1996 - Me Against The World pt. 2 (Euthanasia Supreme)

• Jan. - April '96 : second Death Row solo album sessions, almost entirely produced by Johnny J !!!
• It's Me Against The World, part 2 ! After the release of the gangsta Bay Area oriented rap party of All Eyez On Me, and following the departure of his stepbrother Mopreme and the deadlock of his supergroup projects Thug Life Volume II and Thug Pound, 2Pac wanted - according to his words - his new solo project to have very few featured artists, to be more introspective, political and positive about women, an album about the true Tupac, his panther origin, his blues & soul background... in the veins of Me Against The World.
• "Euthanasia" was the title given by 2Pac at the end of that sequence when it finally turned into an Outlawz' album. We chose to add "Supreme" because the concept of the album is similar in many ways to the prison drafts with that title in 1995, and because of the jazz musical vibe, a nod to the famous John Coltrane's album.
• What happened ? The 19th of April, 2Pac was announcing his forthcoming album to Sway... Is it because key tracks couldn't make the final tracklist (sample issues, tracks sold to Hammer and Syke, Big Syke signing in another label) ? Is it because 2Pac was taken back by his demons of dissing and chose to make the mafioso Outlawz album with the infamous "Hit 'Em Up" instead ? Is it because 2Pac wanted to invest his efforts into Gridlock'd soundtrack project ?
• Amaru posthumous compilation Until The End of Time could be considered as the closest attempt to respect that project (with 12 tracks from it - many others being in Better Dayz).
• Sources : handwritten tracklists, DAT PO266461, Tape, interview with Sway

Michael O'Neill for New York Times (Jan. 96, the 14th)

"My mission is to be more than just a rap musician."
2Pac, "Unconditional Love".

### There is only one material sequence for that project circa mid March... We chose to follow the "New Shit" tracklist, which gathers most of these sessions, right before it began to turn into an Outlawz LP with the addition of "Made Niggaz" and the disappearance of "Unconditional Love" in late April in "100% Black Gold". ###

Euthanasia Supreme : Me Against The World pt. 2  -  LISTEN

1. Hit 'Em Up Everything They Owe (Intro) *
   
2. Troublesome '96 (No Chorus)
3. Never Had A Friend Like Me (Rough Mix)
4. When Thugz Cry (Fragile Sample) feat. Nanci Fletcher
5. Fuckin' With The Wrong Nigga (Intro 2 Syke)
6. Unconditional Love feat. Nanci Fletcher
7. Changed Man feat. Big Syke & Nate Dogg
8. Thug In Me feat. Jewell
9. Mama's Just A Little Girl (No Chorus)
10. Wordz 2 My First Born (No Chorus) feat. Nutt-So
11. Thugz Mansion
12. Tongue Kissin' (Fuckin' With The Wrong Nigga pt. 2)
13. Never Call U Bitch Again (No Chorus)
14. Who Do U Believe In (Let'z Pray) feat. Kadafi, Nanci Fletcher & Big Pimpin'
    
    Bonus Tracks :
    
    
15. Until The End of Time feat. Sixx Feet Deep
16. Ballad of a Dead Soulja feat. Sixx Feet Deep
    
17. Criminal Timez (Lost Verse) - snippet
18. Hit 'Em Up (Mix Error) feat. Outlawz

• Produced by Johnny J, except track #5 by Hurt-M-Badd, track #10 by DJ Quik
• * #1 "Everything They Owe" might have been recorded as an introduction (what appears in the untitled tracklist at the same time than "Hit Em Up" and "Troublesome" recorded at that same period). The slavery topic illustrates well the photoset (with the donkey) 2Pac had with Dave LaChapelle on the two first days of April (same date of recording of the song).
  
• Bonus Track #15 : we don't know when the song was given/sold to Syke, but it was a very important part of the album, part of the 95 prison drafts for Euthanasia, so it is difficult to imagine the album without it.
  
• Bonus Track #16 : probably an early version of "Made Niggaz".
• Bonus Track #17 : "Hit 'Em Up (Final Mix)" version of the song was more likely aimed for Outlawz LP (cf. Immortalz). At the sequence of the album we consider, the song probably did not have the "Make Money" Capucine Jackson singing (probably added the 19th of April).

Bonus Disc : Demo Collection

1. Ambitionz Az A Fighta
2. Too Tight (Studio Footage) feat. Nanci Fletcher
3. St. Ides Malt Liquor Commercial feat. Snoop Dogg
4. Lil Homies (First Take) feat. Danny Boy & Nanci Fletcher
   
5. Never Call U Bitch Again (Peace Chorus) feat. Danny Boy
   
6. Breathin' (First Take & Freestyle)
   
7. Unconditional Love (Rough Mix) feat. Nanci Fletcher
8. Until The End of Time (Rough Mix) feat. Sixx Feet Deep
9. Ballad of The Dead Soulja (Rough Mix) feat. Sixx Feet Deep
10. When Mexicanz Cry (Studio Footage) 
    
11. Thugz Mansion (First Take & Freestyle)
12. My Closest Road Dawg (First Take Solo)
    
13. Changed Man (Tracking) feat. Big Syke & Nate Dogg
    
14. This Ain't Livin' (Rough Mix) (reference for a duet with Snoop Dogg) 
    
15. Wordz 2 My First Born (No Sax) feat. Nutt-So 
16. When We Ride On Our Enemies (Rough Mix)
17. Ghetto Star (First Take) feat. Nutt-So & Danny Boy - remake
    
18. Wherever You Are (Rough Mix) feat. Big Daddy Kane
19. Good Life (Bass Mix) feat. Big Syke & Edi
20. Happy Home (Mix Error) feat. Michel'le
    

"Rough Mix" refers to the early mix of the song, quite similar to the final mixdown, usually a bit longer.

 

 

Michael O'Neill photoset (Jan. 96, the 14th)

Taken during the recordings of Thug Life Volume 2 and Thug Pound projects, these pictures depict Tupac alone, sometimes with Suge and Snoop, with many elements reminding of Ken Nahoum's photoset for All Eyez of Me (leather breastplate, the Death Row chain, the watch...). One month before the official release of the album. Maybe they considered the session as another possibility for the covers of the album.

One week later, 2Pac recorded his first song for his new solo, so this photoset is more or less appropriate for it, even if the mood and grimace of Tupac do not well announce the kind of contain it will have. 

 

 "See, at night I watch the sky, I take another breath
I smoke my Newport to the butt like it's the last motherfucker left"

2Pac, "Never Had a Friend Like Me".

ME AGAINST THE WORLD, PART 2

At the opposite of the dark, intimate mood of Me Against The World (talking to his mother, God, thinking about his death...), All Eyez on Me was provocative, partying, full of featurings, directly adressed to the mediatic world, to the fans, to the girls... In the beginning of 96, right after having published All Eyez on Me and having recorded many tracks for a Thug Life Volume 2 album with the Outlaw Immortalz, and some other for the Thug Pound project, 2Pac started to record new songs for his next solo album. 2Pac announced the kind of album he wanted in his interview with Sway the 19th of April 1996 (for the KMEL Westside Radio Program) :

"I just did a remix to "What's Your Phone Number" with all new lyrics. We took that MC Lyte beat from her new song she has out, "Keep On Movin' Up." It's so freaky you won't believe it. I got a whole new album out... waiting for the sound track. It's clean... all positive... all in the vein of songs like "Keep Your Head Up" and "Brenda's Got A Baby"... It's that type of stuff. I just put out a hardcore double album... and next I'm gonna put out an introspective album... It'll be like a Me Against The World pt 2. That's what I think my fans are looking for. I'm gonna show that I appreciate your support."

Interview with Sway (part known as "Final Projects"), the 19th of April '96

This description fits perfectly to the present selection. Like in Me Against the World, 2Pac wanted to use more live instrumentation in these new records (like in the video versions of the singles he re-recorded in mid-96. Most of the tracks here are produced (orchestrated) by his musical partner, Johnny J. 

But "Me Against The World pt. 2" could not be the final title, it was just for describing the context : there was probably no title chosen at the time of the interview. 2Pac was still searching for the right title (so it was made a bit before 2Pac penned 100% Black Gold tracklist). And we will see why we can consider "Euthanasia" as the final title that project could have received...

"I'll probably be an old man before I understand
Why I have to live my life with pistols close at hand."

2Pac, "When Thugz Cry".

Euthanasia was the prison project... All Eyez On Me is a kind of intermediary compilation...

In 1995, 2Pac was in prison, already conceiving a new concept album to follow the release of Me Against The World (the 14th of March), throwing down drafts of tracklist for an album number IV. It received various titles : "Hard 2 Kill", "Blackfire", "Only Time Will Tell", "Scared Man Can't Win". Like one can see, the topics were more about feelings of death, fear, revenge, black pride, time going by... Being in prison for a certain time, 2Pac decided to firstly release a lost tracks compilation which became the intermediate album project number IV. And the new concept album became number V with titles composed around "Euthanasia" (more than 20 tracklists)...

Thanks to Death Row, 2Pac was freed earlier than expected and started to record a new album in order publish it quickly instead of his lost tracks compilation. The project went by the titles of "When I Get Free" (a title used for the compilation project initially subtitled "1992-1996 Lost Trax"), "Life Goes On" (again the topic of death and time), "Euthanasia" and finally "All Eyez On Me". 

For reasons of efficiency, 2Pac re-recorded some ole tracks like "When I Get Free", "Wonder Why They Call U Bytch", recorded kind of follow-up to old tracks like "Holla At Me", "No More Pain" ("Holler If Ya Hear Me" "Pain"), replaced other people's verses in already existing songs ("California Love", "Can't C Me", "Got My Mind Made Up"), and moreover he invited a lot of friends - notably the Bay Area, Dramacydal and Thug Life - to record with him a kind of partying album and to promote further projects (like Thug Life Volume II).

If All Eyez On Me keeps some elements from the first ideas for his solo album like "Life Goes On", "Heartz of Men", "Only God Can Judge Me"... But is widely a recycling and partying album. A compilation. So the planned album number IV. 

Also, some of the concept tracks appear in the original drafts before All Eyez on Me, will be finally recorded after during these sessions : "Until The End Of Time", "Everything They Owe", "Hard 2 Kill" (we have lyrics), "Ballad of the Caged Bird" ("Dead Soulja"), "Secretz of War" (re-recorded for the album), "Hold Ya Head" ("Baby Don't Cry"), "Too Late", "Mama'z Just A Little Girl"... This album V is the resumption of the original ideas 2Pac conceived in prison for a new album.

Why "Euthanasia Supreme" is the perfect title ? 

And not "All New Heat", "Gridlock'd Solo", "New Shit", "100% Black Gold" ? Firstly because the known written tracklist titles are undeniably ugly  ! and because they are obviously ephemeral. "new heat" evokes a sort of wind of renew and the heat of the riots, the ghetto rebellion... "new shit" could say that what the ghetto people is doing, rap music, is shit for the white supremacist culture, but is by antiphrasis good shit for black people, like good weed / good stuff. "100% black gold" evokes the gold rush and for a new fever for a gold from a very high quality and also the re-attribution of positive connotations to the color black initiated for instance by Malcolm X or James Brown. But with "100%" it also sounds like an advertisement for food... None of them hold the comparison to a complex concept like "euthanasia"... 

"Euthanasia" is a word from ancient Greek eu=good, thanatos=death. Initially, it depicts a spiritual thought about the meaning of life and death. It is the achievement of a lifetime, the conclusion of a good life by a peaceful death. In a modern sense, it is a suicide to put an end to an unbearable pain... In a metaphoric sense, 2Pac had no critical illness but went through difficult circumstances : poverty, his mother's drug problems, police brutality, his responsibility in the death a young boy (Qa'id), hate of medias, death of friends, betrayal of others, gunshot wounds, prison... The black people he represents has that kind of life. If you can't obtain a good life, can you get a good death at least ? Moreover, it is the logic outcome of the thought he expressed in "My only fear of death (is reincarnation)" in the end of 93, consecutively to the suicide of Thug Life's friend Mental Illness (the sentence itself is a quote from Mental). 2Pac doesn't want a second life after death, he wants everything being stopped. Peace at last. In a philosophical way, the death is a good medicine to a life of struggle and suffering.

 

Euthanasia + Love Supreme = Euthanasia Supreme ?

"Euthanasia" has been used ten to twenty times before and during the recordings of All Eyez on Me, so that it was initially known as the title of the All Eyez On Me (Euphanasia Demo Tape) circa November 95. It was normal that after All Eyez On Me being released, the concept came back. It was given in late April for the first Outlawz LP tracklist to include songs taken from his solo project. 7 songs will end up in it : Hit em Up, Made Niggaz, Troublesome, Never Call U Bitch Again, Secretz of War, Fuckin Wit the Wrong Nigga, Who Do U Believe In (cf. Immortalz). So, at the end of his second Death Row solo album short lived project, he was thinking again to "Euthanasia" as a good title. But the title manifestly didn't fit for the Outlawz project (more about mafia, gang war...).

This title is clearly the evolution of a concept Tupac wanted to develop for a long time : Exodus, "My Only Fear of Death (is reincarnation)", Amerikkka eats its Young, KKKrucified... which evolves for his next planned album after Me Against The World to Amerikaz Euthanasia, Ethernal Euthanasia, Euthanasia Syndrom, Silent Euthanasia, Secretz of Euthanasia, Supreme Euthanasia, Euthanasia Supreme and Euthanasia... So it makes a strong link with Me Against The World.

A Love Supreme by John Coltrane (photo by Bob Thiele).

Through-composed suite in four parts : "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance" & "Psalm"

recorded the 9th of  December 1964 at Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Often considered as "one of the greatest albums ever made".

Lastly, "Euthanasia Supreme" obviously is a wonderful dedicatory nod to "Love Supreme", the famous album of John Coltrane. Album which Coltrane said to have recorded the 9th of December 1964 after a spiritual awakening, and in order to give back love to the people around. Exactly the kind of things 2Pac says in his interview with Sway... Therefore, this nod to a jazz classic perfectly fits the instrumentation vibe of this album orchestrated by Johnny J, and to its intimate mood. 

One critic has written that the album was intended to represent a struggle for purity, an expression of gratitude, and an acknowledgement that the musician's talent comes from a higher power. [...] In the fourth and final movement, "Psalm", Coltrane performs what he calls a "musical narration". (Wikipedia) 

Not many tracks, very few guests. Like the titles of the album can indicate, most of the tracks have soul feeling, singing chorus or even a touch of Jazz. The lyrics also show some kind of blues touch. Most of the tracks here have been produced by Johnny J. If we consider "Everything They Owe" as an introduction about history, "Troublesome" as the real entrance to the album ("Hit 'Em Up" being a kind of added track at the beginning) about the life he led until the prison, maybe "Never Had A Friend Like Me" dedicated to Suge Knight who made him free... It could be considered as a kind of "Acknowledgement". In the last touch of his album (in "New Shit" tracklist), 2Pac approaches the topic of spirituality. One could surely find something of "Resolution" and "Pursuance" in songs like "Unconditional Love" and "Changed Man"...

Who could be the 2Pac's untouchable quartet ? Himself, Johnny J of course being the main producer, Suge Knight the savior and executive producer and... Nanci Fletcher ? She is on 3 key tracks and was said the only woman to stay alone with 2Pac at that time, his female friend after the departure of Natasha Walker. One of the live instrumentists ? An engineer/producer (like Hurt-M-Badd ?) who was in charge to give the final "sound tracking" to the album ? Or why not simply the less known multi-instrumentist Ricky Rouse ? who is very likely behind many musical elements of songs on Death Row, specifically at that time, for instance bass on "Good Life", guitar and bass on "Made Niggaz" (cf. Supercop soundtrack)... It seems he could have followed Johnny J because he is credited for "Forever Ballin'" (in The Fan Soundtrack), he will only find some reconnaissance for remixing some 2Pac tracks of R U Still Down compilation in 1997, with also Who Got Kidz who could be him and other instrumentists.

The only exception to this sound direction is clearly "Hit em Up". And this was probably the "snake in the grass" for such a project... Except if 2Pac thought to remove it from the album at the time of the interview in order to have a real "positive" album (and keep it for Outlawz project).

David LaChapelle, "Solidarity", the 1st of April 1996

"I know all that is dead though I'm changed. I'm tellin' you. I know what time it is.

Gotta give a nigga time to grow up, ya know what I'm sayin'?"

2Pac, "Never Call U Bitch Again".

David LaChappelle's "Becoming clean" - A very surprising photo set

This set of pictures by David LaChapelle can make laugh at first sight, like with this donkey, and maybe even more with the bath pictures... There is a video footage of the days they made this shooting (cf. YT video).

But, these pictures with the donkey in the fields of course remind of the slavery times, the very harsh and unacceptable condition of black people in the past. If things and decor have changed a lot since these times, if some of them like 2Pac have become superstars, there is still remaining a very unfair condition for most black men and women in America. The fight to improve the condition of the black community is of course the original goal of the Black Panther party, whose 2Pac is the descendant, by his mother and his father in law. Thinking about his rap name - not his civil first name but a second baptism after the name of a famous Inca revolutionary...

So this picture draws a parallel with the old times, the image of the origin of American black people, a parallel between the struggle for ending the slavery and the more recent struggle for a decent life for black people. Very funny touch on this picture, Tupac's bandana does not seem to be out of place at all for a slave laborer...

David LaChapelle managed to capture the opposite sides of 2Pac

here glamour and fame, this is the 2Pac from All Eyez On Me

but with similarities with the "Jesus" picture

From a poor extraction, 2Pac became an iconic superstar. Pictures naked with gold in the bathtub depict that period of success, but this led him to many troubles... So after the "All Eyez on Me" album, very gangster oriented, he thought to come back to a different side of him, to get rid of that scandalous image of him. That's the idea behind the bath pictures. 

“Tupac was great, he was very sensitive and is truly a good person. I wrote to his mum when he died and she sent me flowers and gave me his last song, Ghetto Gospel. When we did the shoot, he had just come out of prison and every shot has a reason, it’s never random, so this was the idea of the photo shoot, him becoming clean. He had given this interview when he was still in prison and he really opened up and was so honest. I had read it and thought it was so truthful so for the work I did with him, there was this idea of washing away and rebirth. And we did another shoot where he posed as a slave on a cotton field. They traced rapping and rhyming to “call and repeat” during slavery time in sugar cane and cotton fields to pass the time. It’s on the Hotel LaChapelle book. Tupac came to the shoot 2 hours early, which was very unusual for a rapper. So I wasn’t ready for the shoot and he didn’t care. He reminded me of my black friends whom I went to art schools with, he was so cool, open-minded and chill. He wasn’t judgemental. Then later on, I found out that he had gone to an art school. He left behind a big bag of socks and underwear because he had just come out from prison and never picked it up. He died shortly after. I still wear his socks sometimes (laughs).”
– David LaChapelle

 

"becoming clean", by Dave LaChapelle (2nd of April)

These half naked pictures are also often described as a kind of gay oriented thing... It has to be more likely regarded as a kind of Madonna provocative thing. Tupac was an actor and had love for being in a role, he has nothing against nudity (let's remember the pictures/videos of him in leopard slip backing the Digitial Underground). He was also proud of his black body, and enjoyed to dress in the most fanciful way. David LaChapelle was known for his capture of nudity, and his orientation was probably not a secret at that time. But as Danny Boy declared in a recent interview, Tupac would have nothing against him being gay (when he dissed Dr. Dre as being gay, it sounds very clumsy nowadays but it is because he was lying about himself and about things he was doing when he was in Death Row, not because he was gay or not).

The necessity of a change to live a good life... 

unused lyrics from that time

emphasizing on the idea of changing  

After having washed himself, it is like 2Pac was a new himself, a true himself, a changed man... Like Jesus said, the man has to come to a rebirth to become fully a man, to be welcome at the side of God... To be ready for the achievement of life : a good death.

Like shown in that unused lyrics, 2Pac was obsessed at that time with the idea of change : 

- "In my search of fame, will I change ? I'm asking..." ("Who Do U Believe In ?") 

- "I promise that I'll change in time." ("Never Call U Bitch Again") 

- "Mama, don't cry, long as we try maybe things change." ("Unconditional Love")

- "Is there a way for me to change ? or am I just a victim of things I did to maintain ?" ("Thugz Mansion")

- "In search of fame, won't hurt to change" ("Never Had A Friend Like Me")

- "When my mama ask me will I change? I tell her "Yeah," but it's clear I'll always be the same." ("Until The End of Time")

- "Hahaha, I ain't the same, you fuckin' with a changed man." ("Changed Man")

- "A heart full of gold, still it won't change the world." ("Mama's Just a Lil Girl")

- "All I could give was my depth (debt ?) and my last name, cause in the game things change, living up and down." ("Wordz 2 My First Born")

- "Just try to understand if I change in time." ("Happy Home")

- "Murder murder my mind state, shit ain't changed since my last rhyme - the crime rate ain't decline" ("Troublesome 96") 

- "Things are changing all the time, some things (niggaz ?) you must leave behind." (Things R Changing)

(LaChapelle set) 2Pac is here depicted as black Jesus,
three months before the beginning of Killuminati recordings
almost the same position than the bath picture...
like if 2Pac had changed from a shining pop star
to a prophet close to God...

"All the Hennessy and weed can't hide the pain I feel inside
You know, it's like I'm livin' just to die
I fall on my knees and beg for mercy
Not knowin' if I'm worthy."

2Pac, "Who Do U Believe In ?"

 

ME AGAINST THE WORLD Pt. 2 Timeline

1. Circa 8-10 of March 1996. "All New Heat" (brackets c. late March). 

Without the brackets addition :

Every tracks listed were recorded between late January and the 8th of March ("First Born" the 8th of March, "Ride on Our Enemies" the 7th but "Thug In Me", recorded the 11th of April, is not here). Some elements could indicate that "Thugz Mansion (Full Version)", "Breathin feat. Kadafi, Edi & GBM" were probably not recorded at the time of the list... (except if there is a mistake between "feat. Lil Homiez" which was more likely intended for "Breathin"). So this tracklist is very likely from the 8th of March.

2. c. 11th of March (~). DAT "2 Pac 2/26/96". PO266461. 

1. Changed Man
2. Thug'n me
3. To My First Born
   
4. When We Ride On Our Enemies
5. When Thugs Cry
6. Unconditional Love
7. Never Had A Friend Like Me

DAT INVENTORY

Presumably opened the 26th of February to save the first track of it, "Changed Man" (02/21), firstly included in a 02/21 DAT with "Thugz Mansion" (probably the complete song with 3 verses). The DAT is then filled up with March new tracks for the solo album like "Thug In Me" (03/11), "Wordz 2 My First Born" (03/08), "Ride On Our Enemies" (03/07). 

Then they added other early recorded songs for the album : "When Thugz Cry" (02/01), "Unconditional Love" (02/01) and "Never Had A Friend Like Me" (02/04), maybe in a more recent mixdown. Anyway, that DAT is kind of finished around that time of March 11 like if 2Pac was satisfied with the recording of that song "Thug In Me" that he was holding a potential good sequence for a solo album.

The 26th is also the date of recording of "Mama's Just A Lil Girl". The song appearing in no DAT, so maybe it was lost and another DAT from these times could include other tracks of the album not appearing here : "Thugz Mansion", "Never Call U Bitch Again", "Who Do U Believe In", "Ballad of a Dead Soulja", "Closest RoadDawg", "Until the end of time", "Breathin", maybe even "It Ain't Livin" awaiting for Snoop because they are only tracks recorded before March...

3. "All New Heat" (brackets c. 19-28 March).

2Pac returned later (it could be early April after the recording of "Hit Em Up" or circa April 24 after having totally dropped his solo project), in order to write down what he could do with each song.

This is a intermediate time where there could be an hesitation upon the name for the rest of Outlaw Immortalz group, aka Dramacydal + FatalNFelony : Lil' Homies (in the eponymous song and also in "Hit Em Up") or Outlawz (clearly in "Secretz of War 2 (New recording without Kurupt)" and "Made Niggaz"). Big Syke was eventually a part of Lil' Homiez until mid April where something really broke between him and 2Pac, leading for instance Johnny J to remix "There U Go" without Syke...

• "Unconditional Love (sell 2 Hammer)" - the song was only taken off from his solo project in the last tracklist we have, mid April. So it confirms that 2Pac recorded the song for himself and then decided to sell it to Hammer 2 months later - so after Gridlock'd tracklist. It was IN NO WAY a reference track. But Hammer possibly asked for the song very early.
• "Wordz 2 My First Born w/ Nutt-So" became a Soundtrack song and even after he rebuilt his solo album, 2Pac probably still wanted the track being in both projects, that's why he made (?) a new solo mix and then insluded it in his "100% Black Gold" solo album (Nutt-So's name biffed - maybe to have less features).
• "Until The End of Time (sell 2 Syke)", when Syke was initially planning to record his album on Death Row. Maybe before the 25th of March when he eventually announced to 2Pac he was signing somewhere else... (cf. Fuckin' With The Wrong N" intro)
• "Friend Like Me (B-Side)". B-side for what track ? The track will be then given to Gridlock'd soundtrack and it is the only one to stay in the soundtrack until the release.
• "Closest Road Dog w/ Syke (Compilation)". Not Syke solo album ? The song will be listed into the short Big Syke's solo album draft written by 2Pac (which does not have "Until The End of Time"). Which compilation ? Is 2Pac speaking about the Gridlock'd Rap part ? Could already be... After Syke had left, he would be like other external artists in the compilation.
  
• "Thug Mansion w/ Lil Homies (Lil Homies)" - The Outlawz were eventually called Lil' Homies in late January - late March and it eventually also became a title for an Outlawz LP... Is there a mistake with "Breathin" ? Or maybe 2Pac thought to give both songs to them.
  
• "Who Do U Believe (Soundtrack)". The track will be in Gridlock'd first draft and then again in all following tracklists. Maybe again in Gridlock'd project because not in first Outlawz album early tracklists, only added to it in May... Big Pimpin is not credited here but he can be considered as a chorus voice so it does not confirm anything (6 Feet is the only one to be credited, not Eboni Foster, Nanci Fletcher, Danny Boy nor even Nate Dogg...!!). Pimpin' was presumably removed a bit later for the soundtrack or for Outlawz album...
  
• "Breathin (B-Side)". For which single ? The tracklist does not mention any featured artists, neither the Gangsta Bytch Mentality nor the Outlawz/Lil Homies... Is it possible that 2Pac inverted the featuring with Thug Mansion ? He could have wanted to correct credits at the same time. Maybe firstly 2PAc thought to give "Thugz Mansion" to Outlawz, then he gave them "Breathin" - what could explain the similar "1 verse take + freestyle" existent leaks for both.
• "Ride on Our Enemies" - probably quickly dropped from the album and given to the compilation project (?), no need to be noted here.
• "When Thugz Cry" - very important track, would he have given it also to the soundtrack ? Was there a sample issue with that song ?
  
• "Changed Man w/ Syke". Nate Dogg not credited ? The song was kept until mid April then it vanished.
• "Never Call U B... Again" - no Danny Boy credited. The song was added in early May to the Outlawz 1st album sequence.
  

It is possible that 2Pac destroyed this solo project but changed his mind not long after having recreate a solo part in Gridlock'd draft. Maybe 2Pac was hesitating between various directions and projects : a solo album, a comrades album (Lil Homies ? which became Outlawz), a Big Syke album with his help, a compilation with Death Row artists, and a soundtrack compilation for the soon to be recorded movie Gridlock'd (May). The next double/triple soundtrack tracklist reflects these hesitations or confusions.

4. c. 1-8 April (~). "2Pac" on side of "Gridlock Rap Soundtrack". 

Something is not perfectly clear here. Is there only one soundtrack double album project (a soul soundtrack and a rap soundtrack with a solo part and a guest part) ? or 2Pac wrote down all his projects on the same sheet : two related to the soundtrack and his solo album ? More likely the first option but it is clearly a rest of his "All New Heat" solo album.

Is this list after the solo album project was totally dropped ? Probably not, considering the fact "Unconditional Love" is there and was not in "100% Black Gold" tracklist... Maybe 2Pac firstly thought to give the track to Gridlock'd before adding a part of his album to the soundtrack, and finally solding/giving the song to MC Hammer (who was maybe insistant)...

"All New Heat" tracklist mentions "Lil' Homiez" and not "Outlawz" so these notes into brackets are presumably before "100% Black Gold"... 2Pac still call them Lil Homiez in "Hit 'Em Up" the 29th of March... but named them Outlawz in "Troublesome" and "Made Niggaz" so 2Pac may have changed his mind about giving "Unconditional Love" until late April...

"Troublesome 96/97" : the year correction/hesitation could mean 2Pac knew the soundtrack and the movie were to be released very likely in 97 (so the intro of the song saying "nineteen mutha..in' ninety six" was to be changed) or the song was not recorded yet ! 

Interesting to notice that 2Pac considered to invite Wu-Tang and Goodie Mob (both names will be planned guests in One Nation) - he just met Goodie Mob during the recording session of "Good Life" -, Busta Rhymes (finally biffed maybe because of his friendship with Biggie - but he will invite his affiliated Capital LS instead), The G(h)et(t)o Boys (what he will do in August with Scarface for "Smile") and (Lady of) Rage. He recorded a hook for Rage "Rock On" aka first version of "Big Bad Lady" the 7th of March (maybe they reconciled after a possible dispute in November around "Got My Mind Made Up" or "Blunt Time", or an anecdotal moment - in which 2Pac was acting like a real woman predator). The Snoop & Nate Dogg feature is presumably already "Never Leave Me Alone" (which is included in a later DAT of the compilation).

In the soundtrack, we may notice 2Pac's usual singing partners : Danny Boy, 6 Feet Deep. Nate Dogg is scrapped and put to the rap soundtrack part. It would lack Tyrone Wrice aka Hurt-M-Badd, Michel'le, Nanci Fletcher (Val Young not yet recording with him at that time, Natasha Walker left). 

2Pac also considers to have a song from Jo(h)n B... Jon B said they met on the shot of "How Do U Want It" (April 19th... or March 19th...?) and recorded together one or two weeks later. But it's not impossible 2Pac heard about his work before (first album released in May 95). He will finally record "Are You Still Down" over Tongue Kissing instrumental at the end of April (or much later in July...). What a strange thing to think that 2Pac had so much love for Alanis Morrissette ! It has been said they even planned to open a restaurant together with Suge Knight ! OK they give a similar raw energy in their singing. 

5. c. 8th of April (~). Tape : "2Pac's Tape 1996".

In 2Pac "Evolution. The Definitive Collection", 10 DVD of leaked tracks, the 3rd part of the DVD2, simply titled "2Pac's Tape 1996", looks like the previous DAT : 

1. Words 2 My Firstborn
2. Unconditional Love
3. When Thugz Cry
4. Never Had A Friend Like Me
5. Thug In U, In Me
6. Changed Man
7. Troublesome '96
8. Fuckin' With The Wrong Nigga
9. M.O.B - no chorus mix (confirmed being from another source)

EVOLUTION, THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION

Compared to the previous "Feb. 26" DAT, this tape leaked in Evolution, The Definitive Collection (10DVD) does not have "When We Ride On Our Enemies", and two new songs (March 25 and April 08) aimed for the project were added. The last track is very probably a later addition, maybe a mistake. 

At the time of this "tape" was recorded, there could be a second still unleaked one with "Who Do U Believe In", "Never Call U Bitch Again", "Thugz Mansion", "Mama's Just A Lil Girl" and the addition of "Everything They Owe", "Hit Em Up" and maybe a version of "Secretz of War"... 

6. Circa 8th of April (~). Untitled (Me Against The World pt. 2 ??).

Here there is still "Thugz Mansion" (the full solo song is then recorded for sure). "Fuckin With The Wrong Nigga" (25th of March) and "Thug N Me" (11th of March) are also added. We can suspect that "Troublesome 96" could be still a concept title 2Pac was planning to record (it has that "96" subtitle which is not after), or it was just recorded (the 8th of April).

2Pac included new versions of "Hit Em Up" and "Secretz of War", two Outlawz featurings... They kind of replace the diss song "When We Ride on Enemies" (which nevertheless was fitting more to this solo project... but maybe less to the mood of the album than "Secretz of War" which was originally in the prison drafts for the Euthanasia album - but what about "Hit Em Up" ?...). Maybe it means the Thug Life Volume 2 album with "Secretz of War (Kurupt Version)" was definitely dropped, maybe because of a kind of discord between 2Pac and the Dogg Pound (it is said 2Pac and Kurupt were about to fight at a time - Kurupt was drunk in the studios while 2Pac was trying to record a song...).

I presume this tracklist has been written down right after the recordings of "Fuckin Wit The Wrong Nigga" (the 25th) and "Hit Em Up" (the 30th), maybe after "Everything They Owe" (the 2nd of April) which could be here listed as intro... 

7. Circa 14th of April (~). "New Shit". (Me Against The World pt. 2 ??)

Mostly the same tracks, with only the addition of "Changed Man" (which was biffed in the previous tracklist - maybe an hesitation with Lil' Homiez project, maybe 2Pac hesitated to pay him that featuring they recorded before he signed outside) and the mysterious "Fuckin With The Wrong Nigga part 2"... (confirmed to be "Tongue Kissing" - words of the title appearing at the end of two verses).

The tracklist does not include some songs that could have been recorded at that time : "Good Life" (Lil' Homiez album or Syke's solo ?), "Happy Home" (Gridlock'd Soul side ?), "Everything They Owe" (Intro ?). However, it is for sure the strongest tracklist we have for this solo project with most of the key tracks, with only one Outlawz featuring, one Syke/Nate Dogg, one Nutt-So, one Kadafi... From the other tracklists, it lacks "Me and My closest Road Dawg" (more adapted for the Lil Homiez group project), "Breathin" (recorded with Outalwz and Gangsta Bitch Mentality, so more likely for a compilation/group project), "Ride on our Enemies" (diss track here replaced by "Hit Em Up"). 

The only regrettable absence is "Until The End of Time" which was probably sold to Syke in mid March... (does Syke have recorded a version of the song in Death Row ? or later for T.N.T. records ?).

This tracklist (maybe the previous one) could correspond to the time 2Pac announced his new solo album in an interview with Sway (after that he would have announced the planned title, "100% Black Gold" or "Euthanasia" with Outlawz). 

We could think that at the exact time of Sway interview, 2Pac announcing an all "positive" album, maybe he was thinking to remove "Hit 'Em Up" and to save it for Outlawz new project.

8. c. 16-24 of April. "100% Black Gold".

"Made Niggaz" known version has probably just been recorded. So we are circa the 23rd of April (or the 15-16th of April but at that time it could only the early "Criminal Timez" version, probably without Outlawz). "Changed Man" is dropped again, but this time it is for good, probably because 2Pac decided to drop all songs with him (it could be the time Johnny J produced a remix of "There U Go" without Syke).

The name of Nutt-So is biffed from "Wordz 2 My First Born" features (so 2Pac finally wanted the solo version and keep the Nutt-So version for the soundtrack like it is noted in All New Heat tracklist). Maybe 2Pac chose to have less featurings. 

"Unconditional Love" and "Thug Mansion" are also off (sold and maybe rejected due to a sample issue ? or given to Hammer and Outlawz ?). A very important part of his solo album is again dropped in favor of a typically Outlawz track "Made Niggaz".

This tracklist fits much less to the description of the album 2Pac gave to Sway : the artistic direction has clearly changed. The inclusion of "Made Niggaz" and the drop of "Unconditional Love" and "Thugz Mansion" are definitely a bad thing for the cohesion of the project... It has also been said 2Pac had some sample issues with "Thug In Me" (what could explain the K-Ci & Jojo version - even if it was maybe more a B-Side), "Thugz Mansion" and "When Thugz Cry" (the "Fragile" Sting sample is said to have had a problem - that could be why it was replayed in Makaveli sessions).

We are very close to the end of that solo project...

9. Circa 24-28 of April. "Euthanasia".

In this Outlawz LP tracklist, we can see "Can Be Touched", "Last Nigga Left" (recorded the 24th of April) but not "Don't Cry" (the 29th) neither any other songs recorded later ("Through My Rearview", "Don't Go 2 Sleep"...). 

"Hold Ya Head", "Thug Love" are of course just concept titles. There are many concept titles here (and 2Pac completes the project with some old group tracks : "Enemies With Me", "What"z Next", "There U Go" - the Johnny J remix without Syke could be from that time, right before Johnny stopped his work for the label...

So this tracklist is the first draft of the Outlawz project after 2Pac has transferred some solo album tracks (here 3 songs "Hit Em Up", "Made Niggaz" and "Troublesome" + "Secretz of War" which also appeared in one tracklist of it). Only "Troublesome" was also in Gridlock'd tracklist. He will add 2 other tracks from his solo album in the next Outlawz "This Game of Thug" tracklist : "Never Call U Bitch", "Wrong Nigga" (both not neither in "Gridlock'd" tracklist). And one more ("Who Do U Believe In") in further one. 

The title "Euthanasia" won't be kept in next tracklists. So the beloved title didn't fit with the Outlawz album project... or maybe Suge still didn't want that title like he would have said at the time of All Eyez On Me.

"Euthanasia" could rather be the last title of the solo album, right before 2Pac definitively disbanded it in Gridlock'd and in Outlawz projects...

 

What happened ? Why did 2Pac decide to scrap the whole project ?

In the All New Heat tracklist added notes, you can see how the full project seems to have been destroyed : "Unconditional Love" sold to MC Hammer, "Until The End of Time" sold to Syke, "My Closest Road Dog" intended to a compilation (finally given to Syke), "Wordz 2" and "Who Do U Believe In" to a soundtrack (probably Gridlock'd), "Breathin" and "Friend Like Me" to b-sides... We know that "Tongue Kissin'" beat was used for the song the 15th of April has been also sold/given to Jon B (circa the 24th of April ? or later, probably not because it implied Johnny J agreement)...

Of course, Syke decided to sign in for another label, making his songs finally disappear from Pac's projects (like said in "Fuckin' Wit' The Wrong Nigga" recorded the 25th of March but the intro was maybe added later) but he still recorded "Good Life" with Pac the 31st of March... Maybe in the beginning that was not a problem for Tupac but Suge eventually explained he didn't want to pay for him...

Probably 2Pac and Johnny J also had troubles with the samples of "Thugz Mansion", "Thug In Me" and "When Thugz Cry". And Johnny J was still complaining about his royalties (what could also Syke and Mopreme have done before him). Johnny J was probably very pissed when he saw how 2Pac dropped their project, it could also have decided him to leave the label... 

This project will never see the light, only "Hit 'em Up" will be released as a b-side of How Do U Want It single in June but as a part of Outlawz project. Everything is like if this album project has totally vanished. Like if 2Pac decided to scrap that intimate part of himself... maybe because the feud with Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boys, Mobb Deep and others... became more violent to release a "Love Supreme" sound alike project.

Until The End of Time will be the closest attempt to respect this project even if there are many other tracks taken from here and there.

On this picture, Tupac does not look like 2Pac... 

DETAILED TRACKLIST

(Special thanks to Bomb1st members Filla and Dominator for samples credits)

01. Everything They Owe (Intro) / Johnny J  

• 1996/04/02. Remixed in Until The End of Time (2001). The concept already appeared in his prison drafts for a new IV-V "Euthanasia" album (cf. Hard 2 Kill). It re-uses the music of Johnny J's song "It's a Wonderful Day" from his solo album I Gotta Be Me (1994, Shade Tree). There are 3 leaked mixes : one long with a mix error, one whose duration is 2'55 and one short mix of 2'35 (probably the final mix). The topic of the song clearly illustrates the photoset with David LaChapelle (1st and 2nd of April) with 2Pac pictured as a slave in the fields, on side of a donkey. The lyrics have political and historical content, referring to slavery. An alternative title could be "Nightmare" like depicted in the song. Tupac is like a nightmare for the white supremacists, so that song could be seen as an introduction to "Troublesome" - song that was initially subtitled "Bishop's Theme" (after his Juice movie character), depicting a young black male turning crazy (cf. 2Pacalypse II / Troublesome 21). So that song is possibly the "intro" appearing in the Untitled tracklist (without a track number). There is a date of recording for a song titled like that the 11th of January but it is a different recording (a beat produced by Bud'dah).
• Samples :  
• Bill Withers – "Make Love To Your Mind" (melody)

02. Troublesome '96 (No Chorus) / Johnny J

• 1996/04/08. Released in an alternate mix in Greatest Hits (1998). The concept already appeared in his prison drafts for a new IV-V "Euthanasia" album (cf. Hard 2 Kill). This early version doesn't have the "lalala" chorus. And it also doesn't have the "Criminal Timez Verse" playing backwards during the first verse of the song. There is also a third mix close to the retail, but shorter, which was worked around the time of the One Nation June sessions. So this "No Chorus" version even shorter than the "Lalala" version is very likely the very first mix of the song, without any chorus like many other songs of the solo album, specially shorten for an advanced mix of the album which was not that far to be finished.
  
• Samples : 
• Whodini - "Friends" (drums, bassline interpolation)
  
• Louchie Lou & Michie One - "Rich Girl" (vocals interpolation)

03. Never Had A Friend Like Me (Rough Mix) / Johnny J

• 1996/02/04. Released in Gridlock'd OST (1997). A bit longer than the retail mix. After the cancelling of his second Death Row solo album, 2Pac will definitely transfer the song to Gridlock'd soundtrack project.
• Samples : 
• Quincy Jones - "The Secret Garden" (rhodes, bassline interpolation)

04. When Thugz Cry (Fragile Sample) feat. Nanci Fletcher / Johnny J

• 1996/02/01. Remixed in Until The End of Time (2001). This version doesn't have the speach dissing Nas at the end. The voice take sounds also different from the second version produced in July for Makaveli album (cf. Makaveli sessions). In the third verse he says "triggery" instead of "misery". This is second time 2Pac tries to use this Sting sample (after "Black Cotton", cf. Ghetto Gospel).
• Samples :
• Prince - "When Doves Cry" (concept)
  
• Sting - "Fragile" (melody)

05. Fuckin' Wit' The Wrong Nigga (Intro 2 Syke) / Hurt-M-Badd

• 1996/03/25. Released in Until The End of Time (2001) without major changes. 2Pac says something to Big Syke about his recent signature to another label in the introduction of this take of the song ("Yo, Syke, do I need clearance from your record company to use your name or shit ?"). It means the 25th of March could be the exact date Syke signed on another label (T.N.T. Records, the label of 2Pac for his first two albums). But it didn't mark the end of their collaboration. It seems something else occurs to end up their friendship. The song will reappear in Outlawz Immortalz LP tracklists. 

06. Unconditional Love feat. Nanci Fletcher (chorus) / Johnny J

• 1996/02/01 - 26 (final mix). Released in Greatest Hits (1998) in a very close mix. Slightly shorter than the rough mix. The song was part of 2Pac's new solo project on 4 of the 5 available tracklists of 2Pac solo album from February to mid April, so it clearly means the song was in NO WAY a reference track for MC Hammer but a solo track very appreciated by 2Pac. Like written down in "All New Heat" tracklist, the song was sold - or eventually given - to Hammer in mid/late April (around the time of "100% Black Gold" tracklist, after the recording of "Made Niggaz"), more than two months after having been recorded. It is clear that after he sold the song, the album totally fell down. It was the main stone of it. What really happened ? Was it a generous gift to a friend ? Did Suge asked 2Pac to sell the song to Hammer ? Was 2Pac in search for money in the perspective of the justice troubles yet to come ? After that selling, Hammer and him didn't work together again...
  
• Samples : 
• Bell & James - "Just Can't Get Enough (Of Your Love)" (melody) 

07. Changed Man feat. Big Syke & Nate Dogg / Johnny J

• 1996/02/21. Remixed in Better Dayz (2002, Amaru). The title could be an allusion to the movie Carlito's Way (Brian de Palma, 1993), where the character played by Al Pacino claimed to the court at the beginning of the movie that he is a "changed man", that the penitentiary has changed him... Nobody even his lawyer believed him but it is true, the ex-gangster wants to change his way of living, prepares everything to do good from now on, but he is caught up by a mistake from his past and dies violently... The topic of the song also fits the David LaChapelle photoset with the pics of 2Pac washing his dirty side... It seems 2Pac had much love for the Nate Dogg singing since "How Long Will You Mourn Me", wanting to have one of his chorus in each of his projects ("Skandalous" and "All About U" in All Eyez On Me, "Teardrops and Closed Caskets" in Thug Life Volume II, maybe "Me & My Homies" in Thug Pound, "Never Leave Me Alone" in Gridlock'd Original).
  
• Sample : 
• Raydio - "Hot Stuff" (melody, bassline)

08. Thug In Me (aka What'z Ya Phone # pt. 2) feat. Jewell / Johnny J

• 1996/03/11. There is a second version with a new music and K-Ci & Jojo at the chorus (from March 19 or more likely from April 19) known under the title "Thug N Me Thug N U", which will be fairly remixed in Until The End of Time (2001). Maybe they couldn't clear the sample for that song so that's why they try to record a new version with K-Ci & Jojo over a new beat, but it couldn't fit that project anymore (cf. Gridlock'd Original). Another reason for that album to be scratched... There are various mixes of the song : a long 5'23 (the rough mix) and one short 5'14 mix with many effects on the voices. This song can also be seen as a follow up to the unreleased "Who Do U Luv ?" (cf. Mr. Middle Finger / Out On Bail).
• Samples : 
• Michael Jackson - "Liberian Girl" (melody)
• Young & Company - "I Like What You're Doin' To Me" (vocals interpolation)

09. Mama's Just A Little Girl (No Chorus) / Johnny J

• 1996/02/26. Remixed in Better Dayz (2002). The concept already appeared in his first drafts in prison for a new IV-V "Euthanasia" album (cf. Hard 2 Kill). This version doesn't have a chorus. There is also a "Death Row Remix" (is it legit ? is it from the time 2Pac was alive ?), probably a posthumous thing, with a very famous sample and Danny Boy at the chorus.
• Samples : 
• Sade - "Jezebel" (melody interpolation)
  

10. Wordz To My First Born feat. Nutt-So / DJ Quik

• 1996/03/08. Released in Nutt-So's Betrayal (1997-2000, Nutty's Playhouse). Remixed in Until The End of Time (2001). This long mix with Nutt-So is probably the first version of the song, with a sax playing instead of having a chorus. In the late April "100% Black Gold" tracklist, 2Pac scratched Nutt-So's name so he decided at that specific time to give the featuring version to the Gridlock'd Original (the soundtrack being a 2Pac + Friends compilation) and to have the solo version for his solo album (probably to have less featurings after the inclusion of two Outlawz featurings...). We chose to keep the Nutt-So version in this album because it was originally recorded like that for this album, because it totally fits the jazzy mood and the no chorus vibe (whereas the other one fits more likely the soul side of Gridlock'd). And I consider that the "100% Black Gold" tracklist is already turning into the Outlawz Immortalz LP...
  
• Samples : 
• Maze – "Ain’t It Strange" (melody interpolation)
• Sly & The Family Stone - "Everyday People" (vocals interpolation)
  
• Al Jarreau – "So Good" (sax interpolation)

11. Thugz Mansion / Johnny J

• 1996/02/02 - 02/19 (Verses 2 & 3). Remixed in Better Dayz. Like the first take of the song, and like many songs of that album, this version doesn't have a chorus. It is written seems "w/ Lil'Homies" in "All New Heat" tracklist... Maybe 2Pac at a time thought to record a version with tha Outlawz. Either he thought to give the concept back to the Outlawz (they had a song titled like that and written by 2Pac in their unreleased album Dramacyde) ; first drafts of Outlawz LP having approaching concepts : "Heaven or Hell", "Heaven Got A Ghetto" which could be potential chorus lyrics (cf. Immortalz). Either it is a mistake with the song "Breathin" which was effectively completed by an Outlawz+GBM featuring. It is usually said the sample was impossible to clear. That could be another decisive reason to drop the project and to give the concept to the Outlawz...
  
• Samples : 
• Bill Weathers - "Lean on Me" (melody interpolation)

12. Tongue Kissin' (Fuckin' With The Wrong Nigga pt. 2) / Johnny J  

• 1996/04/15. The music has been later given to Jon B for "Are You Still Down" (probably in late April - early May when 2Pac dropped the album), song released in his album Cool Relax (1997). 2Pac is saying "fuckin' wit the wrong nigga" at the end of his second and third verses, so it was thought to be the planned second part appearing in three tracklists, what is said confirmed by the Reel credits. It is the very last song recorded for the album... The 19th of April, 2Pac announced the album in an interview to Sway. Maybe around these dates he purposed a sequence of the album to be released but something went wrong maybe because of the samples impossible to clear. He eventually re-adjusted his album into "100% Black Gold" before totally give up the project. Jon B said they recorded their song one or two weeks after his appearance into "How Do U Want It ?" video (so between the 26th of April and the 3rd f May).

13. Never Call U Bitch Again (No Chorus) / Johnny J

• 1996/01/31 - 02/26 (?) (new mix, chorus edited out). Remixed in Better Dayz (2002). This version doesn't have a chorus exactly like "Mama's Just a Little Girl", "Troublesome 96", "Thugz Mansion", "Wordz 2 My First Born". It emphasizes the idea of a more musical album with less guest, less singing... The original 01/31 date is very probably the date of the version with the exact same music and Danny Boy same chorus than "Never Be Peace" recorded one day earlier. This instrumentation sounds exactly like "Mama's Just a Little Girl" one.
  
• Samples :
• Switch - "There Will Never Be" (melody, bassline)

14. Who Do U Believe In (Let's Pray) feat. Kadafi, Nanci Fletcher & Big Pimpin' / Johnny J

• 1996/01/22. Released in Better Dayz (2002, Amaru) with the same "Let Uz Pray" intro, but with an alternate mix, probably close to the Outlawz LP version (cf. Immortalz) : no breaks, an elaborated singing ending, and 2Pac's hook playing during Big Pimpin's poetry. There is also an intermediate mix with that elaborated ending but still with breaks, and with Pimpin edited out. Maybe worked at the time 2Pac was angry against Snoop (early May after the Saturday Night Special where Snoop didn't show up to prform live with 2Pac).
• Samples : 
• Jamiroquai - "Manifest Destiny" (melody) 
• Walter Beasley - "Tenderness" (cymbals) 
  

BONUS TRACKS :

15. Until The End of Time feat. Sixx Feet Deep (chorus) / Johnny J

• 1996/02/19 - ? (new mix). Remixed for Until The End of Time (2001). The concept already appeared in his first drafts in prison for a new IV-V "Euthanasia" album (cf. Hard 2 Kill). Probably already sold to Syke at the time of "Utitled" and "New Shit" tracklist, unless it was given to the Gridlock'd Original Soundtrack. Nonetheless we chose to have the song as a hidden track, because it perfectly fits the album, musically and lyrically.
• Samples : 
• Stevie Wonder - "Love's In Need of Love Today" (melody, vocals interpolation)

16. Ballad of a Dead Soulja feat. Sixx Feet Deep (chorus) / Johnny J

• 1996/02/19 - ? (new mix). Fairly remixed in Until The End of Time (2001) with the same sample. "Soulja" was the pitched voice he used to depict a dark minded avatar, alternate darkside of himself, assuming his most aggressive thoughts. Let's notice that for this last episode of it, 2Pac assume it with his own voice... It can prefigure the birth of his Mr. Killuminati final alter-ego, the one who got killed...
• Samples : 
• Curtis Mayfield, "Little Child, Running Wild" (melody)

17. Criminal Timez (Made Niggaz Original) / Johnny J - SNIPPET

• 1996/04/08 OR 15-16 (?). This lost verse can be heard playing backwards during the first verse of "Troublesome '96" version with the "lalala" chorus, like if "Troublesome" had been recorded over it. 
• Story : There is a handwritten lyric of this verse. It ends by "...it's hard 2 survive in these criminal times as Made Niggaz", so it could be an early version of "Made Niggaz", like for "Thugz Mansion", "Breathin" or "My Closest Road Dawg", solo take before awaited guests to come and record their verses... Is this first solo version of "Made Niggaz" recorded over "Troublesome 96" instrumental...?
• Samples : 
• Whodini - "Friends" (drums, bassline interpolation)
  
• Louchie Lou & Michie One - "Rich Girl" (vocals interpolation) 

18. Hit Em Up (2nd Version, First Take) feat. Hussein, Kadafi & Edi / Johnny J

• 1996/03/29-31 (no "take money"). Published as a b-side of How Do U Want It (12'') the 4th of June 1996, and then in Greatest Hits (1998, Death Row), cf. Rarities. In this first take, at the end of Fatal and Edi verses, you can respectively hear the beginning of Edi and Storm old verses from the first version of the song, recorded in October 95 for Thug Life Volume 2. It also has the famous Jay-Z & Lil'Kim diss unedited lyric at the end. But it didn't have the woman singing "Take Money" (Junior M.A.F.I.A. "Gettin Money" interpolation). Why did 2Pac add this song to his solo album ? This is clearly a false note to the specific mood of introspection and jazz that he originally wanted for his album... Like the tide, 2Pac comes back and forth from a peace & love mood to a very aggressive fighting spirit... We can see the song being reworked in a studio footage when 2Pac was recording "Good Life". We can hear this demo of the song with the beginning of Edi's old verse at a time, but not the one of Storm a bit later...
  
• Samples : 
• Dennis Edwards - "Don't Look Any Further" (bassline, melody, drumline, concept)
  
• Junior M.A.F.I.A. - "Player's Anthem" (concept)
• Junior M.A.F.I.A. - "Getting Money (Remix)" (concept, vocal interpolation)
• MC Lyte & Audio Two - "10% Dis" (vocals interpolation : "beat biter, dope style taker")

. Happy Home (Rough Mix) feat. Michel'le (chorus) / Johnny J

• 1996/04/02. It is said to be dedicated to his sister Sekyiwa Shakur, but it is also known to be about his love, commitment and family projects with Keisha Morris, with which he got married while in jail and divorced right after being freed... If so, it could be seen also as a remain of the original prison project concept album.
  
• Samples :  
• Grover Washington Jr. & Bill Withers – "Just the Two of Us" (drums, melody interpolation)

DISC TWO :  BONUS DISC - THE DEMO

 

01. Unconditional Love (Long Mix) feat. Eboni Foster (chorus) / Johnny J

• 1996/02/01. Released in Greatest Hits (1998).
• Samples : 
• Bell & James - "Just Can't Get Enough (Of Your Love)" (melody) 
  

02

03. Until The End of Time (Long Mix) feat. Sixx Feet Deep (chorus) / Johnny J

• 1996/02/19. Remixed for Until The End of Time (2001). The longest mix is probably the earliest. In the All New Heat tracklist, the song is written sold to Big Syke, and it appears in an uncomplete tracklist for his album with also "Me & My Closest Road Dawg".
  
• Samples : 
• Stevie Wonder - "Love's In Need of Love Today" (melody, vocals interpolation)
  

04. Ballad of a Dead Soulja (Long Mix) feat. Sixx Nine / Johnny J

• 1996/02/19. Fairly remixed in Until The End of Time (2001) with the same sample. "Soulja" was the name 2Pac gave to the pitched voice he used to depict his dark minded avatar, wearing his most aggressive thought (used in his first two albums and heavily used in the Thug Life original album lost sessions, so it could also have been recorded as a final touch to Thug Life Volume 2 project). This is the very late appearance of this avatar. Funny to notice that the concept of the song kind of appears in prison tracklists as "Ballad of the Caged Bird".
  
• Samples : 
• Curtis Mayfield, "Little Child, Running Wild" (melody)

05. My Closest Road Dawg (First Take Solo) / Johnny J

• 1996/02/13. Remixed in Until The End of Time (2001) in this solo version. 
• Story : like "I Get Around" or "Late Night", 2Pac firstly recorded solo, maybe with reference lyrics for his partner, days before Syke came to record his part (the 19th of February ?). Considering the lyrics, the song was more accurate to Thug Life Volume 2, Lil' Homiez or Big Syke's solo album project.
  
• Samples : 
• The Jones Girls – "Children Of The Night" (melody)

06. Thugz Mansion (First Take & Freestyle) / Johnny J

• 1996/02/02. Remixed for Better Dayz (2002). This is the first take of the song, with only one verse and a freestyle (maybe awaiting for Outlawz verses) - or it is a later edit preparing the song for being given to Lil' Homiez project. In All New Heat tracklist, it appears with "Lil Homiez" as featured artists (It could be another nickname for the Outlaw Immortalz without Mopreme (after Thug Life Volume 2 project was given up) before it turned to Outlawz when Syke left Death Row to go solo ; around the same time, Tupac recorded the song "Lil' Homies" solo and with Outlawz). Tupac as well wrote "Lil Homiez" on side, it could indicate that he decided to give the song to his group's new project.
  
• Samples : 
• Bill Weathers - "Lean on Me" (melody interpolation)
  

07

08. Breathin' (First take & Freestyle) / Johnny J

• 1996/01/31. Remixed in a promo remix in 1997 for Bizzy Bone's solo album. Remixed in Until The End of Time (2001). The empty space like "Thugz Mansion" could indicate that the song was maybe originally thought as a song with guests... Outlawz and GBM will finally record their verses circa late March (cf. Lil Homiez). It is funny to notice that this Johnny J's beat is a remake of a Dr. Dre's one (cf. Nate Dogg's freestyle "Nobody Does It Better", recorded in 1993)... Is it possible Dr. Dre at a time worked with Johnny J upon it ? Did 2Pac and Johnny J kind of steal the beat after 2Pac argued with Dre ? It would be another proof that something happened circa January 22-31 between 2Pac and Dr. Dre... what putted an end to Thug Pound and pushed Dr. Dre to leave Death Row... Another interesting thing here is that the lyrics kind of fit the topic of the unrecorded "Bad Boy Killaz"... Could 2Pac initially plan to record the song over the Kurt Kobane instrumental before to decide to steal Dr. Dre's instrumental ?
  
• Samples : 
• The Isley Brothers - "Summer Breeze" (melody)
• The Honey Drippers - "Impeach The President" (snare)

09. When We Ride On Our Enemies (Rough Mix) feat. ? / Johnny J

• 1996/03/07. Remixed in Until The End of Time (2001). Unknown voice singing in the background.
  
• Sample : 
• Rolls Royce - "Wishing On A Star" (melody, bassline interpolation)
  

10. When Mexicanz Cry (Studio Footage) / -

• 1996/02/01. Studio footage probably recorded during "When Thugz Cry" sessions.
• Samples :
• Prince - "When Doves Cry" (concept)
  
• Sting - "Fragile" (melody)

11. Changed Man (Rough Mix) feat. Big Syke & Nate Dogg / Johnny J

• 1996/02/21. Remixed in Better Dayz (2002, Amaru).
• Sample : 
• Raydio - "Hot Stuff" (melody, bassline)
  

12. Never Call U Bitch Again (Rough Mix) feat. Danny Boy / Johnny J

• 1996/01/31. Remixed in Better Dayz (2002, Amaru). This version is using the exact same beat and Danny Boy's chorus than "Never Be Peace" (cf. Outlaw Immortalz : Thug Life Volume 2).
• Samples :
• Switch - "There Will Never Be" (melody, bassline)
  

13. Too Tight (Studio Footage) feat. Nanci Fletcher / Johnny J

• 1996/01/26. 2Pac is recording a reference track for MC Hammer.
  
• Samples : 
• Ohio Players - "Skin Tight" (bassline, melody interpolation) 

14. St. Ides Malt Liquor Commercial (Long Version) feat. Snoop Dogg / DJ Pooh & E-Swift

• 1996/01 (?). Commercial for a well known malt liquor. 2Pac had already done one in 93. There are two versions of this commercial : a long radio version (50'') and a short video one (40''). When was it recorded ? It refers to "Blueberry", a song planned to be in LBC album Haven't U Heard ?, planned to be released around late 95 - beginning of 96 but finally shelved around that time because of a dispute between Snoop and Lil C-Style about royalties. So Snoop maybe wouldn't have rapped these lines about the song after that.

15. Wherever U R (Rough Mix) feat. Big Daddy Kane / Johnny J

16. This Ain't Livin' (Rough Mix) (reference for a duet with Snoop Dogg) / Johnny J

• 1996/02/26. Remixed in Until The End of Time (2001). This song is said to have been written for Snoop Dogg (like "Too Tight" for MC Hammer...). More probably it was supposed to be a 2Pac/Snoop duet ("I Never pulled the trigger / Didn't touch that bitch" sounding like a new "2 of Amerikaz most wanted") and 2Pac wrote and tried the lyrics for his busy friend (like he made a verse for Money B in "I Get Around" demo, Snoop was then starting to work on his second Death Row album). Unfortunately, it seems Snoop never recorded his part...
• Sample : 
• Latimore – "Let’s Straighten It Out" (melody)

17. Lil Homies (First Take) feat. Danny Boy / Johnny J

18. Ghetto Star (First Take) feat. Nutt-So & Danny Boy / Go Twice - REMAKE

• 1996/03/08 (?). Published as a bonus track with an added outro in some versions of Nutt-So's The Betrayal (2000). Released in Better Dayz (2002). This first take can be heard in the background of the Danny Boy vocals of the song, with slightly alternate beat mix, chorus and vocals takes.
• Samples : 
• Leon Ware - "What's Your World" (melody)

. Good Life (Rough Mix) feat. Big Syke & Edi / Mike Mosley

• 1996/03/31. Released in Until The End of Time (2001, Amaru). Is that version with many instrumental effects a really audacious mix ? More probably a work in progress, first take when Ricky Rouse was freestyling with his bass, before the final mix. It is played in a studio footage video with also images of "Hit Em Up (Demo)" recording in the background of Mike Mosley, E-40, Rick Rock and Ojetunde interviews... what could make think "Million Dollar Spot" could be from around that time (it could be more likely mid April)... 
  

. Who Do U Believe In (No Pimpin') feat. Kadafi & Nanci Fletcher (chorus) / Johnny J

• 1996/01/22 - ?. Released in Better Dayz (2002, Amaru) with the Big Pimpin' poetry part (cf. Me Against The World pt. 2). This mix is clearly less elaborated than other ones, but why did 2Pac chose to remove Pimpin' part ? Is it just an intermediate state ?
• Samples : 
• Jamiroquai - "Manifest Destiny" (melody) 
• Walter Beasley - "Tenderness" (cymbals) 
  

. My Closest Road Dawg (Rough Mix) feat. Big Syke / Johnny J

• 1996/02/13-19. There is a version with 3 verses from 2Pac (probably the first take before Syke recorded his verses), that was remixed in Until The End of Time (2001). There is a rough mix with a close sounding beat and another one a bit longer with an alternate mixdown. The song also appears in a first draft of Syke's solo album written down by 2Pac. So maybe the song was firstly recorded as a song for the solo album and Syke was just supposed to take one verse, but when he recorded, it was decided that the song would be for his album, so he took two verses.
  
• Samples : 
• The Jones Girls – "Children Of The Night" (melody)