- Sept. - Dec. 1993 : recording sessions with Easy Mo Bee and friends for a third solo album.
- The way there was a Thug Life Demo Tape and a shelved Thug Life Original album with some alternate mixes and new songs, Mr. Middle Finger could be considered as a demo for Out On Bail album.
- Planned to be released in spring 94, said to have been rejected by Interscope for violent content, following the opening of the two justice cases against 2Pac in November and December 93.
- Source : the so-called "Cradle 2 The Grave" demo tape.
### We don't follow the alphabetical track order of the "Cradle 2 The Grave" demo tape. The Thug Life tracks "Cradle To The Grave", "Judgement Day" and "Introduced 2 The Game" have been taken off, probably on the tape only to show the beginnings of the other project 2Pac was working on. "Runnin'", "Who Do U Luv ?" and "Wonda Why They Call U Bitch" included in most tracklists were logically added. "Pain Demo" has been also added because it is apparently the evolution of the concept song "B4 U Bust" which appears in last tracklists. ###
- Hopeless (Intro)
- Bury Me A G (Rough Mix) feat. Thug Life *
- Str8 Ballin' (Angry Version) *
- Open Fire *
- Temptations (Rough Mix) *
- Lord Knows (Rough Mix) *
- My Only Fear of Death (Rough Mix) *
- Out on Bail (Intro Version) *
- Nothing To Lose (Poets Intro) *
- Wonda Why They Call U Bitch
- Runnin' From The Police (Five-O) feat. Dramacydal, Stretch, The Notorious B.I.G. & Lil' Vicious *
- Dear Mama (Scratched Chorus No Intro) *
- Who Do U Luv ? feat. Stretch
Thugs Get Lonely Too* Thugz Get Lonely Too (Gigolos Remix)- Pain (Rough Mix) feat. Stretch
- Outro (Dear Mama Lost Hook)
- Producer - Stretch (1, 2, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15), Easy Mo Bee (3, 5, 11), LG (8), Akshun (4), Brian G (6), Master Tee (12), Adario Strange (13), Frank Starchak (14)
- Chorus - Natasha Walker & Y?N-Vee (2, 6, 9, 15), AB Money & Rappin' Is Fundamental (5, 8), Macadoshis & Rated R (14)
Out On Bail demo album is the so-called "Cradle To The Grave" tape
It is said that the tape was among 2Pac's personal stuff. This demo tape clearly includes tracks from the solo album 2Pac was working on in late 93, like we can see in his handwritten papers and notebooks.
This tape was commonly named "Cradle 2 The Grave" by the first people who leaked it because of that track being included in the tape - in its original form (what added to the confusion of the whole thing being a Thug Life project). In our opinion, the song "Cradle 2 The Grave" was just added to that
"demo" tape full of Pac's solo material just in order to show Interscope the new project 2Pac and his team were working on at the same time : Thug Life Volume 1. Other group songs like "Judgement Day" or
"Introduced 2 The Game" are probably fresh recorded material aimed for that new collective project (cf. Honor Among Thugz).
Out on Bail : "The album in Stores Spring '94"
The 17th of January '94, when 2Pac released Papa'z Song single, in credits was announced the coming of a new album called Out on Bail, planned to be out in "Spring '94"... Because of the "featuring Mopreme of Thug Life" written just before, many people thought it was an anticipated title for Thug Life vol. 1 group album (and that was the reason for the fake Out on Bail Thug Life Demo, bootleg created by Dante - what intensified the confusion). It is not the first nor the last time there is a misprinted info... Here it was not misprinted, but just confusing.
In fact, when you consider carefully the handwritten documents 2Pac left in his notebooks, it is perfectly clear that "Out On Bail" was one of his planned title for his new solo album before it turned to "R U Still Down" circa January '94. There are no intermediate step within Out On Bail could be the title for the Thug Life project. Especially if we consider that circa Nov. - December of 93, 2Pac had already found the title of his Thug Life project : Thug Life Vol. 1 : Honor Among Thugz.
Another point of confusion, the Interscope serial number of the announced album as "Out on Bail" (#92360) became the Thug Life Volume One's serial number... probably because the solo album being constantly delayed and reworked (retitled R U Still Down, then Stay True), Thug Life group project became the first to get published and obtained that product number... Or Interscope maybe really wanted to announce a Thug Life album coming but was confused with 2Pac working at the same time on two different projects not clearly defined, with the previous solo sequence being originally considered as "Thug Life 2", and with this Demo Tape 2Pac gave them whose title was probably "Out On Bail" (in which there were recordings for Thug Life project)...
Why 2Pac has to give up his original concept album called Thug Life ?
Originally, Thug Life was not the name of the group, but the title of a concept double album : Thug Life / Thug Life 2 : Mr. Middle Finger, mainly a solo project, despise of various guests (West / East). These projects were more or less finished at the end of summer '93. The first one was purposed for publishing in May 93 but delayed by Interscope probably for sample clearance issues or/and already for too violent lyrical content.
Following a Natasha Walker's interview, a tape of that album (with "Is It Cool 2 Fuck" in it ; she heard the Dogg Pound listening at it in Interscope studios) was leaked circa end of Sept. - Oct. 93. It was very probably the Thug Life Demo Tape, what would explain the fact this tape and its tracks have been more or less always available in usual bootlegs. Natasha Walker told that Tupac was absolutely furious and decided to scrap the whole double project. That's why the first tracklists of his new project of solo album looks like he was trying to combine remaining tracks from both projects.
With the exchange of gunfire with police officers off-duty in Atlanta (last day of October) and then the charges for rape and illegal possession of firearm (in November)... 2Pac and Interscope decided to remake or remove songs with too explicit violent lyrics against police or women. It can sound strange when you think to "Runnin' from the Police" and "Open Fire" but the second one will finally be scrapped from the next sequence R U Still Down.
"Easy Mo Bee" sessions (October-December '93 in New York)
Thug Life West oriented original album was mainly leaked. 2Pac was still touring in New York, playing his songs live, so he concentrated on reworking his second project, originally mainly produced by Stretch of the Live Squad. He firstly tried to incorporate solo songs from his scrapped album and took off some songs maybe too violent or unsatisfying (so he firstly gave up the title "Mr. Middle Finger"). The project being more open now, he started to record new material with new producers from New York like Easy Mo Bee (Maybe 2Pac met him consecutively to the Budweiser Superfest the 20th of October where Biggie invited 2Pac to rap with him and Big Daddy Kane...).
And so the original Thug Life 2 : Mr. Middle Finger project changed a lot to include these new recordings. At the same time, especially after the opening of his fire exchange with two off duty policemen, 2Pac had to drop some songs apparently too violent : original versions of "Death Around The Corner" ; "Nothing To Lose". But later in November, with the opening case for rape, it was his beloved "Wonda Why They Call You Bitch" which was a problem... So he thought to record a softer version of it : "Wonda Wy They Call U B-I-T-C-H" (in December).
Circa October - November 93, 2Pac also began a whole new Thug Life West Coast project (which was then looking like a compilation album). So he could drop the West Coast songs from his solo album which was again a pure East Coast oriented album. The Thug Life was a featured guest in one song to promote that second project.
### Timeline ###
### Timeline ###
1. Circa early Oct. 93. Thug in Me / Street Fame
These tracklists are clearly already post-Thug Life 2 : Mr. Middle Finger sessions, right after Thug Life Original was scrapped for being leaked. It seems that "Thug in Me" was an attempt to combine remains of both Thug Life original albums ("Who Do U Love ?" was maybe freshly recorded, what gave a new title taken from its chorus). The beloved and known to be leaked track "Is it Cool 2 Fuck" is not here, but "Death Around The Corner", "Fake Ass Bitches" and "I'm Getting Money" were added. Otherwise, it looks like Mr. Middle Finger... without "Mr. Middle Finger".
One important point is the replacement of the solo version of "Bury Me a G" by a group version with Mopreme (recorded circa late August - early September because Mo speaks about his birthday). Probably the song was initially aimed to be a B-side for the single but 2Pac could have chosen to have this song in his solo album to give something to his new teammates in case the first collective Thug Life project was definitely scrapped, and in order to promote an eventually new Thug Life album to come later.
Then 2Pac added a new concept song "Street Fame" that gave a new idea of title to the project in progress (a song presumably never recorded and simply given to Thug Life group around that time).
2. Circa late Oct. 93. Untitled.
This untitled tracklist still could be Street Fame. Considering "Dear Mama" and "Temptations" have been recorded the 26th of October, so we are in the late October or maybe early November, right after 2Pac was charged for aggravated assault on cops, what could explain that 2Pac had dropped "Death Around The Corner" and "Nothing To Lose" maybe too explicitly against police...
"Only Fear of Death" was recorded at Echo studios a few days earlier, written and recorded following the death of Mental Illness (of Big Syke's first group Evil Mind Gangsta). Maybe that sad event gave birth to the idea of a new Thug Life group/compilation album+movie around the topic of a dedication to fallen friends : "Honor Among Thugz". Maybe 2Pac switched "Fake Ass Bitches" and "Death Around The Corner" to the new Thug Life project... But what about "Nothing 2 Lose" ??
The 22th of October, 2Pac is on scene with The Notorious B.I.G. at the Madison Square Garden, during the Big Daddy Kane concert. He raps one verse of "Nothing 2 Lose"... Did he then think to give the verse for a new record with B.I.G. ? "Street Fame" is now featuring B.I.G. & Mac Mall. The song is for sure not recorded, but it clearly announces the project of a song with B.I.G. what finally turned into "Runnin From The Police" a few days later, and on the other hand on the song "Street Fame" recorded by Thug Life group, without 2Pac.
2Pac strangely thought to include another old song "I'm Loosin' It" from his scrapped Thug Life Original album
whereas the other West flavored songs had disappeared... "Nothing Like
Niggaz" could be an anticipated concept idea for "R U Still Down". "Y'all Don't Know Me" was also just a concept title. He clearly tries to replace the dropped songs.
3. Circa late Oct. 93. Mr. Middle Finger / Troublesome.
Those two tracklists are almost similar with just the track order of the first side changing and of course the title. Probably because "Street Fame" was now given to Thug Life, 2Pac tried two old beloved titles (even if the eponymous track was given up).
The main thing is the introduction of two new Easy Moe Bee songs ("Str8 Ballin'" and "Runnin'"), but "Str8 Ballin'" is there with strange titles ("Hustler's theme", "Baller's theme", so maybe it was not recorded yet but planned.
"Runnin' From The Police" was probably recorded between the 27th and the 30th of October 1993, because Big Malc (and Thoro Headz) were with 2Pac after the concert in Clark Atlanta University the 31st... B.I.G. was already expected to record "Street Fame" with 2Pac. Stretch was expected to produce the song which was given to Thug Life (probably recorded around these days or why not when 2Pac was in jail...). But 2Pac could also have recorded the song the 31st after the event with the police... (but did he know they were police officers ?)
The tracklist could have been written down before or after the event with the police... the 31st of October (2Pac was arrested the next day) or in early November after going out of jail (but it is less probable).
4. Circa early/mid Nov. 93. Out on Bail 1
This time, "Str8 Balling" appears with its definitive title. Maybe the song has been recorded at the same time than "Out On Bail", with that same angry mood.
"Out On Bail" was very probably written following his time in jail, over an Easy Mo
Bee's brother LG's beat, and with Easy Mo Bee's partner AB Money at the chorus. This last recording with Easy Mo Bee crew was probably scheduled, maybe
for the recording of the intended "Nothing Like Niggaz". But the intro
reveals 2Pac was just coming out from the court where a case was opened
against him... So he was
presumably too angry to write the planned song.
This
first tracklist entitled "Out On Bail" is the most complete we have,
with no unrecorded track. But 2Pac decided for a reason to scratch "Who
Do U Love", but maybe days after that tracklist... (sample issue ? - or the lyrics became a problem after the opening of rape case in late November...).
5. Circa mid Nov. 93, the 12th. Here Cum Tha Pain.
This fanciful title comes from a famous scene of the just released new Brian De Palma's movie Carlito's Way (the 12th of Nov. 93). 2Pac probably watched the movie and recognized himself in the sad fate of the main character who does not want to remain a gangster but is condemned to his fatal end because of his origins and past.
The dedication of the album clearly shows the bitterness 2Pac had following his troubles with the justice... But are we before or after his arrest for rape (the 18th of Oct.) ? Comparing to the Out on Bail 1st tracklist, this one does not have "Who Do U Luv ?". But the track order is closer to the previous "Mr Middle Finger" and "Troublesome" ones...
The title also announces the soon to be recorded "House of Pain" and "Pain". The interlude "Mama Used 2 Say" could be something related to the famous song by Junior from 1981.
6. Circa mid Nov. 93. Out On Bail.
This second tracklist entitled "Out On Bail" presents a similar track content with "Who Do U Luv ?" being replaced by the planned concept song "B4 U Bust" (what will be turned into "Pain" and "House of Pain").
2Pac wrote at the foot of the page the planned singles : surprisingly "Bury Me A G" and "Runnin" (which were not marked in the previous states). In the back page he wrote a dedication to his fallen friends Big Kato and Mental Illness from Evil Mind Gansta (first group of Big Syke and Johnny J). He added a dedication to Joshua Torres, a sick kid he went to meet in the Maryland in mid October who died 45mn after he left, and one for Qa'id, the kid who was killed by a lost bullet when a shoutout opened during a concert of 2Pac in August 92 in Marin City. 2Pac always felt bad about that and was suited by the family in March of 93.
That dedication remind of the parallel advance of his Thug Life Vol. 1 : Honor Among Thugz, as a concept movie+soundtrack, album dedicated to the fallen friends... with 2Pac having written a short movie script around the killing of Big Kato. So it could mean they recorded many songs for it like notably "Cradle To The Grave".
7. Circa second half of Nov. 93. Troublesome / "Cradle 2 The Grave" tape
This tracklist sees the come back of the beloved title "Troublesome" and the one of "Nothing To Lose" which could be a new recording with new lyrics (what is included in the Cradle2TheGrave tape). Maybe the Brian De Palma recent movie with Al Pacino pushed him to take it back (lyrics directly referring to the previous Brian de Palma's Scarface movie : "say goodbye to the bad guy"). The first verse also refers to the pain "can't get the pain out"...
The album is now planned to have 14 tracks (what will stay in 1st R U Still Down 94 tracklist). It is waiting for the track "B4UBust" to be recorded (and maybe for Mac Mall to come to New York - awaited since "Street Fame" in October...), but the song will very probably turn into "Pain" (the handwritten lyrics of one verse are mostly similar), which would have been recorded right after the 18th of December. Same topics from "B4UBust" and "Pain" are also used in "House of Pain". "Pain" will be given to Above The Rim Soundtrack and the second one to The Notorious B.I.G.'s first album (finally leftover).
What would the 14th track have been ? This tracklist is the closest to the "Cradle2theGrave" tape where there is some erased parts of "Here We Go" (old Mr. Middle Finger song), so maybe he thought at a time to include it.
8. Circa late November. Untitled "Cradle2TheGrave" tape.
The tape doesn't include "Wonda Why They Call U Bitch". With his recently opened case for rape (the 18th of November), 2Pac had a problem with that song in which he repeats "bitch" many times and depicts a situation that strangely recalls the case... So 2Pac dropped the song but was probably already intending to record an alternate polished version for the album... what he will soon do over a sample of Led Zeppelin (which is said the same as "Hard On a Nigga").
It also does not have the planned "B4UBust" neither the song "Pain" or "House of Pain" recorded instead and given to Above The Rim soundtrack and Ready To Die B.I.G.'s album. So we only have 11 songs from the album Out On Bail. Maybe 2Pac had to show the advancement of his projects to Interscope, or somebody else, and he copied three tracks of Thug Life Volume 1 project to fill the 14 tracks album.
After the 16th of December, 2Pac is officially arraigned for rape case, Interscope probably rejected the whole demo album which had many obvious problems : any version of "Wonda Why They Call U Bitch" sounds as 2Pac speaks about the case ; "Open Fire" is too violent against police ; "Out On Bail" intro is aggressive against the justice...
And so the solo album will be given to Interscope engineers Duane Nettlesbey and his partner Norman Whitfield Jr. in order to remix it wisely.
Was Out on Bail ready to be released in December of '94 ?
It has been said that Interscope rejected the Out On Bail Demo. 2Pac could have showed them a sequence of his album, probably the Cradle2TheGrave tape. With 2Pac and Interscope officially announcing the album, we could expect that the project was more or less ready...
In fact, like we saw, 2Pac was maybe not totally satisfied with the title "Out On Bail"... Way too contextual, too provocative... Many songs of the Cradle2TheGrave tape had probably not received a final mixdown (the intros of "Str8 Ballin'" and "Out On Bail" were obviously to be taken off). Samples were probably not cleared yet (the intro of "Nothing To Lose" with a sample taken from The Chronic was probably a problem).
2Pac had already dropped "Who Do U
Love ?" (sample issue ? could be understood as related to the rape case) and "Wonda Why They Call U Bitch" was not in the Cradle2TheGrave tape. 2Pac knew the song will be a problem... So he tried a few days later with "Wonda
Why They Call U B-I-T-C-H" (we have the handwritten new lyrics). But either Interscope refused it even, either 2Pac was not satisfied and recorded "Peep Game II" upon the same topic, and then "Hard on a Nigga" over a Led Zeppelin beat.
2Pac had probably also to drop "Open Fire". The rape case was accompanied with a charge of illegal possession of weapon... Even if the charges for aggravated assault against him were dropped the 1st of December, but it could be remembered by the court... In January, he recorded "R U Still Down" with Shock G (maybe he met his old friend and mentor because of his troubles...). It gave his album a new title and a new direction.
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From Mr. Middle Finger to Out On Bail
During the process, 2Pac had moved from a violent and political Mr. Middle Finger
album (very Live Squad oriented), to a full
new thing with a much more chaotic and desperate content.
Tupac will keep on dropping songs from Thug Life original sessions in his next R U Still Down tracklists ("Open Fire", "Wonda Why They Call"), then in Stay True ("Thugs Get Lonely Too"), until Me Against The World album where only "Lord Knows" remain (supposedly in Mr. Middle Finger as "If I Wasn't High"). Some other will reappear but in totally new versions like "Death Around the Corner" or "It Ain't Easy").
- 1993/10-12 (? new mix). Leaked in Makaveli 6 Bootleg with other Thug Life unreleased songs, it could be the mysterious "Thugz Theme" listed in early Volume One tracklists... (cf. Honor Among Thugz) This interlude song 2Pac used to play live was supposed to be included in Mr. Middle Finger album in its original form. This new version doesn't have the Cypress Hill sample in the beginning ("time for some action"), and the lyrics are in the far background so the track now sounds like a musical pause.
- Samples :
- Funkadelik - "How Do Yeaw View You" (bassline/vocals)
-
1993/09 (~). Released in Thug Life : Volume 1 (1994,
Interscope). Almost identic to the released version. Included in Cradle 2 The Grave demo tape. Solo version was intended to be in Mr. Middle Finger (around
Sept. of 93), then listed as a Thug Life featuring song around
oct.-nov. in Street Fame / Out on Bail tracklists, it then re-appeared as a solo track in early tracklists of R U Still Down Original (Jan.-Feb.) and was included in the so-called "Interscope Manu Tape". 2Pac probably remixed the solo version in the early 94 for his solo album but finally decided to include the group version in Thug Life Volume 1 in March-April (it was included in Thug Life Volume One Promo). That would be why the song disappeared from R U Still Down / Stay True tracklists.
- Samples :
- The Isley Brothers - "For The Love of You" (melody)
- The Meters - "Groovy Lady" (drumline)
03. Str8 Ballin' (Angry Version) / Easy Mo Bee
- 1993/11. Different voice take than the released version in Thug Life : Volume 1 (1994), angrier. Included in Cradle 2 The Grave demo tape. It has an alternate introduction with Pac normal voice and a speach announcing "we will definitely do the Thug Life Volume". So this version should have been recorded not long after 2Pac had given up his first Thug Life album projects. This is clearly the first take of the song. 2Pac will re-record the song for his solo R U Still Down Original album (around Jan.-Feb.) before choosing to include it in Thug Life Volume One after June of 94 (included with a soulja voice intro in Thug Life Volume One Promo, cf. Honor Among Thugz).
- Samples :
- Bootsy's Rubber Band - "What's a Phone Bill ?" (melody, vocals)
- 1993/10 - 11 (? new mix). Released in R U Still Down (1997, Amaru) without major changes (laughing outro cut). Included in Cradle 2 The Grave demo tape. Akshun had already produced "Guess Who's Back" for 2Pac in Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. (with his partner Special Ed). There are leaked mixes with or without the laughing outro and an acapella with more adlibs that would have been used for Mr. Middle Finger version.
- Samples :
- Cal Tjader - "You'll Never Get To Heaven (If You Break My Heart)" (bassline interpolation)
- N.W.A. - "100 Miles and Runnin" (sound effects)
- Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - "Mickey's Monkey" (vocals)
- the movie New Jack City (1991) (movie sequence)
- 1993/10/26. Mix very close to the released version in Me Against the World. Included in Cradle2TheGrave demo tape. We long time thought it was G-Money (Moe-ZMD's teammate) singing but it is much more logical to have again AB Money from Easy Mo Bee's group giving a chorus here.
- Samples :
- Bootsy's Rubber Band - "What's a Phone Bill ?" (melody troncated)
- Zapp - "Computer Love" (bassline/chorus interpolation)
- Avalanche - "Overnight Session" (drums)
- Sly & The Family Stone "Sing a Simple Song" (drums)
- Detroit Emeralds - "You're Getting A Little Too Smart" (drumline partially)
- Redman & Erick Sermon - "Watch Yo Nuggets" (vocals : "Heyyy")
- 1993/07 - 10 (? new mix ?). First or second mix of the song, included in Cradle2TheGrave demo tape. Will be released with less singing parts but with a close music in Me Against the World (1995, Interscope). Many singing parts and adlibs by Natasha Walker maybe backed by her group Y?N-Vee. The song is said to be mostly identical to Mr Middle Finger version, even if it had the alternate title "If I Wasn't High". It is sometimes said that the very first version was produced by Stretch so it could be another unleaked version... Brian G also produced "Skank Wit' U" for Don Jagwarr & 2Pac, probably around the same period (summer of 93).
- Samples :
- The Blackbyrds - "All I Ask" (melody)
- 1993/10. Released without major changes in R U Still Down (1997, Amaru). Included in Cradle2TheGrave demo tape with damaged intro and in Manu Tape with a cleaned background. Remixed in a shorter version for Stay True, included in Pre-DR Compilation in 1995. The recording of the song probably is consecutive to the death of Mental Illness of Syke's original group Evil Mind Gangsta's.
- Recorded at Echo Sound Studios, LA.
- Samples :
- Gabor Szabo - "Breezin" (melody)
- Detroit Emeralds - "You're Getting A Little Too Smart" (drums)
- ---not sure---Lafayette Afro Rock Band - "Hihache" (drums ?)
- Mental Illness & Evil Mind Gangstas - "Livin' In The Edge" (vocals : "my only fear of death is coming back, reincarnated")
- Thug Life - "Shit Don't Stop (Rough Mix)" (unleaked) (vocals : "them ghetto niggaz is a full")
- 1993/11. Awfully remixed in Loyal 2 The Game. Included in Cradle2TheGrave demo tape. This version has an intro. Producer for Sister Souljah, Big Daddy Kane, MC Serch... LG is the younger brother of Easy Mo Bee. AB Money and Easy Mo Bee formed the group Rappin' Is Fundamental. They released together the well known album The Doo-Hop Legacy in 1991.
- Samples :
- The Meters – "Oh, Calcutta !" (bassline, melody)
- Freddie Foxxx - "Rev. Glock (D.I.T.C. Version)" (vocals : "got a nice fat glock that he stole from the police")
09. Nothing 2 Lose (Last Poets Intro) feat. Natasha Walker / Stretch
- 1993/11-12 (~). Released in an alternate mix in R U Still Down (1997). Included in Cradle2TheGrave demo tape. This version has different lyrics but the exact same beat than Mr. Middle Finger original version. It has probably been recorded at the time of "Cradle 2 The Grave" in November-December. The song included in early tracklists of Street Fame/Out on Bail
was probably the original Mr. Middle Finger version. It disappeared
circa early November. 2Pac probably loved the song but finally took it
off because of the pressure Duane Nettlesbey probably gave a new mix
with a chorus entry for Original R U Still Down project album, before Tony Pizzaro gave his own
remix for Stay True in summer of '94.
- Samples :
- Mica Paris - "I Wanna Hold on to You" (drumline/melody)
- Ice Cube - "Summer Vacation" (vocals : "my homie got shot he's a goner, black")
- Ice Cube - "Us" (vocals : "That's why I got gang related rhymes")
- The D.O.C. & N.W.A. - "The Grand Finale" (vocals : "I got robbed when I came to Cali)
- Dr. Dre - "Chronic Intro" (sampling Gylan Kain of the (Original) Last Poets - "The Shalimar") (vocals : "like we always do about this time")
- 1993/09 - 11 (~) (new mix). Recorded for his solo album Mr Middle Finger, included in Pre-DR compilation in 1995 and then re-recorded for Death Row's All Eyez on Me (1996, Death Row). It is said that the song has an alternate version with a Led Zeppelin sampled instrumental (maybe the same as "Hard on a Nigga" or a sample of "The Rain Song") with an alternate chorus saying "Why They Call U B-I-T-C-H" (probably recorded circa December of 93, cf. Honor Among Thugz). Maybe that more clean version was intended to be in this album in replacement of the original - the chorus repeating "bitch" being problem for his rape case -, or simply for a b-side. But 2Pac also recorded "Peep Game pt. 2" over the same topic, and "Hard on a Nigga" over the Led Zeppelin sample (is it the same ?) will finally replaced it in next sequence of the solo album (cf. R U Still Down '94).
- Samples :
- Paul Simon - "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" (melody/drums)
- Parliament - "Bop Gun" (vocals)
- 1993/11. Released in One Million Strong (1995, Solar) with a new hook by Radio (Long Beach rapper who can also do ragga, friend of Moe-Z who produced major part of his first album). Included in Cradle2TheGrave demo tape. Lil' Vicious is a young raggae/dancehall singer (then 14 years old) discovered by Doug E Fresh who released his album in November 1994 : Destination Brooklyn.
- Samples :
- Bootsy's Rubber Band - "Munchies for Your Love" (melody)
- 1993/10/26. Included in Cradle2TheGrave demo tape. With "It wouldn't be a damn thing without a woman" and "What did you say about my mother" samples as scratched hook. Firstly Duane Nettlesbey probably made a short mix for Original R U Still Down album, then Tony Pizarro remixed it and recorded a new chorus for Stay True / Me Against the World in July of 94. DJ King Assassin, who could be also the producer of "Real Bad Boys", pretends to have a role in this original version. Maybe he is the DJ who made the scratching chorus.
- Samples :
- Joe Sample - "In All My Wildest Dreams" (melody)
- Ice Cube & Yo-Yo - "It's A Man's World" (vocals : it wouldn't be a damn thing, without a woman")
- Richard Pryor - "Jesse" (taken from Are You Serious ? album) (vocals : "What you say about my mama, hey ?")
- 1993/06 (?) - 11 (?) (new mix ?). The original was intended to be in Mr Middle Finger (maybe even initially in Do U Luv The Thug Life ?) and was said produced by Stretch. Maybe there is another unleaked version, maybe a solo version...
- Recorded at Skyline Studios, Manhattan.
- Samples :
- The Gap Band – "Jam The Motha" (melody)
- 1993/07 - 11 (?) (new mix). Included in Pre-Death Row compilation (cf. F.T.W.). Awfully remixed in Loyal To The Game (2004, Amaru) with the alternate vocals. This version uses the same vocals than the Cradle2TheGrave tape version (what is said by Banned to be as well the Mr Middle Finger version). In comparison, this remix has many similar elements in terms of breaks, but it has the addition of a new very distinctive drumline. Frank Starchak who was a rock artist and producer for various rock bands (2nd Cousins, Toyz, Sex & Sin) could be the producer of this re-arranged beat - maybe the drumline player. Remix probably specially made for a radio version / b-side remix of a single of the album. 2Pac could have met Starchak around these times touring in New York. He might have chosen this version to be in the Pre-Death Row compilation maybe because it was already a non-Stretch mix with different elements.
- Samples :
- Prince - "If I Was Your Girlfriend (Sign 'O' The Times Tour, 1987)" (melody, vocals)
- Morris Day & The Time - "Gigolos Get Lonely Too" (vocals "get lonely too" during the hook)
- The Hollywood Edge - "L.A. Riot 2" (drumline)
- 2Pac - "Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z." (vocals interpolation)
- 1993/12 (~). Released in Above the Rim OST (1994, March 22) Cassette version and in Regulate single (1994, April 23), without the scratched Stretch line "Don't Get Too Close Cause You Might Get Shot" at the chorus. It
is said the song was rejected from the soundtrack by Dr. Dre (maybe because he didn't like to hear his girlfriend recording with 2Pac...), but was then
recut by Isaias Gamboa to be included in the movie (the clean version during the intro credits). Sweet Sable who was in Above The Rim soundtrack with her song "Old Times' Sake"
is also credited in the nu-mixx version of the song, so she could do some
backing vocals here on side of Natasha Walker. An interesting thing to notice is that Stretch also
used the beat and background vocals of her song for "Hellrazor" (cf. Mr. Middle Finger or Original R U Still Down). Considering the lyrics, this song could be the planned song "B4 U Bust" that appears in late tracklists circa Nov.-Dec. 93 (probably not recorded), which morphed with Stretch replacing Mac Mall, and the song being given to Above The Rim soundtrack.
- Samples :
- Earl Klugh - "Living inside your Love" (melody)
- Intro from the movie Star Trek V : The Final Frontier (1989) (vocals)
- 1993/10/26. This is a small hook that 2Pac is mumbling which could be heard in the acapella of the song.
BONUS TRACKS :
- 1993/09 (?). Freddie Foxxx recorded this song in 1993 for his album Crazy Like A Foxxx (published in 2008, Fat Beats). And you also can find a live freestyle with 2Pac & Freddie Fox from 1993.
- 1993/11. Supposed to have been recorded the same month than "Runnin" and "Let's Get it On". Probably the first of the three to have been recorded and the less known. It has never known a decent release. It was supposed to be included in Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready 2 Die original album. It was long time said to have been produced by Stretch but it has been recently claimed by Jesse West aka 3rd Eye who was a producer for The Notorious B.I.G. first demos. It is clearly the kind of sound he produced in his album No Prisoners in 1989 and then in 1993 in his songs as 3rd Eye, and in Notorious B.I.G. featurings "Dolly My Baby" and "Jam Session" in 1994. This last song also with Heavy D could indicate that "House of Pain", this one and "Let's Get It On" could have been recorded around the same time. A good Bad Boy remix with Joe Hooker was scrapped from Born Again. A mediocre remix strangely renamed "Living in Pain" with Mary J Blige & Nas instead of Stretch has finally been released in 2005 in Duets the Final Chapter.
- Samples :
- Ohio Players - "Funky Worm" (synthesizer)
- Wes Montgomery - "Up And At It" (bassline)
- 1993/08/19.
Live at the Sheraton, Washington DC. It has been said that there could be a studio version with that Stretch verse... Stretch probably wrote his verse to replace Digital Underground
during the Thugz 4 Life tour.
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