1992 - Ghetto Gospel

• Aug. 92 - late 92 : new recording sessions for a second solo album after the original Troublesome 21 project being rejected by Interscope. It will end up to Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. 
• late 91 - late 92 :  sessions for various side projects : The Kidz/Mysta project titled Ghetto Gospel which will turn into a compilation soundtrack+movie project ; W.A.T.M. (Mopreme & Mouse Man) project titled State of Emergency.
  

Jeffrey Newbury, 1992

### WORK IN PROGRESS. There are very few tracklists after Troublesome 21 album was rejected, some Kidz/Mysta Ghetto Gospel papers and nothing about Wycked & The Mouse. So we followed the "Point The Finga/Strugglin'" tracklist and we completed it with other songs recorded at the end of the year but not released in Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.. ###

Fragile / Ghetto Gospel / State of Emergency - Listen in YT

1. Holler If Ya Hear Me (New York Rough Mix)

2. Don't Call Me, Bitch (Lars DAT Version)

3. Point The Finga (Alternate Mix) - snippet

4. Black Cotton feat. Mouse Man **

5. Ghetto Gospel (Kidz Version) feat. Jesse The Kid - acapella, snippet, remake *

6. Brothers In The Pen feat. Wycked & Mouse Man **

7. Love Ya Future - instrumental snippet

8. Flex feat. Thoro Headz

9. Ghost - whizz og vibe/amarog1 og vibe *

10. Papa'z Song (Kidz Version) feat. The Kidz & Wycked - snippet *

11. Guess Who's Back (Alternate Mix) - snippet

12. The Hell Raiser

13. Strugglin' (Alternate Mix) - snippet

14. Deadly Styles (Freestyle) feat. Treach & Grand Puba

Bonus tracks :

15. Big Time feat. Live Squad ***

16. State of Emergency (by W.A.T.M.) - snippet **

17. Broken Branches (by W.A.T.M.) - snippet **

18. The Man (by W.A.T.M.) feat. 2Pac (speaking) **

* from The Kidz unreleased Ghetto Gospel project.

** from Wycked & The Mouse lost album titled State of Emergency. Mocedes aka Wycked also had a solo project titled I'm Too Big 4 The Small Shit.

*** from Live Squad's Game of Survival shelved album.

Producer - Big D The Impossible (4, 5, 8, 10), Lay Law (2), Stretch & Live Squad (1, 3, 12, 13, 15, 18), Majesty (8), Truman "Big Tru" Jefferson (6, 16, 17, 18?), DJ Pooh (9), Akshun & Special Ed (11), Shock G (7)

Ghetto Gospel with The Kidz

In late 91, 2Pac planned to record an album written by him and rapped by some kids around him. He recorded references of the songs for helping them to rap the texts. The group was simply called The Kidz. In the end of 92, they eventually changed their name to The Havenotz. In late 93, in Thug Life Volume One first idea of the project, 2Pac still intended to have them as guests (cf. Honor Among Thugz).

The Kidz were : Jesse, John, Arrington & Stanley

The Sista named Mista (very probably Yonnie Stokes who appeared in Dayz of a Criminal EP project and in 2Pacalypse Now) was not in the group but was close to them when the project was on. And 2Pac also recorded reference tracks for her (presumably "Don't U Trust Me").

Infos about The Kidz project sometimes titled "Nothin' Gold" or simply "The Kidz", by Banned of Bomb1st forum : 

Most of these unleaked songs have 2Pac featured, have been written by him and have unleaked reference track for the Kidz where 2Pac is doing all verses :

• Streets Got Ya Babies = re-recorded as "Ghost" in late 92 - beginning of 93 
• Lovely Daze = uses "Lovely Daze" sample by Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince (?)  - Snippet available
  
• Leave Us Kidz Alone = "Stop the life you save may be your own, leave us kids alone... you pushed us to the edge and its on" 
• Ghetto Gospel = re-recorded in second half of 92 for Very Special Christmas. 2 versions : "MTV Version" with 2Pac only doing the first verse ; alternate is a duet by 2Pac and Jesse the Kid.
  
• Bedtime Stories ="These are my bedtime stories, come listen to my bedtime stories...since my moms and my pops would ignore me, i had to tell myself a bedtime story" 
• X,Y, Z (Tha Kidz Song) = 2Pac is note featured and only has reference vocal take
  
• Dopefiends Diner (Kidz Version) = initially from 2Pacalypse Now leftovers given to Kidz 
• Papa's Song = re-recorded for Troublesome 21. Is the so called "Da Bastard's Mix" given as a b-side for the single the original reference track for the Kidz ? or the first re-recording intended for Troublesome 21 or after ?
  
• Streetlife ??
  

A Sister named Mysta supposed recorded songs : 

 

1. Don't Forget Where You Come From

2. For Colored Girls Only
3. Sista’z Song (reference song "Don't U Trust Me" ?) = 2Pac only appears doing reference vocals on the Reel
4. The Power of a Woman = Pac only credited as a writer

King Pin = Unfinished beat
Outta Richtown

Don't Fuck With Mysta

Hell No (from a tracklist)

Call Me Mysta (from a tracklist)

Hear Me Though (from a tracklist)

 

W.A.T.M. - State of Emergency

In the mid '92, 2Pac was working with his step brother Mopreme "The Wycked" Shakur aka Mocedes (future Thug Life member) and his old partner Dana "Mouse Man" Smith (from his first groups East Side Crew / Born Busy) to record a group album. They have recorded maybe 5-10 songs in the summer of 92, mainly with Truman Jefferson. "Brothers in the Pen" was the supposed single to promote the album (with "What Goes Around" included in 2Pac's second LP, cf. Troublesome 21).

It is said that in reason of a firefight where a child was killed in the crossfire (Mopreme could be one of the shooter), 2Pac got angry and Mouse Man would have fled back to his hometown. So the project has been buried. Eventually 2Pac tried to give "Brothers in the Pen" to Menace II Society OST, maybe in a remixed form with a new verse, then re-titled "Niggaz in the Pen". But 2Pac was fired of the cast and the song taken off. It is probably at that time he delivers demo tapes of his new solo project called "Thug Life" where "Troublesome" and "Niggas in the Pen" can be found as bonus tracks at the end of the tracklist after new songs (cf. Thug Life Demo Tape). Mouse Man being in a song of this Demo and Mopreme becoming a member of the group, W.A.T.M. could be seen as a Thug Life before Thug Life.

Christmas Bootleg Album - Fragile

After Interscope refused Troublesome 21 album in August of 92, 2Pac scrapped most of the songs and took back some to form a whole new project then titled "Point The Finga"

While 2Pac was recording and mixing his second solo album Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., he eventually thought to record leftover songs in a companion promo album.

Fragile is said to have been the title of a soundtrack compilation, with various music styles.

 

 

 

1. Circa late Aug. - Sept. 1992. "Poin The Finga".

New songs : eponymous track, "Black Kotton" (maybe taken from W.A.T.M. album), "Pac's Theme Interlude", "Guess Who's Back", "Look 4 Me In The Whirlwind" (concept already appeared but was probably never recorded) and "Barely Breathing" (that could be a first concept for "Strugglin"). So 6 new songs (instead of "Troublesome", "Still Don't Give A Fuck", "Crooked Nigga Too", "Holler If Ya Hear Me", "Don't Call Me Bitch", "What Goes On" and "Nothing But Love" - the two late ones being just replaced by new songs, the four first being scrapped probably for being too violent.

 

 

 

2. Circa Sept. 92. "Representin". 

"Guess Who's Back" initial concept song with Thoro Heads is scratched and replaced by "Flex" with Thoro Headz... (maybe the first one was not recorded yet) 2Pac thought to incorporate a Soulja "Revenge" song as the outro but scrapped it for the new interlude "(Something) To Die 4". The old concept "5 Deadly Venoms" finally founds his final title (but for sure not recorded yet). There are no more songs with Mouse Man and "Hellraiser" appears maybe instead of "Look 4 Me in The Whirlwind" concept.

3. Circa October 92. Untitled "West / East".

"Pac's Theme" became the intro. The album has a "West" side and then a "East" side, like 2Pac will record Thug Life West and Thug Life East albums in 1993 and finally have "West" and "East" sides in Thug Life Volume One. before again reunite both sides in One Nation concept album. If we try to guess the other songs to finish the tracklist, we could have of course "5 Deadly Venoms", "Streetz R Deathrow", "Souljah's Revenge" and "Something 2 Die 4" as outro. Then we would have 15 tracks. But 2Pac will replace "Flex", "Wonder If Heaven Got A Ghetto" and "Hellraiser" by "Black Kotton" and 2 new tracks : "Peep Game", "Last Wordz".

4. Circa November 92. Strictly Representin'.

"Last Wordz" does not have his final title and "5 Deadly Venomz" has a wrong Pee Wee featuring... So both should be about to be recorded.

Otherwise, almost everything is there except "Pac's Theme" which will find back its introduction place and "Something 2 Die 4 (Interlude)" which will replace "Black Kotton" (maybe 2Pac didn't want anymore the song with Mouse Man because he was angry against him...). And "Holler If Ya Hear Me (Solo)" which is not even planned yet and will be included - to answer the need of a street single - maybe at the last moment, in the first position before the planned intro.

 

 

5. Circa Dec. 92. "Bootleg Christmas Album"

The project seems to be more advanced and the new solo version of "Holler if Ya Hear Me" has been recorded and is planned to be played live. This "show" is clearly oriented towards his new album with only one song from his first album being played.

Whilst finishing his Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. album, 2Pac had the idea of an exclusive "Christmas Bootleg Album" EP that could include some Troublesome 21 leftover tracks alongside the recently dropped "Black Kotton".

 

  

 

DETAILED TRACKLIST

(Special thanks to Dominator & Filla of Bomb1st Forum for sample credits)

01. Holler If You Hear Me (New York Rough Mix) / Stretch

• 1992/11-12 (~). Released in Holla If Ya Hear Me (12'') (1993) in a shorter edit. Released in Sprite promo (2003) with the original "Riot Version" instrumental as a b-side. It is said to be the original first mix of the solo version released in Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.. 2Pac finally chose the Black Caesar Mix which Majesty claimed to have produced (with Also Nas' "Take It In Blood", cf. Majesty's song "Rapumentary" in Grand Imperial's Forgotten Chapter). Maybe the fact his name was not credited in the album nor in the single (no more than "Flex" which would also be his beat) could have made him less often wanting to collaborate with 2Pac (only in "Danger Timez" after that...).
  
• Samples :
• Billy Squier - "The Big Beat" (drums)
  
• George Clinton - "Atomic Dog" (drums)
  

02. Don't Call Me Bitch (Lars DAT Version) feat. Shock G (backing) / Lay Low

• 1992/05 - 08 (?) (new mix). Probably a remix version made for the single of Troublesome 21 album or for a B-side of Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. after Troublesome being shelved. Considering that 2Pac wears a "Don't Call Me Bitch" T-shirt during the MTV interview (92, August 21st), it means that he intended to release the song as a single at a moment. But after the album being shelved, the song totally vanished...
  
• Samples : 
• P-Funk All Stars - "Pumping It Up" (melody) 
• Ennio Morricone - "The Good The Bad And The Ugly (Theme)" (melody interpolation)
  
• The O'Jays - "Back Stabbers" (vocals)
• N.W.A. - "A Bitch Is A Bitch" (vocals)
• Geto Boys - "Size Ain't Shit" (vocals interpolation : "some of you niggas are bitches too")
  

03. Point The Finga (Demo) / Live Squad 

• 1992/08 (~). It is said to be the first recorded song after Interscope refused Troublesome 21 for violent content.
• Samples :
• Monk Higgins - "One Man Hand" (drums) 
• Parliament - "Bop Gun" (vocals : "yeaaahhh")
  
• Kris Kross - "Warm It Up" (vocals : "you can get the finger, the middle")
  
• Geto Boys "Gotta Let Them Hang" (vocals : "boom boom boom on y a black ass bitch")
  

04. Black Cotton feat. Mouse Man / Big D The Impossible

• 1992/08/24 (?). Awfully remixed in Loyal to the Game (2004, Amaru) with Outlawz and Eminem (for a song about slavery !). The "Fragile" sample could have given the idea of the main title for the compilation of leftover tracks after  Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. (cf. Thug Life Demo Tape). This track with Dana Mouse Man, his first hip hop partner, about black history, is probably the most beautiful track by the duo. 2Pac reused elements of the song for "Pain" with Stretch, one of his most beautiful rap songs.
  
• Samples : 
• Sting - "Fragile" (melody)
  
• The Headhunters & Pointer Sisters - "God Make Me Funky" (drumline)
• Star Trek V : The Final Frontier (Movie, 1989) (vocals : "I couldn't help but notice your pain")
  

05. Ghetto Gospel (Kidz Version) feat. Jesse The Kid / Big D The Impossible -  SNIPPET / ACAPELLA / Judidouggy REMAKE 

• 1991/12 - 1992/08/12 (new vocals, new mix). Leftover track from A Very Special Christmas 2 (oct. 1992, A&M), "due to legal trouble" (is that mean because of the controversy under the murder of a Texas cop by a young man who was listening to 2Pac's first album ?). Tupac re-recorded the song which was maybe just a Kidz song initially in December of 91. What is strange comparing to the acapella, verses 2 and 3 have been inverted and there is no verse 4 (which was more like the voice of an adult, like for "Papa'z Song"...).
  
• Samples : 
• Monk Higgins - "One Man Hand" (drums) 

06. Brothers in the Pen feat. Mouse Man & The Wycked / Truman Jefferson

• 1992/09/27. Said to be a leftover from Menace II Society OST which could have been a good promotion to WATM album. In fact, maybe it is the second version of the song known as "Ni**ers in the Pen" (cf. Thug Life Demo Tape) that was aimed for the compilation... In no way it is a clean version of that song. It has been recorded months before and with a totally different Pac's verse. But it is true that 2Pac was then struggling to release his albums because of violent content (cf. Troublesome 21), whereas maybe a compilation project could offer him more liberty. It is said the song was recorded for the birthday of both Mouse Man & Truman Jefferson. After that, Mouse Man & Tupac fell out and the W.A.T.M. project was scrapped.
  
• Samples : 
• ESG - "U.F.O." (melody)
• Scarface - "Murder By Reason of Insanity" (melody, drumline)
  
• Ice Cube - "Color Blind" (vocals : "they got mo love for me here")
  

07. Love Ya Future / Shock G - INSTRUMENTAL SNIPPET

• 1992/06 (?). The song appears in three Troublesome tracklists, the third one scratched with features of Mouse Man, Mystah (Yonnie) and Havoc (of South Central Cartel ?). A snippet was leaked as the instrumental of the song, but was the song really recorded ? with these featuring or backing artists ?
  

08. Flex feat. Thoro Headz (aka Dramacydal) / Stretch (?), Big D (?) & Majesty (?)

• 1992/09-10 (~). Released as a B-side in Holler if ya Hear Me single (1993, Interscope). It's clearly sounding like the released version of "Holler If Ya Hear Me" so it could be a Majesty production and not a Stretch's one. It is also the very first appearance of two Dramacydal/Outlawz members : Mutah & Big Malc (Napoleon & Edi).
  
• Sample : 
• Norman Connors - "Laughter" (melody)
  
• Jackie Robinson - "Pussyfooter" (melody, drums)
• Mountain – "Long Red (Live at Woodstock)" (drumline)
  
• Mad Cobra - "Flex (Time For Sex)" (vocals : "flex")
• Parliament - "Bop Gun" (vocals : "yeaaahhh")
• Cypress Hill - "Hand On The Pump" (vocals)
  

09. Ghost (The Streetz Got Ya Babies) / DJ Pooh - Eminem REMIX / Whizz OG Vibe / AmaroG1 OG Vibe

• 1992/11 (?). Remixed in Resurrection OST (2003, Amaru). It is the 2Pac's re-recorded version of "The Streetz Got Your Babiez", song supposedly written for The Kidz and that could have been recorded around the end of 91. It is said that this 2Pac version has many parts with Souljah's voice.
  

10. Papa'z Song (Kidz Version) feat. The Kidz, Wycked & Poppi / Big D - SNIPPET

• 1991/10 or 1992/08 (?) (Kidz vocals). Released in a 2Pac/Mopreme version in Striclty 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. (1993). Probably recorded for the Kidz/Havenotz Ghetto Gospel project. Here one can hear a member of the Kidz rapping 2Pac's first verse last words ; 2Pac would have probably kept the final dad's verse. The song is said to have been recorded in the last times for 2Pacalypse Now (but 2Pac finally chose "Rebel of The Underground") before being given to The Kidz and later in spring 92 being transferred back to 2Pac's solo Troublesome 21. But this Kidz' version never appears in any Kidz/Havenotz tracklists...
  
• Samples : 
• Norman Connors - "You Are My Starship" (bassline) 
• Skull Snaps - "It's A New Day" (drumline)
  
• Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" (vocals interpolation : "my biological didn't bother, yeah")

11. Guess Who's Back (Demo) / Akshun & Special Ed - SNIPPET

• 1992/10 (~). The song initially appears in first tracklists with a Thoro Headz featuring and is replaced by "Flex" in the next tracklist. But maybe it was then "Revenge of a Soulja" (main hook line is "guess who's back")... and that this one was recorded later (without Soulja character). Akshun will later produce "Open Fire" for 2Pac (cf. Mr. Middle Finger / Out on Bail).
• Samples :
• Quincy Jones - "Ironside" (sirene)
• Tom Jones - "Looking Out My Window" (vocals : "uh")
• Special Ed - "I'm Special Ed" (vocals : "I got a head but i ain't no screw in it")
  

12. The Hell Raiser / Live Squad

• 1992/09 (~). Not to be merged with "Hellrazor", which is a totally different song appearing firstly in mid 93 under the title of "Dear Lord" (cf. Mr. Middle Finger / R U Still Down Original). This song could be the evolution of the original concept song titled "Look 4 Me In The Whirlwind".
• Samples : 
• Marva Whitney - "It's My Thing (You can't tell me who to sock it to)" (saxo)
  

13. Strugglin' (Demo) feat. Live Squad / Live Squad - SNIPPET

• 1992/09 (~). This could be the evolution of the early concept "Barely Breathing".
  
• Samples : 
• The Soul Searchers - "Ashley's Roadchip" (drumline)
  
• Eric B. & Rakim - "Paid In Full" (vocals : "Stick up kid", "don't nothing move but the money")
  

14. Deadly Venoms (Freestyle) feat. Treach (Naughty By Nature) & Grand Puba (Brand Nubian) / Black Watch

• 1992/11 (?). Probably from late "92" as said by Grand Puba, around the time of the recording of "5 Deadly Venoms" for Striclty 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.. Considering the video, it has been said that 2Pac didn't like Grand Puba's rap, but in fact he was planning to invite him for One Nation sessions in 1996...
  

BONUS TRACKS :

15. Big Time feat. Live Squad / Live Squad

• 1992/07. Originally recorded for Live Squad's Game of Survival album (you can hear the beginning of an interlude of it at the end of the song). There are two known remixes called "Live Squad Remix", one maybe from 93-95 and the E-Money Bags version from 1997-2000.
• Samples : 
• Take 6 - "Spread Love (The 45 King Remix)" (drums)
• Geto Boys - "My Mind Playing Tricks On Me" (vocals : "i make big money")
  

16. State of Emergency / Truman "Big Tru" Jefferson - SNIPPET

• 1992/09/27 (?). Snippet extracted from a video leaked by Big Tru talking about the W.A.T.M. unreleased album. It could be only an introduction. If Jeremy "JZ" Jackson was announced to be the main producer for The Kidz album, the other Underground Railroad member Truman was the producer of the W.A.T.M. album.
  

17. Broken Branches feat. The Wycked & Mouse Man / Truman Jefferson (?) -  SNIPPET 

• 1992/04 (?). Track taken from the scrapped album State of Emergency by Wycked and The Mouse. Maybe recorded at the same period than other WATM/Truman Jefferson songs, around August of 92. But the song could have been recorded earlier considering it appears in "32 Bottles 2 Ghetto Heaven" soundtrack handwritten project tracklist in June of 92.

18. The Man (Wycked & The Mouse) feat. W.A.T.M. & Stretch (backing) / Big D The Impossible (?), Truman Jefferson (?)

• 1992/09/27 (?). Leaked by Banned from Bomb1st forum. The song is the anthem song from the shelved WATM's album State of Emergency. The chorus interpolates Boogie Down Productions "Stop the violence" with : "One two three, the crew is called BDP Wycked and the Mouse". 2Pac is only speaking on this song.
  
• Samples : 
• Scott Joplin - "The Entertainer" (melody)
  
• Melvin Bliss - "Synthetic Substitution" (drumline) 
• Sly & The Family Stone - "Sing A Simple Song" (drums)
• Boogie Down Productions - "Stop The Violence" (vocals : "one two three the crew is called")
• Public Enemy - "Night of The Living Baseheads" (vocals "lost our mind")