1994 - Honor Among Thugz + Exodus (Thug Music leftovers)

  • Thug Life Volume 1 sessions : end of 93 - beginning of 94
  • Dec. 93 : first project of Thug Life as a group or compilation, initially thought as a compilation/soundtrack with a short movie, like Live Squad's Game of Survival or Snoop's Murder Was The Case.
  • May 94 : project of a compilation of leftover tracks from solo album and from Live Squad's Thug Life East.
  • sources : Makaveli 6 ; Thug Life Vol. 1 Promo
 

Pictures by Mike Miller in early 94
notably used for Thug Life Volume One covers & booklet

TRACKLIST - Listen in YouTube

### These titles refer to the earliest state of two different projects, what respectively became Volume One in mid 94 and R U Still Down / When I Get Free Pre-Death Row compilation project in 1995 (what eventually turned into official R U Still Down compilation). The first tracklist re-organizes Makaveli 6 bootleg and tries to complete it following the tracklist we have. The second one follows the available tracklist. ###

Disc One, Westside : HONOR AMONG THUGZ

1. Prelude (Justice) *
2. Ready 4 Whatever *
3. Judgement Day feat. Dee Tha Mad Bitch & Stretch
4. Anotha Jack *
5. I Get Around (Wicked Mix) feat. Digital Underground
6. Fake Ass Bitches (Woman Version) feat. Yesz (Y?N-Vee) *
7. Animosity feat. Richie Rich & The Govenor - studio session / remake
8. Cradle 2 The Grave (Pro-Jay Version) **
9. Thug Bitch feat. Yonnie Stokes *
10. How Long Will They Mourn Me (Alternate Mix) feat. Nate Dogg **
11. Introduced 2 Tha Game (by Dramacydal)
12. Mind of a Bad Boy feat. Dee Tha Mad Bitch & Eddie The Jamaican Guy
13. I'm Losin' It feat. Spice 1 *
14. Is It Cool 2 Fuck (Short Version) *
15. Out The Gutta *
16. 
 
Bonus Tracks :
17. Killa feat. Ray Dog & Freddie Foxxx
18. House of Pain feat. Stretch & The Notorious B.I.G.
 
Rap - 2Pac, Big Syke, Rated R, Macadoshis, Mopreme 
Backing Vocals - Natasha Walker of the Y?N-Vee (14), Rated R (6)
Producer - Johnny J (2,6,13,14,16), Stretch (3,11), Pro-Jay (1,4,8,9,15), Warren G (7,10), Shock G (5), Dobbs Tha Wino & DJ King Assassin (12)
 
Disc Two, Eastside : EXODUS
 
1.
2. Fuck All Y All (Rough Mix)
3. Can't Turn Back feat. Blackjack & Spice 1
4. God Bless The Dead feat. Stretch
5. Hold On, Be Strong
6. Open Fire
7. Nothin' To Lose (Pizarro Draft Mix)
8. Peep Game pt. 2 - remake
9. Hennessey feat. Big Syke & Mopreme - remake
10. R U Still Down (Raise 'Em Up) *
11. Hopeless (Interlude) *
12. Runnin' (Memories Version) feat. Dramacydal, Stretch, The Notorious B.I.G. & Brown Man **
13. Where Do We Go From Here ? feat. Y?N-Vee

Bonus Tracks :
14. Pain (Radio Version) feat. Stretch
15. Loyal To The Game (Radio Version) feat. Treach & Riddler
16. Danger Times feat. Live Squad
17. It Hurts The Most feat. Stretch & Mopreme
18. Dead Homies Freestyle feat. The Notorious B.I.G.
19. I'd Rather Be Ya Lover (Rough Mix) feat. Madonna
20. Don't Leave feat. Y?N-Vee - snippet
 
Backing Vocals - Stretch (5,8), Natasha Walker (7,13,14,20),
Producer - 2Pac (2,13), Stretch (4,6,7,8,9,11,12,14,16,17), Duane Nettlesbey (4,11), Easy Mo Bee (6), Tony Pizarro (2,7,10,13), Choo (5), Reginald Heard (15), Doug Rasheed (20), Blackjack (3), Dave Hall (19)

* included in Makaveli 6 bootleg album (leaked in 1998)


 Unused pictures from Mike Miller,
could illustrate a Volume II of Thug Life or the Exodus compilation...

Very famous picture from this set.




Pictures of the Promo version of Thug Life Volume One, before "Runnin" being dropped

 

 From left to right : Mopreme, Macadoshis, Tupac, Big Syke, Rated R

 This picture has been modified to have the lyrical content advisory
and the "Surviving In America" kind of title. Who made this ?

A thousand legends about Thug Life Volume 2 - so many fakes...

Many bootlegs have been leaked with the title of "Thug Life 2". But most of the songs on those are often taken from Thug Life Demo Tape, from Thug Life Original or from these main Thug Life Volume 1 sessions. Most of the tracks in Thug Life Volume 1 were old tracks renewed (except "Under Pressure" and "Stay True", which were recently recorded - circa March of 94 - for Live Squad's album Diary of a Poor Man or for 2Pac's solo album Stay True). "Stay True" doesn't even appear in the Thug Life Promo Cassette. 2Pac released it in Volume 1 at the last minute, in replacement of "Runnin' (Memories Version)' feat. Brown Man, probably refused by Interscope due to his violent content against the police... 

This set of pictures are maybe from a different later session
It has often been used as a cover for Thug Life 2 bootlegs

What could have been Thug Life : Volume II if 2Pac hadn't been shot ?

Tracks that could have made the cut of that Volume 2, among other :

Hopeless, Is It Cool 2 Fuck, High Til I Die, Thug Life, I'm Loosin' It, Read 4 Whatever, Out The Gutta, Anotha Jack, Judgement Day, Hurts The Most, Hold On, Runnin'

Another possibility could be to add some songs recorded with Stretch and Dramacydal, mainly for the project titled Young Thugz EP (cf. Dramacydal) : 

The Heat, Late Night (Young Thugz Version), Don't Make Enemies With Me, "Bury Me A G pt. 2, Thug Life (Young Thugz Version), Addicted 2 The Streets, Thug Style, When I Get Free, Runnin' (Moe Z Remix), Killing Fields, Where Will I Be...

From left to right : Big Syke, Mopreme, Tupac, Macadoshis, Rated R

After N-Y Quad shooting, maybe 2Pac could have had the idea of editing out Stretch's verses and remixing his music (like he did for "So Many Tears" or for Dramacydal's "Late Night", cf. Dramacydal). But he was already busy enough with his solo album. And then, he was preparing a compilation of leftover tracks and not a Volume II.


Considering the fact that Thug Life was specifically Big Syke, Mopreme, Rated R & Macadoshis, and that in 94, Rated R and Macadoshis haven't recorded any songs with 2Pac, and Syke only "Hennessey"... the highest probability would be to imagine that 2Pac would have recorded new tracks with his team in 95. And That is exactly what he did when he went out of prison : he and Syke started a full new Thug Life project album called Outlaw Immortalz : Thug Life Volume 2.


This shooting with Mike Miller seems to illustrate a kind of cinematographic scene

THUG LIFE, the movie & the soundtrack : Volume 1 : "Honor Among Thugz"

In the late of 93 / beginning of 94, 2Pac seems to have had the idea of making a short movie+soundtrack to illustrate the concept of Thug Life (idea he already had in early 93, cf. Thug Life Demo). Stretch and Live Squad had tried to release that kind of project in 1992 with Game of Survival but Tommy Boy shelved their album... Snoop will do the same one year later with his Murder was the Case (late 94). 

The title figures a kind of dedication to fallen friends like Kato and Mental Illness, respectively killed in Apr.-May and October 93. Tupac also wrote the names of Joshua and Qu'Aid in the back page of a tracklist around that time (cf. Out On Bail) - the second one could be the kid killed by a dead bullet in a firefight in 92, cf. W.A.T.M. project and Ghetto Gospel). Many songs speak about that topic like "Pour Out a Lil Liquor", "How Long Will They Mourn", "Bury Me A G", "Cradle 2 The Grave", "Judgement Day"... And 2Pac was maybe still in this perspective when he recorded "Where Do We Go From Here" and "God Bless The Dead". 

Mike Miller's pictures and words from him about that photography session tend to illustrate that short-lived project. To have an idea of the kind of project 2Pac could have, we can also watch the video clip he directed for his friend Mac Mall circa Autumn 93 : Ghetto Theme, where we also have a scene of dice game which ends badly, a burial ceremony, and Stretch and 2Pac about to kill each other...

 An argument upon the dice game,
like in Mac Mall's "Ghetto Theme" video clip directed by 2Pac ?

The scenario for the movie "Honor Among Thugz" : in the memory of Kato.

These are the pages following the handwritten concept tracklist/guestlist titled "Honor Among Thugz". It tells the story of Kato's death. Is it close to what really happened ? There are for sure many differences : Mopreme was not with 2Pac and Thug Life in Apr. 96, 2Pac just gave him a role. 2Pac turns that episode happened during Thug Life genesis into a typical ghetto tragedy : party, drug & alcool, gang fuss and traps, car chase, firefight car, police, burial ceremony, pain...

Kato was a kind of music manager for Evil Mind Gangsta and maybe also for Thug Life. After his death, in late 93, 2Pac got close to The Haitian Jack and Jimmy Henchman, who were half gangsters, half music managers. Both have a decisive role in the troubles 2Pac got in... The first one was one of the people who for sure raped Ayanna Jackson in Shakur's hotel room, and was finally not sentenced for that... Jimmy Henchman admited to have organized the Quad studios ambush in November 94 where 2Pac was shot and after what he totally fell in paranoia, began the war with B.I.G. and the East coast... 2Pac won't forget them in the lyrics of "Against All Odds", speaking of revenge... We could assume that Tupac greatly lacked a trustful protecting figure in music business following the death of Kato. Not sure Suge Knight was the perfect guy for that... Big Syke after leaving Death Row will return to T.N.T. Recordings, maybe a more secured label, led by Atron Gregory who managed Digital Underground and 2Pac two first albums.

A Volume 2 original idea also a movie+soundtrack about Mental Illness ?

Considering the scenario of this Volume 1, we could imagine that 2Pac would have wanted to dedicate the second volume to the memory of their other died friend, Mental Illness, whose voice appears in "Only Fear of Death" but also in "Street Fame". Mental was a member of Syke's group Evil Mind Gangsta and not of Thug Life. But his death and his lyrics had a strong influence on Shakur's writing and evolution, notably his obsessional pre-feeling of death. It has been said Mental committed suicide. So this second volume could have tried to capture life in the ghetto in a more intimacy point of view : loneliness, paranoia, friendship betrayal, love deception, deceptive fame...

1. Circa December 93. Volume 1 "Honor Among Thugz" (the movie & the soundtrack)

The five listed songs are Thug Life Original + 2 new songs recorded circa November with the full group (with Mopreme) and produced by Pro-Jay : "Don't Get It Twisted" and "Cradle 2 The Grave" (so he could be the main producer at that time for the group songs).  


The guest list indicates it could include songs like "House of Pain" with Biggie (or already "Runnin" but it was still in 2Pac's solo tracklists at that time), "Introduced 2 The Game" with Thoro Headz (Dramacydal), "Lie 2 Kick It" or "Animosity" with Richie Rich & The Gov (or why not, the Gov version of "Po Nigga Blues" but it has probably been recorded much later), "I'm Loosin' It" with Spice 1 ("Can't Turn Back" not recorded yet), "Fake Ass Bitches" with Y?N-Vee ("Where Do We Go From Here" not recorded yet)... 

 

The Havenotz is a new name for the Kidz (who with he had the Ghetto Gospel project in 1992). "Thug 4 Life" and "Ghost" could be reference tracks recorded for them in 93 (that's why 2Pac say "Havenotz in this muthafucker" in "Thug 4 Life")... "How Long Will They Mourn Me" does not appear here, neither Nate Dogg as a guest, so maybe the song was not remixed yet (to avoid sample clearance issues - cf. Thug Life Original).

 

Tupac laughing, Yonnie in the background

Let's notice that this guest list doesn't mention Yonnie, the girl who is with them during the Mike Mille shooting... Yonnie is probably not among the scrapped names. She would have appeared more likely in the starring section with other Thug Life members ; and her name and known nickname "A Sista Named Mista" don't look like what is written.

 

Yonnie Stokes watching the dice game 

On the other hand, Dee The Mad Bitch of Bo$$ could be one of those scrapped guests... A possible version of the story could be that 2Pac firstly intended to have Dee on his Thug Life project (they had recorded "Judgement Day" at that time, included in Cradle2TheGrave demo tape, cf. Out On Bail). But something happened and she was finally removed : the song "Judgement Day" totally vanished and Stretch re-used the beat for "Wrong Nigga" for his album (cf. Ghetto Blues).

Yonnie Stokes drinking whilst men are along the wall...

Therefore, this is maybe right after this tracklist and Dee being out of the project that 2Pac invited Yonnie Stokes to join the project (he knew her from his beginnings with the Dayz of a Criminal EP and who was part of 2Pacalypse Now and from Ghetto Gospel project). During the Mike Miller shooting, she was a kind of member, like Storm will be for the Outlawz. So the song "Thug Bitch" was recorded after this tracklist being written. But finally, Yonnie was not signed with the group and left them not long after that.   


This strange place with these tomb and prayer drawings tend to illustrate the topic of Thug Life : death, life after death, beliefs...

 

2. Circa Apr.-May of '94. Thug Life / Exodus (EP tracks & B-sides)

While Tony Pizarro started to produce songs for 2Pac ("High Til I Die" and "R U Still Down (Raise Em Up Remix)" - the two having similar kind of sound), Stretch produced new songs : "Stay True", "God Bless The Dead", "Pain Remix", "Under Pressure", "Peep Game 2"... "Hold On" is also a new song ("Fuck the World" is scrapped, is the song really exist at that time ? maybe just a lyric, or maybe a Pizarro beat and not a Shock G's one...?). 

The Thug Life album is starting to look like the final product mixing the old west coast project with the new east oriented Stretch productions. "Bury Me A G" has been transferred from solo project to the group album. Why are "Ready 4 Whatever" and  "God Bless The Dead" finally scrapped ? Maybe the first had too violent lyrics whereas the other one was too dark... or Stretch wanted to have it in his album... Maybe there would have been too many songs about death... Anyway it is now a group album, most of the guests have disappeared except Y?N-Vee, The Notorious B.I.G., Thoro Headz and Nate Dogg. 


"EP tracks & B-Sides 4 2Pac". With all these aborted projects and these new sessions modifying his solo album, 2Pac felt the need of a compilation companion to collect the songs he will not put in his album. But most of them are taken from the beginning of 94 Stretch/Duane/Pizarro sessions. The fact that "God Bless The Dead" now appears in this 2Pac compilation, that "Runnin'" has made the reverse way, indicate how everything could be switched from one project to the other.

 
 

3. Circa April-May '94. 

Same list but different track order. "Thug'z Theme" (maybe "Hopeless") is still here. Pro-Jay still appears as producer with his two songs ("Twisted" and of course his version of "Cradle 2 The Grave" - Moe-Z's remix is from August), but not Warren G nor Easy Mo Bee...

4. Circa June-July. Thug Life Promo. 

This time, "Thug's Theme" has been replaced by "Str8 Ballin'" (which disappeared around that time from Stay True tracklists).

 

5. August of '94. Retail album. 

Interscope probably rejected "Runnin' From The Police" and 2Pac replaced it quickly with another east oriented song and one of the best songs he had : "Stay True". Moe-Z was also starting to produce for him and Tupac was probably impressed by his remix of "Cradle 2 The Grave".


6. Late 94 - 95.

It is possible that Stretch and 2Pac keep on thinking to make a Volume Two until the Quad shooting in November of 94. The Exodus compilation then turned into the "R U Still Down / When I Get Free" pre-Death Row compilation (cf. F.T.W.). 


DETAILED TRACKLIST :
(Special thanks to Bomb 1st members Filla and Dominator for sample credits)

DISC ONE : HONOR AMONG THUGZ (WESTSIDE)
 
01. Prelude (No Justice, No Peace) / Johnny J (?) or Pro-Jay (?)
  • 1993/11 (~). This interlude will be included in Stay True mixtape (mid 94). But it is obviously an introduction for "Ready 4 Whatever" (that is not in). Was this interlude recorded for Thug Life Original in early 93, or for that early version of Volume 1 in late 93 ? This could be the case because "Ready 4 Whatever" is listed in Thug Life Original promo tape with the same duration than the song without the intro... Moreover, the song is often listed as #1 in tracklists so this little intro could correspond to that.
02. Ready For Whatever feat. Big Syke / Johnny J
  • 1993/04 - 11 (~) (new mix ?). Released in R U Still Down (1997). The song was in Thug Life Original album in early '93, and is then planned to be in Thug Life Vol. 1 (leftover for its lyrics ?). It seems the "Justice intro" was not in Thug Life Original (considering the duration of the track). The interlude can be heard in the beginning of this song, the song itself could have been reworked for that occasion. On the other hand, Johnny J didn't work with 2Pac after the first half of 93 (busy with his own album I Gotta Be Me), so the original is probably very close to that one.
  • samples :  
    • Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson - "1980" (melody)

03. Judgement Day feat. Dee Tha Mad Bitch (Bo$$), Mopreme & Stretch / Stretch

  • 1993/11 (~). 2Pac's verse has been re-used for the Eminem's remixed song "Soldier Like Me" in Loyal To The Game (2004, Amaru). Included in "Cradle2TheGrave" tape, the song could also be originally aimed for the solo album (cf. Out On Bail). Dee Tha Mad Bitch was the original partner of Lady the Boss in Bo$$, but she left (it is said Lady was getting paranoiac) before the release of the album (that's why she is just featured in a hand of songs, cf. Born Gangsta). It is said 2Pac wanted to have in his Thug Life project (that's probably why he's inviting her to rap before the second verse of "Fake Ass Bitches female version"), but she could have declined. 2Pac always wanted to promote female rapping (like Yonnie Stokes since Dayz of a Criminal EP project) and to form a female rap group (like he will do with Ganksta Bytch Mentality with Sylk-E Fyne in 1996, cf. Lil'Homies Compilation project). The music of this song will be re-used by Stretch in "Wrong Nigga" for his unreleased Live Squad's Ghetto Blues album recorded in 93-94.
  • Samples :
04. Anotha Jack (by Big Syke, Mopreme, Macadoshis & Rated R) / Pro-Jay (?)
  • 1993/11 (~). You can hear the song "I get around" playing in the background at the end.

05. I Get Around (Hot Wicked Mix) feat. Digital Underground / Shock G REMIXED By Edwin Bautista for Wicked Mix & Dr. Mix for Hot Mix Show

06. Fake Ass Bitches (Y?N-Vee Version) feat. Yesz (Y?N-Vee) & Rated R (chorus) / Johnny J

  • 1993/11 (~). As "Po' Nigga Blues" for The Govenor, 2Pac has recorded the song for himself (cf. Thug Life Demo Tape) and then finally offered it to Yesz, one of the female rapper of Y?N-Vee (Vayne has a totally different style but it could be also Nic-Nam whose rap is very similar). He is only speaking between the verses. His speaking voice will be added to the remix of Pac's version released in R U Still Down (1997). Listening to 2Pac, it seems that the second verse was supposed to be given to Dee Tha Mad Bitch. Probably Yesz rapped her part waiting for her to come (like 2Pac in "I Get Around Demo" ). Either Dee never came (and it was the end of her in the project), or she recorded a verse for "Judgement Day" instead.
  • Samples :

07. Animosity feat. Richie Rich & The Govenor / Warren G - EDIT REMAKE

  • 1993/05/01. Recorded during the Thug Life Original sessions over the same instrumental than "Lie 2 Kick It". Maybe this was a first intended song for the album before it turned to "Lie To Kick It". The song itself, or at least verses and hook appear in the video footage of this day of recording (made by Blackwatch TV ?). Richie Rich and The Gov were listed as guests in Honor Among Thugz tracklist (but it could be for another songs, maybe "Lie 2 Kick It", "Gaffled Remix", "Po Nigga Blues (Gov Version)"...). Would 2Pac have only a hook in this song ? Some edits add his freestyle verse from "Animosity freestyle" but it does not fit well.
  • Samples : 

08. Cradle 2 The Grave (Original) feat. Mopreme, Rated R, Macadoshis & Big Syke / Pro-Jay & Big Syke

  • 1993/11 (~). Released in Papa'z Song single (in Jan. of 1994). It was included in the "Cradle2TheGrave" tape, then in Promo version of Volume One but was finally released in a remixed form in Thug Life Volume One (1994). Pro-Jay, also responsible for "Don't Get It Twisted", is the main producer of the group Da Nayborhoodz who had their album Afta Dark in 1995 with two tracks featuring Macadoshis & Rated R as Double Jeopardy.
09. Thug Bitch (by Big Syke & Yonnie Stokes) / Pro-Jay (?)
  • 1993/12 (~). Syke introduces the female rapper Yonnie (you can see her in Mike Miller pictures). The track was probably recorded around the time of that photo shooting because she seems to not having recorded any other songs with the group... She is probably the same Yonnie Stokes as the one credited for additional vocals in "Rebel of The Underground" in 2Pacalypse Now (and maybe also for the raps in "Part Time Mutha"). She will then be credited also for the chorus of "Beefy Thangs" by the Mafiosos in 1996. As a Sista named Mysta, she was supposed to release songs with 2Pac in his first unreleased project with the Jungle Posse (cf. Dayz of a Criminal), and then with The Kidz in 1992 for the Ghetto Gospel project... Banned from Bomb1st said 2Pac recorded reference tracks for her songs (maybe "Dont You Trust Me" was for her).
10. How Long Will They Mourn Me (Alternate Mix) feat. Big Syke, Rated R, Macadoshis & Nate Dogg / Warren G & Nate Dogg, REMIXED By Pro-Jay (?)
  • 1993/04 - 12 (?) (new mix). Included in Thug Life Volume One Promo version, it has slightly different effects on the vocals than the version released in Thug Life Volume One (1994, Interscope). This mix seems to have same vocals and just a different mix than the Thug Life Original version (rejected because of the sample ?). Nate Dogg is also credited as a producer... did he make this new mix ? Was he even in the original version ? Pro-Jay is credited in some editions of Volume One, is it a mistake or could he have a responsability in this remix ? 
  • Samples :
11. Introduced 2 The Game by Thoro Headz (Dramacydal) / Stretch (?), Easy Mo Bee (?) 
  • 1993/11. Included in Cradle2TheGrave tape, the song could have been recorded for an early Thoro Headz project or more likely specifically for the Thug Life collective project (2Pac wrote the name of the group in his Honor Among Thugz paper). The song will be released in a close mix in Kadafi's posthumous compilation Son Rize Vol. 1 (2004).
  • Samples : 
12. Mind of a Bad Boy (Real Bad Boys) feat. Dee Tha Mad Bitch (Bo$$) & Eddie The Jamaican Guy / Dobbs The Wino (?) & DJ King Assassin (?)
  • 1993/12 (~). Released in Assassin's Hitworks vol. 1 (1996, Liferdef Records). The hook is an interpolation of Inner Circle's "Bad Boys" by an unknown dancehall artist named "Edi" or Eddie - not Big Malc -, a Jamaican immigrant that Assassin says to have met in the streets of L.A.. The song could eventually have been intended for Bad Boys OST (1995, Columbia) or for another unpublished movie titled Scenes for the Soul, by Tillman Jr. (1995). We don't know if the original recorded song sounds exactly like this one and if it was even an Assassin production or a Dobbs the Wino's one (at that time Dobbs was also working on Y?N-Vee's album). It seems to be a Dee tha Mad Bitch's song featuring Tupac. Dee had then left the group Bo$$ and could be preparing her solo career. It is said 2Pac admired the group and could have invited Dee to be in Thug Life. This is the second connection between 2Pac & Dee with "Judgement Day". It could be a return invitation to him or a specific song recorded for the project. Assassin also made a remix of that song as a Bad Boy diss song (with the anthem "Bad Boy can't stop Thug Life"), available in the compilation 3 Beam Circus (1998, Swerve) and in the unofficial The Here After (1999, ZYX). Dee will also record the song "Gangsta Funk" for Assassin in 1998 with Sh'Killa and Shock G (cf. Armed & Dangerous).
  • Samples : 

13. I'm Losin' It feat. Big Syke & Spice 1 / Johnny J

  • 1993/04 - 1993/11 (~ new mix ?). Remixed in R U Still Down (1997). The song was in Thug Life Original album in early '93, and was after that included in early tracklists of Street Fame/Out on Bail in late '93. Spice 1 being anounced as a featured artist in Honor Among Thugz, the song was probably planned to be in it ("Can't Turn Back" was recorded later in January). But we don't know if the mix is absolutely similar to the original one.
  • Samples :  
    • Ohio Players - "Far East Mississippi" (melody)
    • Kool & The Gang - "N.T." (drums)
    • Scarface (Movie, 1983) (vocals : "you need people like me", "you wanna play rough ? OK. Say helle to my little friend")

14. Is It Cool 2 Fuck (Cutie Short Mix) feat. Macadoshis, Rated R & Natasha Walker / Johnny J (?)

  • 1993/04 - 08 (?) (new mix). Same mix than on Thug Life Demo, but in a short version and with a sampled voice in the intro (maybe an interlude unleaked). It was probably a planned single, so maybe intended to be the radio mix. Thug Life Original version has a different mix with breaks.
  • Samples :
15.  Out The Gutta (by Big Syke, Rated R, Mopreme & Macadoshis) / Pro-Jay (?)

16. Thug 4 Life feat. Stretch & unknown singer (?) / Johnny J (?), Stretch (?) - ACAPELLA - Juda7 REBUILD - AmarOG REMAKE Wizzattz REMAKE Targoon REMAKE

  • 1993/05-06 (?). Awfully remixed in Loyal To The Game (2004, Amaru, Interscope). The fact that 2Pac dedicates to Kato in his 2nd verse and not to Mental tend to indicate that the song was recorded between April and October of 93. Johnny J is credited as original producer in Loyal To The Game, so the song could be recorded at the end of the Thug Life Original sessions (2Pac there interpolates lines from songs he recorded for that project), maybe for a B-side. Leaked mixes of the song (with or without the singer) have an empty space for a second verse. A Stretch verse can be heard in the far background of the a capella, by amplifying a lot. But the verse is dramatically distorted, with another verse playing at the same time or more likely adlibs at the same sound level (by Stretch or maybe Majesty)... With the help of Bomb1st colleagues Redblue, PacMusic and Dada7, I made an OG version with Stretch lost verse edited in. At the end of the song, 2Pac says "Havenotz in this muthafucker", new name of The Kidz who with he was recording the project Ghetto Gospel in 92 (their name still appears listed in Volume One early tracklist circa Dec. 93). So maybe 2Pac was working on their project at that time, and "Thug 4 Life" could even be a reference track for them (maybe also "Ghost"). A guy named Candyman 187 pretended that the Havenotz group was initially with him and Kadafi, if true, it would be more likely a late project Kadafi had in 96 (except if Young Hollywood was in that group before joining Thoro Headz).
  • Sample :  

BONUS TRACKS :
 
17. (Don’t Fuck With A) Killa feat. Freddie Fox & Ray Dog (aka Benzino) / Stretch
  • 1993/11. 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. 
18. House of Pain feat. Stretch & The Notorious B.I.G. / Jesse West aka 3rd Eye
  • 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 : 

 
DISC TWO : EASTSIDE
 
01
02. Fuck All Y All (Rough Mix) / 2Pac & Tony Pizarro (?)
  • 1994/05 (~). Remixed in R U Still Down (1997, Amaru). The song will be given a final mixdown by Tony Pizarro for Stay True album. That early state could be the second beat 2Pac worked at himself, maybe already with the help of Pizarro. In its original form, the beat really sounds like "He Vs. She (4 My Niggaz)", 2Pac probably asked Johnny J to remake a beat with that sample he loved (cf. Outlaw Immortalz : Thug Life Volume 2). Strange that this song appears in tracklists exactly when "Fuck The World" disappeared...
  • Samples : 
    • George Benson - "Breezin'" (melody)
    • Geto Boys - "Street Life" (vocals : "I thought I had friends but i ain't got no fuckin friends")
03. Can’t Turn Back feat. Young Akayser (Blackjack) & Spice 1 / Black Jack  (Blackjack)
  • 1994/01 (~). Released in 1996 in Blackjack's Addicted to Drama sampler promo tape (in which you also have The Notorious B.I.G. featured... for "Young G's Perspective". The official album also features Luniz, MC Breed, MC Eiht... Blackjack (Posse) is a group from East Palo Alto, California, who had a first album in 1993 titled Street 2 Da Grave. The old known date (1993/05) should be more likely the recording date of "I'm Loosin' It". This song appears for the first time in R U Still Down Original tracklist circa Jan.-Feb. 94 (before Stay True sequences), just before "Fuck the World", "High Til I Die" and "Hold on" appeared. Spice 1 was written as featured guests in Thug Life Volume One early tracklist.
04. God Bless The Dead feat. Stretch / Stretch & Duane Nuttlesbey
  • 1994/03 (~). Released in Greatest Hits (1998). This is a tribute to Biggie Smalls aka Big Dric, a close friend of Stretch, from New-York, member of the Live Squad, who died at that time. Nothing to do with Biggy Smallz, young white rapper from Los Angeles, produced by Johnny J, but Christopher Wallace aka The Notorious B.I.G., when he makes his first records under the name of "Biggie Smalls", had risks of being sued by that young Biggy Smallz (who had published 12'' under this alias since 91). The song is said to have been initially recorded for Live Squad's Diary of a Poor Man / Ghetto Blues aborted second album project, before being given to Thug Life Volume One. But at the same time, Stretch has only one verse... Maybe there is another version of the song.
  • Samples : 
05. Hold On, Be Strong feat. Stretch (backing) / Stretch (?) & Choo The Specializt (?)
  • 1994/03 (~). Released in its original form in R U Still Down (1997). It appears in solo album tracklists in the end of March 94 (still titled R U Still Down, cf Original Interscope Project) and was scrapped from it in May. With its Stretch backing vocals, it reminds of the other songs recorded with him at that period ("Hellrazor", "Peep Game 2", "Stay True", "Under Pressure"...). Banned from Bomb1st says the first original is different (maybe produced by Pizarro ?), so this one could be a later mix. Choo The Specialzt said that this is the voice of Anita Baker sampled during the chorus, but the sample was not cleared and it was replaced by a digital thing in the 1997 Amaru compilation (Could be the song initially also dropped from 2Pac solo album because of that ?).
  • Samples :
06. Open Fire (No Laugh Mix) / Akshun
07. Nothing To Lose (Draft Mix) feat. Natasha Walker / Stretch REMIXED by Tony Pizarro
  • 1993 - 1994/08 (?) (new mix). Released in R U Still Down (1997) in a shorter mix. Available in the Pizarro Reel as "Draft Mix 3". It seems to not having the final mixdown of the Stay True version nor of the Pre-Death Row version. The song starts straight in 2Pac's first verse and has the same chorus than the original Thug Life version. So we supposed it could be the very first mix of Tony Pizarro before trying different things in the beginning and a new chorus.
  • Samples : 
    • Mica Paris - "I Wanna Hold on to You" (drumline/melody)
    • 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)
08. Peep Game pt. 2 feat. Stretch (chorus) / Stretch - acapella / OG REMAKE
09. Hennessey feat. Big Syke & Mopreme / Live Squad - acapella / OG REMAKE
  • 1994/03 (~). Remixed in Loyal To The Game (2004) with Obie Trice instead of Syke. The Red Spyda OG Vibe (probably also made it for Loyal To The Game) was for a long time the only decent version with both Big Syke & Mopreme (hard to hear) verses. It was using the beat of "Shit, Damn..." of D'Angelo (prod. by Bob Power), out in late 1994... A more recent Parish OG vibe is said to use the original sample.
  • Samples :
    • Carlito's Way (Movie, 1993) (vocals interpolation : "Hey, remember me ?") 
10. R U Still Down (Raise 'Em Up) (Rough Mix) / Tony Pizarro
  • 1994/03-04 (~). Released in R U Still Down (1997). Appearing in Exodus tracklist as "Raise 'Em Up Remix", this version has a new beat and a new 2Pac verse at the end instead of the first one of the Shock G original version. It is exactly similar to the released version, that's why it is hard to find this demo leaked in the early Makaveli bootlegs. It has been said that this version could have been made to replace the Shock G version at a time 2Pac wasn't agree with him about the mix of the song or album (maybe when 2Pac scrapped "Fuck The World" from his tracklist - but was that song really recorded yet ? and over a Shock G beat ? -, when the album changed its title from R U Still Down to Me Against The World to Stay True ?). Or more likely, it was produced for a B-side of an eponymous single. The song clearly sounds like "High Til I Die" (recorded the 19th of March).
  • Samples : 
    • Curtis Mayfield & Fishbone - "He's a Fly Guy" (bassline interpolation)
11. Hopeless (Interlude) / Stretch (?)
  • 1993/10-12 (? new mix). This interlude song that 2Pac used to play live was supposed to be included in Mr. Middle Finger 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 : 
12. Runnin’ From The Police (Memories Version) feat. Dramacydal, Stretch, Notorious B.I.G. & Brown Man (hook) / Easy Mo Bee
  • 1993/11 - 1994/03 (~) (new hook and alt Pac verse ?). The One Million Strong (1995, Solar) version uses the first version of the song (cf. Out on Bail) with the other Pac verse. This alternate Pac verse will be used in "Runnin' Dyin' To Live remix" published in Resurrection OST. This Brown Man version was supposed to be released in Thug Life Volume 1 (included in the Promo tape, in summer of 94), that's why it is known as "Thug Life Version". According to Easy Mo Bee, both Pac verses were recorded the same day (Pac would have recorded a second verse because he felt not satisfied with the first one - not hardcore enough in comparison of his guests ?). Brown's hooks have probably been recorded in the beginning of '94 when 2Pac was recording new songs for Thug Life album, especially with Stretch... We long time thought it was the reggae superstar Buju Banton because Dante who first leaked it told so and because the voice was sounding more or less similar. Brown Man is a ragga guy who appeared as a sideman for Joe's first single "I'm In Love" published in 93 whilst Joe appears in his first single "Rude Boy Love".
  • Samples : 
13. Where Do We Go From Here feat. Y?N-Vee / 2Pac & Duane Nettlesbey (?), Tony Pizarro (?)
  • 1994/01/31 (?). Released in R U Still Down (1997, Amaru). 2Pac here has his Souljah voice. The sample will be re-used for "What'z Next" in late 95 (for Outlaw Immortalz Thug Life Volume II), but produced by Johnny J. Maybe 2Pac asked him to re-produce a song with the sample he liked. That tends to confirm that he originally produced the beat, maybe with the help of an engineer like Duane Nettlesbey more likely than Pizarro considering the date of recording (It is said he hadn't met 2Pac yet, started to work with him in March). But why the song is credited to Pizarro in R U Still Down ?
  • Samples : 

BONUS TRACKS :  

14. Pain (Radio Version) feat. Stretch & Natasha Walker / Stretch
  • 1994/02 (~). Released in Above the Rim OST cassette version and in Regulate single (1994, Death Row) without the scratched Stretch line "Don't Get Too Close Cause You Might Get Shot" at the chorus and with the original dirty lyrics. It is said the song was rejected from the soundtrack by Dr. Dre himself but then recut and remixed by Isaias Gamboa to be included in the movie. Sweet Sable who was in Above The Rim soundtrack with her song "Old Times' Sake" is also credited in nu-mixx version of the song, so she could do some backing vocals here. 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).
  • Samples : 
15. Loyal To The Game (Radio Version) feat. Treach (Naughty by Nature) & Riddler (DBG'z) / Reginald Heard
16. Danger Times feat. Majesty & Stretch / Live Squad  
17. It Hurts The Most feat. Stretch & Mopreme / Stretch
18. Dead Homies (Freestyle at Royalton Hotel) feat. The Notorious B.I.G. / Blackwatch TV
  • 1994/04/04. During an interview with Blackwatch TV, two good friends in front of the camera. Biggie is giving the verse of his well known song.
19. I'd Rather Be Ya Lover (Rough Mix) feat. Madonna / Madonna & Dave "Jam" Hall
  • 1994/03. Leftover track from Madonna's Bedtime Stories (1994). The track has been taken off because 2Pac was then charged for sexual assault. The end of this demo is sexually explicit about the relationship between the two stars. In the final mixdown of the song 2Pac's speech was of course cut off : "a ghetto nigga fucking Madonna, God damn !". Dave "Jam" Hall of The Untouchables has been producing for Brand Nubian, Heavy D., Mary J. Blige, Shinehead, Joe, Mariah Carey, Usher...
  • Samples : 
20. Don't Leave feat. Y?N-Vee / Doug Rasheed - SNIPPET
  • 1994/?. The track was probably recorded for Y?N-Vee album Y?N-Vee (recorded from Nov. 93 to July of 94), but maybe like Madonna's "I'd Rather to be Ya Lover", the song was scrapped because of the allegations of rape.
  • Samples : 
 
. Wonda Why They Call U B-I-T-C-H (Led Zeppelin Version) / Stretch & Duane Nettlesbey - UNLEAKED / REMAKE
  • 1993/12 (~). Released in a new version in All Eyez on Me (1996). Probably because of his justice troubles, 2Pac re-recorded the song with some alternate lyrics and a clean chorus. Circa Dec. of 93, it is said 2Pac firstly recorded a freestyle (unleaked) over a Led Zeppelin sample instrumental. Then, maybe over the same instrumental, he recorded this new version of "Wonda Why" and finally "Hard on a Nigga" (cf. R U Still Down Interscope Project). Some people said he thought to record a full Led Zeppelin concept album... But considering it could be the same beat for three songs, maybe one song was intended for a kind of compilation tribute. But more likely after having recorded this clean version, he felt that this awesome beat deserves another kind of topic and wrote a whole new song that fitted better as well the intimate mood of his album.
  • Samples :
 
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