac firstly danced for them, backed them... The first album of the group, Sex Packets (Tommy Boy, 1990) was a huge success and the live tour was big and successful. Then Tupac dropped up his alias for a plain 2Pac (maybe first spelled 2-Pac) or 2Pacalypse.
DETAILED TRACKLIST
(Special thanks to Bomb1st members Filla and Dominator for samples credits)
DISC ONE : Strictly Dope, Jungle Posse
- 1990/11 (~). Jungle Posse Sessions. Remixed in the unofficial compilation The Here After (1999, AIM).
- Story. It is said the song was planned to feature the Jungle Po$$e. 2Pac wrote his part and other people's verses (D-Money, Playa-Playa & Wiz) and recorded the full song the first day awaiting for his friends to come the following day, but they never came to record their parts. The song was the main song of a never achieved mini-album project (eponymous or titled "The Underground Railroad"). The project had also songs by the Jungle Posse, 2Pac & Ray Luv (with "Scared Straight") & Yonnie (with a solo song ; same girl credited in 2Pacalypse Now for backing vocals ; then with The Kidz/Tha G'z in Ghetto Gospel/4 Colored Girlz Only project ; probably also the same girl recording one song or two with Thug Life in late 1993, cf. Honor Among Thugz).
- Samples :
- Ice-T - "Colors" (bassline, melody interpolation)
- 1991/04-06 (?). Released in unofficial The Remixes - A Tupac Shakur Story (1997, AIM) but not included in The Lost Tapes (2000).
- Story. It was long time thought that this was only a remix until "Fade Away" was leaked with the same lyricists... 'Wicked J' Julian Brooks from The Mod Squad (who had the album People's Park published in 1992 also with TNT records) confirmed to us through his Youtube channel that he recorded this song and "Fade Away" with 2Pac and Cooley Ranks. The three of them also sang together for the African Liberation Day the 25th of May, 1991, notably the unleaked "Neva Surrenda". Maybe they were the first incarnation of the group Force One Network before each one goes his own way and Chopmaster J formed a new lineup with Dave Hollister maybe after he lost part of his material in a firestorm of his house studio (so circa summer of 91...?).
- Samples :
- Digital Underground - "Same Song" (vocals : "2Pac go ahead and rock this")
- 1989 - 1990/10-11 (?) (remix). Original Strictly Dope version released in The Lost Tapes (2000).
- Story. The song appears in early 2Pacalypse Now tracklists circa Sept. - Nov. '90 (cf. Tales of 90's N.I.G.G.A.). 2Pac very likely thought to include a refreshed new version and not the original, like for "Misplaced Mic II (Remix)" he clearly re-recorded for it. We have a handwritten lyrics also titled "What I Would Not Do" from mid 1990, then the song is replaced by "I Gotta Thing 4 U" what became "(What U Won't Do) Do 4 Love" in 2Pacalypse Now which still has a verse of "Burnin' Heart". Like we can see on the first (on the left) and second writing of the song, the verses were reversed when 2Pac recorded the song but 2Pac still wanted his second verse to be the first one.
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- 1989 - 1990/10-11 (?) (remix). Original Strictly Dope version released unofficially in 1 in 21 (1997) and then in The Lost Tapes (2000).
- Story. This new mix adds some background elements and a singing chorus that make the song sounding a bit like Force One Network's first album. Tasha Lambert was a member of A New Beginning, backing band of Kwamé. They released together the successful album The Boy Genius in 1989. In an early 2Pacalypse Now
tracklist, she was supposed to be featured in "I Got A Thing 4 U"
alongside Schmoovy Schmoov, early concept for "Wha U Won't Do 4 Love".
We can think that instead of this song, she finally recorded vocals for
the remix of "Panther Power". 2Pac really appreciated the song he
initially rapped with Ryan D & One Nation Emcees (cf. The Early Years), the song was included in early 2Pacalypse Now tracklists with the subtitle or under the title of "Uplift The Race" and even later in an early tracklist of 2Pacalypse II.
- Samples :
- Kool & The Gang - "Jungle Jazz" (drumline)
- Public Enemy - "Rebel Without A Pause" (vocals : "panther power")
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| "Uplift The Race" verse |
- 1990/09 (~) - 1991 (?) (remix). Released in Hardcore Uproar compilation (1991) in a shorter edit and in some European versions of Digital Underground's This Is An E.P. Release (1991, Tommy Boy) or in "Same Song" or "Nuttin Nis Funky" promo singles.
- Samples :
- Aerosmith - "Walk This Way" (drumline)
- Rick James - "Mary Jane" (melody)
- Parliament - "Theme From The Black Hole" (vocals interpolation)
PART 2 : One Nation Emcees, 2 From The Crew, East Side Crew, Born Busy
- 1989 (~) - 1989-1990 (?) (live). Appears in the Dear Mama TV serie.
- Story. 2Pac played his key song from 1989 live in front of Interscope music managers in order to make a record deal for his first album.
- 1987 (~) - 1989-1990 (?) (live). Appears in the Dear Mama TV serie.
- Story. Mouse Man confirmed it was an early song they recorded together as the Eastside Crew. 2Pac played it live supposedly in front of Interscope music managers with also a verse of "Panther Power", in order to make a record deal with them.
03. Fantasy feat. Ryan D / Klark Gable
- 1989 (~). One Nation Emcees sessions.
- Story. The song was never re-used in no way, what is very rare in 2Pac's discography.
- Samples :
- Al B Sure - "Oh This Love is So" (melody, vocals)
04. Never Be Beat (Original Version) feat. Ryan D / Klark Gable
- 1989 (~). One Nation Emcees sessions.
- Story. Tupac re-recorded the song with Strictly Dope (cf. The Lost Tapes).
- 1989 (~). One Nation Emcees sessions.
- Story. Tupac re-recorded the song with Strictly Dope (cf. The Lost Tapes) and it appears in 2Pacalypse Now early tracklists as "Uplift The Race" (cf. Tales of 90's N.I.G.G.A.) and then even in 2Pacalypse II early tracklists. The song was clearly one of his favorite at that time, 2Pac rapped it many times in live events like at J-Town in Marin City in 1989 and then in front of Interscope managers for signing a record deal.
- Samples :
- James Brown - "Funky Drummer" (drums)
- 1988. Born Busy sessions.
- Story. There are also the so-called "Shock G" remix (maybe
more a Chopmaster J thing) and a good remix with just a piano playing behind
the voice, but both are incomplete without Ace Rocker's verse. Big more recently gave a old stylish beat.
- 1988. Born Busy sessions.
- Story. Recorded at a friend's home.
- 1988. Born Busy sessions.
- 1988. Born Busy sessions.
- 1987. Leaked with Born Busy sessions but Mouse Man said it was an East Side Crew session.
- Story. It is said they recorded the song in his homeroom (so in Baltimore ?). Tupac will re-use that topic for his big hit "Brenda's got a baby" in 2Pacalypse Now in 1991.
- 1987-1988. Born Busy sessions.
- Story. Unfortunately in a very poor quality. We can hear that Dana Mouse Smith aka Mouse Man was initially doing beat box for the group. Maybe some other Born Busy's acapellas could fit well over that kind of beat box instrumentals.
Produced by East Side Crew
Nigga Please feat. Dana Mouse Smith (1985)
You're Talkin, That Bullshit feat. Dana Mouse Smith (1986)
Genocide (Us Killing Us) feat. Dana Mouse Smith (1987) - live
Breakin Thru (Breakin Through) (1987)
You're A Hot Bitch (Reference for Jada Pinkett & Linda) (1987)
Stay Focused (1987) (?)
Born Busy (1987) (?)
Freestyles feat. Ace Rocker & Dana Mouse Smith (1988) - acapella
Check It Out feat. Ace Rocker (1988) - acapella
That's My Man Throwing Down feat. Ace Rocker (1988) - acapella
Terror On The Tables feat. Ace Rocker (1988) - acapella
I Saw Your Girl feat. Ace Rocker (1988) - acapella
We Work Hard feat. Ace Rocker (1988)
Lifestyles Of The Poor and Homeless (1988)
Girls Be Tryin' To Work A Nigga (1988)
T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E. (The Hate U Gave Little Infants Fucks Everybody) (1988) (?)
Fantasy feat. Ryan D (1989)
Never Be Beat (That's My Nigga) [original] (1989)
One Nation Emcees feat. Ryan D (1989)
Panther Power feat. Ray Luv (1989)
Minnie The Moocher feat. Ray Luv (1989)
Never Be Beat feat. Ray Luv (1989)
Let Knowledge Drop [remix] feat. Ray Luv (1990-1991)
Leave Us Kids Alone (1990) (?) - Kidz song ?
This One's 4 Tha Suckaz (1990) (?) - Do 4 Love freestyle ?
Scared Straight [original] (1990) (?) - identical without intro ?
Bad Mutha... (?)
wheres the download link
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