1996 - Thug Pound

• Dec. 95 - Jan. 96 : new songs and leftover material renewed from 2Pac and the Dogg Pound for a Death Row promo and diss album.
• December 14, at Funk Flex Hot 97, The Notorious B.I.G. called up to boycott the video of "New York, New York" Dogg Pound and Snoop Dogg were about to shoot in Carrol Gardens, Brooklyn. Consecutively, Dogg Pound recorded the song "NY '87" against him.
• December 22, 2Pac, his team and the Dogg Pound recorded the track "Initiated" together. The song gave them the concept of a supergroup logically called Thug Pound.
• Suge Knight possibly had the idea of turning this one shot thing into a project of a promo associating the new headliners of the label into a whole project against Bad Boy.
• What happened ?  brutally stopped and left unfinished maybe because of the lack of investment of Dr. Dre ; Mopreme was kicked off by Death Row Bloods inmates ; 2Pac was arrested the 22nd of January ; 2Pac and Kurupt almost fought in the studios
• Sources : Makaveli 2 bootleg ;

### WORK IN PROGRESS. There are no existing tracklist nor material sequence known for that short lived project - out of the bootleg Makaveli 2. With logical deduction of the potential content, we could rebuild a very satisfying album, which really corresponds to that era, that specific mood "all against Biggie", that specific dark and raw sound... We saw the thing as Thug Life and/or Dogg Pound + Death Row friends. ###

TRACKLIST  -  LISTEN

1. Welcome 2 Death Row (Intro) feat. Danny Boy
2. Initiated (Thug Pound) (Blow Mix) feat. Dogg Pound & Outlawz
3. Late Night (DJ Quik Version) feat. AMG & DJ Quik
4. The Struggle Continuez feat. Hussein, Big Syke & O.F.T.B.
5. Blunt Time feat. Dr. Dre & Lady of Rage - instrumental og vibe
6. NY '87 (DJ Quik Mix) feat. Dogg Pound & Deadly Threat
7. Penitentiary Bound (by Outlawz, Mopreme & Prince Ital Joe) - unfinished
8. Fair Exchange (Alternate Mix) feat. Hurt-M-Badd
9. Outlaw Immortalz (Alternate Mix) feat. Outlawz & Big Syke
10. Wanted Dead Or Alive (Original Gangsta Party Mix) feat. Snoop Dogg - og vibe
11. Trump Tight (by Big Syke, Kurupt & Kadafi)
12. Homeboyz - Still I Rise version, solo edit
13. Don't Stop, Keep Goin' (Long Version) feat. Dogg Pound 
    
14. First 2 Bomb feat. Outlawz
15. Um Dumpin' feat. Gonzoe, Kurupt, Starr-Loc & Nutt-So
16. World Wide M.O.B. Figgaz feat. Big Syke & Outlawz
17. This Life I Lead feat. Gonzoe, Dogg Pound & Nutt-So
18. Bad Boy Killaz (Outro) feat. Danny Boy - instrumental / WFO & Slaughter version
    
    Bonus Tracks : 
    
    
19. St. Ides Malt Liquor Commercial feat. Snoop Dogg 
    

DETAILED TRACKLIST down the page.

• BOLD : tracks recorded for the compilation or very possibly transferred to it. 
• Producers - Daz (3, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15), Johnny J (4, 7, 16, 17), Kurupt (10), DJ Quik (1, 2, 6), Kurt Kobane (1, 18), Sam Sneed (9), Dr. Dre (5), Soopafly (10)

2Pac & Suge at Las Vegas, Nov. 4

Unused Tracks :

. presenting All Eyez On Me...

. Outlaw Immortalz (?) (by Outlawz & Gonzoe) - ??? 
. Wonda Why They Call U Bitch (Jewell Version) - ???
. Me & My Homies (Rough Mix) feat. Nate Dogg - unleaked

. Komradz feat. Storm, Outlawz & Big Syke
. M.O.B. feat. Outlawz, Mopreme & Big Syke
. 6 or 12 (by Outlawz & Big Syke)

. Ambitionz Az A Fighta
. LBC Crew - It Feels Good 2 Be DPG (Remix) feat. Snoop Dogg & Nate Dogg 
. Dogg Pound - Just Doggin' (Mobbin' with the Pound Remix) feat. Nate Dogg - Sunset Park

. Dogg Pound - I'll Do (Would You Die For Me) (Rough Mix) feat. Kausion - Dogg Shit
. Dogg Pound - Gang Bangin' Ass Criminals (Rough Mix) feat. LBC Crew - Dogg Shit
. Dogg Pound - It's Going Down (Rough Mix) feat. Prince Ital Joe - Dogg Shit
. Dogg Pound - Can't See Me (Original) feat. George Clinton - Dogg Shit
. Kurupt & Snoop Dogg - Every Single Day (New Mix) feat. Nate Dogg

 

Kurupt, Johnny J, 2Pac, Mopreme & Big Syke
in front : Soopafly ?

Note regarding the selection... 

If we don't have any tracklists nor material sequence - out of Makaveli 2 (bootleg) - it does not mean we can chose anything we want to make a compilation with our favorite tracks with all 2Pac/DPG connections... We got to take that project 2Pac / Dogg Pound had - even for a very short time - very seriously. Let's remember they were in studios and wore the project during one month, thinking about what to do with it...

For tracks 12-17, we are 100% sure they were recorded for a specific project, different from Volume 2, eventually titled "Thug Pound". And "Initiated" is very likely the song which gave the idea of the project. A few days after that song, "NY87" and "Don't stop" were very likely remixed with an added 2Pac verse specially in the perspective of a Death Row association against the enemies : Biggie and Bad Boy. Because Thug Pound is about that too. The feud started at the MTV Music Awards in summer of 1995, but it was still a cold war...

Step 1 : Hot 97 Radio, The Notorious B.I.G. calls to boycott...

In December 14 of 1995, Dogg Pound and Snoop invited New York rappers to appear in the video for "New York, New York" they were about to shoot two days later in Carrol Gardens, Brooklyn... But Funkmaster Flex at Hot 97 Radio let Biggie call up for the boycott of the Death Row artists ; he said something like that : they come to make a video with 2Pac, how can we let that happen, how they can come and disrespect... 

That's the turning point from a silent war - started during the MTV Awards during summer of 95 with the strong discurse of Suge -, to an open war between the two labels, which will soon turned into a Coastal war. Dogg Pound immediately answered by "NY '87" with Deadly Threat the 14th of December, a few days later Quik gave a remix of it and 2Pac added a verse. Now they all had the same enemies...

Around that same date of Dec. 18-22, Snoop recorded a new duet with 2Pac titled "Wanted Dead Or Alive" in which 2Pac says in his first verse "Bad Boy getting buried".

That picture was used for a fanmade cover for a Thug Pound bootleg, 
but there are only Kurupt, Snoop and 2Pac on it and it was from House of Blues times

Initiated as an outlaw... the terrorists teammates 

"Wanted Dead Or Alive" was listed with "Initiated" in a DAT and it contains disses towards Bad Boy. "Bad Boy Killaz" was probably the last song planned for the project, left unfinished when the project was dropped the 22th of January. Maybe even 2Pac was supposed to record the song with Danny Boy and recorded "Lil' Homiez" instead...

"Late Night", "Blunt Time" and "Outlaw Immortalz" were eventually transferred to this project after being taken off from All Eyez On Me and Thug Life Volume 2. The first one was maybe dropped because of its sample but the two others were very likely transferred. There are still doubts about "Trump Tight" and "Me & My Homies" dates of recording but they fit the context. 

"Welcome 2 Death Row", "The Struggle Continues", "Penitentiary Bound" or even "6 or 12" were recorded earlier (cf. All Eyez On Me early recordings) but they could logically have been re-purposed for this project considering guests, concepts and kind of vibe. "Blunt Time" would be of course the holy Grail to achieve this album...

"I'll Do" by Dogg Pound featuring Gonzoe and Kaution could have been recorded for the project too - they speak about 2Pac in the song, Gonzoe says "fuck New York". But maybe the song was more likely recorded right after the end of the project in early February, and directly included into Dogg Pound's new album project (cf. Dogg Shit). "Dogg Pound Criminals" with LBC Crew (aka Daz Dillinger's "Gang Bangin' Ass Criminals") was very likely recorded around the same days than "I'll Do" with Kurupt rapping in a same way, talking about "bomb" and "Vietnam" (like in "Initiated"), Bad Azz calling Daz "Dillinger", and saying they are "ready to war", "West Coast the best coast"...

Like "Outlaw Immortalz" and "Blunt Time", the tracks "Fair Exchange" and "Komradz" were removed from Thug Life Volume 2 in January of 96 and could have been re-considered for Thug Pound. The second one is not quite good and in the mood of the compilation. "Fair Exchange" had more potential and the Hurt-M-Badd chorus could complete the casting of the album.

"Jack Move", "Still Ballin", "Secretz of War (Rules Version)" are Thug Life Volume 2 tracks in mid January, so for sure not intended for that project.

 

"If There's A Cure", "Changed Man", "Three Wordz", are Lil' Homiez tracks. "Just Watchin" is a Snoop song for his new album.

There are not many Snoop Dogg's features, nor no LBC Crew, for the obvious reason that their first album was about to be released on Doggystyle Records (with many Snoop features and even a solo song)... before Lil' C Style crushed the DATs circa March-May of 96. But what about the unleaked "Feels Good 2 B DPG (Remix)" (from Daz ?), with Techniec, Nate and Snoop, from January ?

The project is as well a Death Row promo in order to announce the forthcoming projects : Thug Life 2nd, Dogg Pound 2nd, Snoop 2nd, Dr. Dre 2nd, Lady of Rage, Danny Boy, Sam Sneed, Nate Dogg, Michel'le, Jewell, O.F.T.B., Prince Ital Joe... LBC Crew why not but they were supposed to drop their album very soon and on Doggystyle subsidiary label.  

A buried project under the One Nation ground...

Thug Pound biatch !

The project was forgotten for a long time. We had no handwritten sheets about it in 2Pac papers (what is logical because it was maybe more likely a Suge Knight/Dogg Pound directed project...). And it was in the shade of One Nation. Many tracks recorded for the project have that same rough studio sound which can be compared to the June sessions. First of all "Initiated" aka "Thug Pound" (the track which launched the idea of the project), released in Daz Dillinger's 1998 album, so like a late track. Songs like "This Life I Lead", "World Wide MOB Figgaz" and "Dumpin'" were firstly said to have been recorded in April-May before Gonzoe stated they were from January. "First 2 Bomb", an Outlaw Immortalz anthem produced by Daz was unofficially released in Makaveli & Dillinger aside of "Don't Go 2 Sleep" (track that appear in Outlawz tracklists in May). "Trump Tight" has the same music than "Ginseng Power (Coast II Coast)" so it was easy to put it close to these sessions too even if Big Syke and Kadafi talk about "Thug Life", "Young Thugz" and "Outlaw Immortalz" (these group names disappeared after February, at least in 2Pac's mouth). "NY' 87" was a late leaked track at the same time than Makaveli track "Whatch Ya Mouth"... 

But both projects are totally different... mainly because Thug Pound is a war project, whereas One Nation is kind of reconciliation project (in its principles, not in every verses...). And Thug Pound was a complete Death Row team project still whereas One Nation was without Dr. Dre, without Mopreme, without Big Syke, without Johnny J...

Kurupt, Daz, Nate Dogg behind
unknown guy shaking hands with 2Pac. Unknown date.

Death Row equation : Thug Life Volume 2 + Dogg Shit = Thug Pound

This project takes origin in the background of Thug Life Volume II, one of its tracklist gave "Jack Move", "Still Ballin" and "Secretz of War" and at this occasion 2Pac gave a nickname for Dogg Pound members and Snoop like he made for his Immortalz : Daz Dillinger, Young Gotti and Snoop Corleone. After that, when they recorded "Initiated (as an outlaw)" the 22th of December, the idea of a collaboration logically came. 

Dogg Pound second album project initially called Dogg Shit (maybe initially just leftover material from Dogg Food + new tracks with Prince Ital Joe, Lady of Rage...) was more or less born dead because some sessions like "Can't C Me" or "Got My Mind Made Up" were used for All Eyez On Me (probably following the demand of Suge Knight), and some other were East Coast friendly songs like "Don't Stop" featuring Nas (so not in the Death Row Vs. Bad Boy perspective). So maybe Suge purposed them to transform their project into a whole collaboration with 2Pac/Outlaw Immortalz who also had leftover material.

So Dogg Pound started to recycle unused beats completed with 2Pac/Thug Life featurings. "Don't Stop" could be seen in that perspective. The Gonzoe/Nutt-So sessions from the 18th of January are a decisive addition, produced by Daz and Johnny J, like "First 2 Bomb". "MOB Figgaz" and "This Life I Lead" are Johnny J productions that sounds really in that same specific mood. To complete the Dogg Pound Gangsta connection, it needed a Snoop contribution : "Wanted Dead Or Alive (Original)" exactly fits that timeline.

in the studios with Dre, Johnny and Syke

Totally scrapped project ? Or it turned into Westcoast Aftershock ?

When 2Pac arrived at Death Row, Daz & Kurupt first album was about to be released (the 31st of October 95). Their first single "New York, New York" out since September 15 was early regarded as a diss towards East side rappers, mainly because of the MTV Awards tensions. Daz started to work upon 2Pac's album. Dre, Daz and Death Row gave 2Pac music or songs like "Can't C Me", "Got My Mind Made Up" that were initially for Dogg Pound's second project. Daz and Kurupt were also invited to work with 2Pac for his second project called Outlaw Immortalz : Thug Life Volume 2. Like he did for his group Pac eventually gave nicknames to Daz, Kurupt and Snoop. They come to record "Initiated" with the subtitle anthem "Thug Pound", reunion of the two groups.

At that time, Daz was probably working to improve his unreleased songs and to gather them in a new album project. So he thought to add 2Pac to "NY 87" (as a kind of sequel to the "New York New York" diss single) and to replace Nas by him in "Don't Stop, Keep Going" (Nas becoming a un-welcome guest with the feud launched by the Dogg Pound single). Maybe he also added him in Soopafly's production for Nate Dogg "Me & My Homies". They still had to record a fresh set of new songs between Dogg Pound, 2Pac and the Outlawz, so they had that session with Gonzoe, Nutt-So, Starr-Loc...

But, maybe because of 2Pac having changed his plans, shelving his Thug Life Volume 2 because of the dispute between Mopreme and Death Row, dropping Thug Pound because of his dispute with Dr. Dre, starting to record a new solo album more in the vein of Me Against The World, it seems that Daz and Dogg Pound also changed their plans, recording less often with Pac after that period... It is said that the project turned to be the Dogg Pound second album Westcoast Aftershock, what stayed unreleased at the departure of Kurupt from Death Row in 1997. Daz released his solo album in 98 with some of these songs, and then Death Row released 2002 and Daz answered by The Last of Tha Pound in 2004, both albums being compilations of tracks recorded around that time and eventually remixed.

 

 2Pac & Dr. Dre circa late 95
same clothes than in Chi-Modu photoset (Dec. 30)

Dr. Dre, from disappointment to hate...

Like we can see in this picture, 2Pac and Dr. Dre were probably still OK in December of 95. Was the concert tribute to Eazy-E by 2Pac in early 96 for another reason for the decisive feud between the two stars ? Probably not, even if Dr. Dre was into a feud with his ex-partner, the necessity to pay homage to the recently deceased West Coast superstar was more than understandable.

It is said 2Pac was pissed when he learnt that Dr. Dre pretended to have produced a track and it was in fact Daz' (could be "Got My Mind Made Up", unless it was about "Can't C Me" which was initially a Dogg Pound song...). Anyway he claimed many times Dr. Dre wasn't implicated enough in the production of his album, mainly given to DJ Quik, and other Death Row projects.

MTV Jams interview with Billy Bellamy, Dec. 19

In that MTV Jams interview, 2Pac says that Dr. Dre is rarely seen in studios. If he adds right after that it is because he has a homestudio, the attack is clear. Even the attitude of 2Pac is really surprising when Billy Bellamy asked questions to Dr. Dre...

Kenya Ware, Daz' girlfriend at that time, explained in an interview that Michel'le was reglarly abused by her husband Dr. Dre, that she was often seen with a black eye...  Could she possibly complain about that to 2Pac circa the 10-11th of January when they recorded "Play Ya Cardz Right" / "Wonda Why They Call U Bitch" together ? We know 2Pac was very sensitive about women abuse... 

But Suge Knight claimed in an interview that the final words between the two stars were about the Saturday Night Live planned for February 17... Having learnt about Dr. Dre having gay sexual relationships (it is said Michel'le complained about having found Dre in his bed with another man...), 2Pac would have confronted Dr. Dre who admitted to be bisexual. 2Pac would have answered it was "disgusting" and then he refused to have Dre on stage with him... Was he that intolerant ? Were they already into a hostility ? Was he just making pay for his violence on Michel'le ?

And when was that conversation ? It could be one day before the event but more likely one month before, when they signed for that performance... 

Lady of Rage posted this picture in a video. What could mean the song definitely exists.

In Outlaw Immortalz 1st tracklist (c. Dec. 13), the song "Blunt Time" is still included. It disappeared from the second tracklist (c. Jan. 13), maybe because the song was transferred to Thug Pound project, or maybe because 2Pac was already angry against Dr. Dre (at the same time, Outlawz were not supposed to be featured on it). Something could have occurred around that song, around the fact Dr. Dre was not at his ease with the feud with East Coast. Natasha Walker said in an interview that the atmosphere surrounding 2Pac claiming he had sex with Faith Evans was bad. Maybe there was something from a jealousy growing between Dr. Dre and 2Pac around the label lead and around Natasha who was Dr. Dre's girlfriend at a time and 2Pac's very good friend & partner. She herself left the label around late November - early December.

at Grammy Awards, Feb. 29
Kurupt chokes on side of 2Pac

A dispute between 2Pac and Kurupt...

Out of Syke and the Outlawz, Kurupt was the favorite rap partner for 2Pac within October 17 - January 18 with maybe some eight-ten combinations between them, and a live at 662 Club the 4th of November. After January, it was really less : "Just Watchin" in Feb. 21 for Snoop Dogg's album, "Ride 4 Me" in March 23 eventually for a Kurupt solo project, and 2Pac added a verse to "World Wide (Time After Time)" O.F.T.B.'s song in March 31.

Daz also worked a lot with 2Pac during the same period, much less after that... "Just Watchin" for Snoop, "Rock On" for Lady of Rage. "Three Wordz" was maybe a Tupac song for Lil' Homiez, but it could also be a Snoop song before he decided to drop the song and re-record his verse for "May I"... What happened ?

Snoop told in a recent interview that 2Pac and Kurupt were about to fight in studios. Daz and Nate Dogg had to separate them...

Kurupt admitted in an interview he was once drunk in the studios and 2Pac was pissed... He added he was more of the age of the Outlawz, whereas Daz was closer to 2Pac... He also mentioned there were tensions over the fact 2Pac wanted to rule everything at Death Row, force people to adopt a dress code... 2Pac would have even told him to pass by Snoop before talking to him... 

J-Flexx explained that during one of these famous meetings at Death Row, like the one where 2Pac beat up Sneed, Feb. 21, they talked about the problems of teammates who chill, come in and out of the studios, disturbing work. The origin of the problem is : 2Pac would have turned mad against a guy into a studio. Kurupt would have defended him as a Dogg Pound friend. A dispute probably occurred at that time.

When was that ? They recorded together in January 18 and from January 22, 2Pac seems to have new projects. Could that dispute have occurred right after he went back from having been arrested the 22nd ? He was very probably mad as hell (if we think about "Lil' Homiez" recording) and he could have overreacted when unknown people were in the studios, and then when Kurupt answered him...

After January 22, 2Pac and Dogg Pound only occasionally worked together, mainly for another people needs (Snoop, OFTB). Kurupt was maybe not that angry because he recorded "(Would You) Ride 4 Me" with him for his project, but 2Pac recorded a new version of "Secretz of War" in early April, without Kurupt... In early May '96, Snoop and 2Pac were also in a dispute, Snoop didn't show up at Saturday Night Special to rap "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted"... 

Suge seems to have greatly helped to appease the situation in May when they went to Belize. In late May, Daz gave a new beat to 2Pac for "Don't Fall Asleep", Snoop was invited to give a verse for "Untouchablez" for 2Pac+Outlawz album, 2Pac added to "Street Life" and "Out The Moon" for Snoop Dogg. Then for One Nation, Daz gave a beat, Snoop an outro, Kurupt gave two beats and also a verse for One Nation, but not in the same song than 2Pac... They all rap together at the House of Blues the 4th of July.

But 2Pac finally biffed Dogg Pound's name in Ghetto Starz guest list in August 96... And there seems to be something between Snoop and 2Pac again when they went to MTV Awards in September 4... 

 

Suge Knight, Tupac, MC Hammer, Snoop Dogg, the 29th of January

at the 23rd annual American Music awards.

 

with Johnny J's wife Capucine Jackson 
who gives some vocals in "Fair Exchange" in November '95
and also sings "take money" in "Hit 'Em Up" in April '96 

  

DETAILED TRACKLIST

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

 

01. Welcome 2 Death Row feat. Danny Boy, Michel'le & Stacey Smallie / Kurt Kobane, Hurt-M-Badd & DJ Quik (flute ? & mix ?)

• 1995/10/28. UNRELEASED.
• Story. Here you have the classic Dr. Dre introduction, same as on The Chronic (1992). According to Kurt Kobane, there is no Dr. Dre engineering here, just an additional DJ Quik's flute & mixdown. Probably initially thought to be an introduction to Danny Boy solo album (cf. Danny Boy's The DJ Quik Sessions), it seems Danny Boy chose to not use it. It has been said Pac's verse could have been added later (not later than January because 2Pac was mad at Dr. Dre after that), but they more probably recorded directly together in October (no mix without him leaked). 2Pac being on the track and Danny Boy having to give his best material to the new Death Row project, the song could possibly be re-purposed to the Death Row forthcoming project, what was a kind of transition from the Dogg Pound (Nov. 95) and 2Pac (Feb. 96) albums to the promotion of forthcoming Death Row projects, Danny Boy among them. At the end of the song, Danny Boy gives shots to other Death Row artists : Dogg Pound, Snoop, Sam Sneed, Dr. Dre and Rage. So it is the perfect introduction for that Thug Pound project.
• Samples :
• Dr. Dre - "The Chronic Intro" (vocals : "This is dedicated to the niggas that was down from day one, welcome to Death Row")
  

02. Initiated (Blow Mix) feat. Dogg Pound, Hussein, Kastro & Edi / Daz

• 1995/12/22. Released in Daz Dillinger's Retaliation, Revenge and Get Back (1998, Death Row) in a slightly different mix.
• Story. This version has a slightly different mix with a wind sound in the background, more Pac adlibs and a scratched ending by a few Pac words ("Nigga you y[??]"), what is the exact beginning of Snoop Dogg's "Eastside Party"... Could be the two songs linked in a way at the time of the recording, the mix ? In fact the second one was recorded on the same REEL, so when it was copied it was wrongly cut with the 2Pac words.

03. Late Night (Quik Version) feat. AMG & DJ Quik / DJ Quik

• 1995/11/11 - 12/01 (~) (AMG & Quik added). Released in an alternate form in Chronic 2000 (1999, Death Row), with a freestyle verse by Fatal N Felony and a second one by 2Pac.
• Story. This version was included in All Eyez On Me late sequences before being dropped. In a double tracklist from Nov., the features of the song says "Quik & Playa Ham" (a Quik friend who had an album in 92 with Penthouse Players Clique and was about to have a solo single in 96) so the song was obviously not recorded yet. The exact guests only appear in a December tracklist. Quik said he was not aware of the Outlaw version but it is much more logic to think that 2Pac recorded firstly as usual, not waiting for the planned guests when Quik gave him the instrumental in November 11... Another strong points are that Fatal N Felony were then recording many freestyles (over "Where U Been", "Still I Rise"...) and that "Late Night" was an old Dramacydal song (cf. Young Thugz / Dramacyde). That song never appeared anywhere after being dropped from All Eyez On Me so it is very difficult to imagine 2Pac would have recorded a new version by editing out Quik and AMG... Anyway, it is said that Donald Byrd didn't accept to clear the sample... even if the sample was already used in "My Definition of a Thug Nigga" (cf. Thug Life Demo). But considering the fact DJ Quik kind of joined his force to the diss with Bad Boy on "NY '87", maybe the song was simply re-purposed for the Thug Pound promo project (maybe a kind of mixtape which didn't need same sample clearing exigence...). If so, it could have been the head track of the compilation.
  
• Samples : 
• Donald Byrd - "Wind Parade" (melody)
  
• Esther Williams - "Last Night Changed It All (I Really Had A Ball)" (vocals)
• Eddie Bo - "Hook and Sling pt. 1" (vocals : "yeaah")
  
• Richard Pryor - "Have Your Ass Home by 11:00"  (vocals)

04. The Struggle Continues feat. Louis Farrakhan [speaking], Hussein, Big Syke & OFTB / Johnny J

• 1995/10/24. UNRELEASED.
• Story. This song starts with a long live speech from the 16th of October by Minister Farrakhan from Nation of Islam. The beat re-uses the same sample than the scrapped "Thug Life" song from Thug Life Demo. Initially recorded for All Eyez On Me (cf. Life Goez On Demo), the song was almost immediately dropped but never appears anywhere after that. It was presumably not given to O.F.T.B. who got "Better Dayz". So the song could have been firstly given to Thug Life Volume 2, making a kind of nod with the first Volume, then also dropped or... transferred to that label project. That sample with its dirty gangsta flavor and the Death Row guests perfectly fits the Thug Pound project.
• Samples :
• The Commodores - "Cebu" (melody)
• Run DMC - "Jam Master Jay" (drumline)
  
• Louis Farrakhan - "Million Man March Speech (Oct. 16th, 95)" (quotes)

05. Blunt Time feat. Dr. Dre, Lady of Rage & Roger Troutman / Dr. Dre - INSTRUMENTAL OG VIBE

• 1995/11/02-06 (?). UNLEAKED
• Story. Lady of Rage posted a picture of a tape with "2Pac - Blunt Time" written on. According to Banned of Bomb1st, the song would have a different instrumental from the RBX' Aftermath version. It would sound a bit more like "Nightmare" (the beat in the beginning of "California Love Remix (Video)" presumably made by Bud'da). The very first recorded version is supposed to have Dr. Dre rapping solo (text from J-Flexx ?) with Hurt-M-Badd or Roger Troutman at the chorus (so recorded at the same period than "California Love Solo" ?)... 2Pac and Lady of Rage would have recorded their verses later, eventually together and some dispute occurred between them... 2Pac would have later called her "the weak" element because she was refusing to diss Lil' Kim in a song (maybe she was supposed to record He Vs. She...).

06.  NY '87 (Now That's Dissin') (DJ Quik Mix) feat. Dogg Pound & Deadly Threat / Daz & DJ Quik

• 1995/12/14 - 12/19 (~) (Quik additional mix ?, Pac added, Quik intro). Released in 2012 Dogg Pound's leftover compilation Doggy Bag, (WIDEawake), but without 2Pac's verse. 
• Story. Dogg Pound and Threat recorded the song without Pac (eventually for their second aborted project album Dogg Shit or for a B-Side to "New York, New York"), as an answer to the Hot87 Funkmaster Flex radio thing where Biggie called to boycott Dogg Pound video they were supposed to shot in New York. 2Pac was added a few days later with a new mix by DJ Quik to join forces against the same enemies.

07. Penitentiary Bound (by Napoleon, Kastro, Edi, Mopreme & Prince Ital Joe) / Johnny J & 2Pac

• 1995/11/14. UNRELEASED.
• Story. This song re-uses an old Johnny J beat used in a Mel-Low song called "Return of the Player" released in 1993 in the eponymous album. The leaked version of this song sounds incomplete. It has been said 2Pac's verse could have been cut for the leaking but he more likely never recorded his part... Maybe the song was waiting for another Death Row artist to give a verse otherwise Johnny J would have purposed a remix of it... Or the song was a Thug Life song without 2Pac, led by Mopreme and Prince Ital Joe. The best thing would be a verse of Daz who recorded many songs with Ital.
• Samples :
  
• The Undisputed Truth - "Smiling Faces Sometimes" (melody, vocals interpolation)

08. Fair Exchange (Alternate Mix, No Synthé) feat. Hurt M Badd (B-Rezell) & Capucine Jackson (chorus) / 2Pac & Johnny J

• 1995/11/13 - 11/20 (?) (new mix). Remixed in Better Dayz (2002, Amaru). 
• Story. The song firstly appears in All Eyez On Me tracklists and DATs of November 15-20 (cf. Demo 2 : Euthanasia 1 & 2). It was said that Johnny J and 2Pac didn't like the song, being tired when they recorded the song at night (after "Thug Passion" and "Late Night"). But it was important enough to enlist the song in Thug Life Volume 2 first tracklist in mid December and the song very likely received a new mix for that project. Maybe it is just the first mix which didn't sound right to them. Hurt-M-Badd (aka Tyrone Wrice) was one half of B-Rezell (with Marc McWilliams of MGM who started with R Kelly in the early 90's). B-Rezell gave the two hell good R&B songs "Blowed Away" for Above The Rim and "Horny" for Murder Was The Case. 2Pac certainly thought to that when they recorded the song together. Consecutively, it could eventually have been then transferred to Thug Pound project (at the same time than "Blunt Time", "Outlaw Immortalz" and maybe also "Komradz"). That project could also be seen in that perspective : 2Pac wanted to record his own soundtrack with Death Row, but here not for a movie, but for his real biff with Bad Boy. 
• Samples : 
• 7th Wonder - "Daisy Lady" (melody interpolation) 

09. Outlaw Immortalz (Sam Sneed Mix) feat. Kadafi, Hussein, Edi & Big Syke / Sam Sneed

• 1995/10/24 - 30 (?) (Edi added ?) - ? (new mix ?).
  
• Story. Initially recorded for All Eyez On Me (cf. Life Goez On Demo). Then included in the first Thug Life Volume 2 tracklist but not in the second one... 2Pac very likely transferred the track to Thug Pound, the kind of beat fitting more to that project, and the song offering promotion to another Death Row artist who was also preparing his album at that time : Sam Sneed (cf. Street Scholars). Gonzoe of Kausion said there was another version with him, which could have been recorded in January, like his other features for Thug Pound project (or why not later in May or August for a new Outlawz version...?). It is said it is a complete different song eventually recorded for an Edi project (there is a DAT credited to him with a song so titled and also with "Don't Stop The Music").
• Samples : 
• Outkast - "Funky Ride" (vocals) 

10. Wanted Dead or Alive (Original Gangsta Party Mix) feat. Snoop Dogg / Daz (?) - DEMO VIBE - SNIPPET (?) - Jujux OG VIBE (LINK)

• 1995/12/18 (~). Remixed in late December '96 for Gridlock'd soundtrack (Death Row, 1997, January 28). 
• Story. Considering the lyrics, 2Pac & Snoop clearly recorded the song in Dec. 95 when 2Pac was recording Thug Life Volume 2, giving nicknames to his team, including "Corleone" to Snoop. 2Pac also uses similar words ("mind on currency"), concepts ("we ballin'") and style from his December 18 songs : "Still Ballin'" ("everybody want to see us dead") and "No More Pain" ("holla my name", "line up my adversaries") and from the 22th "Initiated" ("Now we Amerikaz Most Wanted, feel me ?"). Uncle Charlie from The Gap Band confirmed he was not in the original (he never recorded with 2Pac). Val Young was also not working with Death Row at that time... So Daz remixed the song after Pac's death with new beat, new chorus and a Snoop's outro, specially for the soundtrack. There was a rumor the original was simply verses recorded over "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" beat (what could explain why the original never leaked)... In Death Row Pacific Title inventory, there are two DATs (PO016897 & PO781754) with a mysterious "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted Remix". The first one (dated 96/03/14) is the Clean Version of the song with a re-arranged beat ; the second one from 96/12/18 marked "Gridlock'd" is very probably "Wanted Dead Or Alive (Original)", re-considered for the soundtrack. The original probably had the re-arranged beat of "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted (Clean Version)" and was initially intended as a B-Side as "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted Remix" but 2Pac finally chose to release the Clean version instead. There is also a "Wanted Dead Or Alive" Gridlock'd DAT from the 20th of Dec. 96 with also "Initiated" listed on it... We even think the second DAT could have a mistake of one year and could give us the real date of recording of the song : 95/12/18.
  
• Samples :
  
• Zapp & Roger - "Dance Floor" (melody interpolation) - Retail version ?
  
• Tom Browne "Funkin’ for Jamaica" - snippet, Original ?
• Domino - "Long Beach Funk" - snippet Original ?

11. Trump Tight by Big Syke, Kurupt & Kadafi / Kurupt

• 1995/12 (~). UNRELEASED. 
• Story. Kadafi says "Young Thugs with the Outlaw Immortalz... Thug Life" at the end of the song (so it reminds of the Thug Life Volume 2 project) but also "we all Outlawz" (this name for the group was definitely adopted in late March after "Hit 'Em Up" recording ; but they sometimes say they are "outlaw" since the Me Against The World song). Kurupt pronounces "Outlaw...ss" the exact same way than in "World Wide (Time After Time)" but he was saying "they label me an outlaw" in "Check Out Time" in All Eyez On Me, . The song appears in a DAT from 95/12/14 with "NY87" and "Conversation" (presumably a Dogg Pound track recorded in 95/09/18). So it could have been recorded for the Thug Pound project circa December of 95. Kurupt will presumably re-record his verse circa Feb. (editing "fuck" in the middle and changing the last line of his verse) for "Music Makes Me High (LT Hutton Remix)", Lost Boyz' single released the 3rd of March 1996. The music of this track will be re-used for "Ginseng Power (Coast II Coast)" in One Nation. 

12. Homeboyz (Original) feat. Napoleon (backing) / Daz - SOLO EDIT

• 1996/01/09 (?). Released in Still I Rise (1999) with an added Young Noble verse. 
• Story. The original hasn't been leaked yet but the beat is probably very similar to the released version (Daz didn't used to rework his Pac material). It has been said that the OG features Napoleon because we can hear him in the background (he and Kastro presumably recorded "First 2 Bomb" the same day with 2Pac). If so, it is weird Napoleon didn't give a new verse in Still I Rise re-recorded version... Was there initially another 2Pac verse (his "Me & My Homies" verse could eventually fit - what could explain why they removed it) or more likely another guest's verse (Edi, Mopreme, Daz, Nate Dogg...) ? Maybe the song was simply left unfinished like some other Thug Pound tracks with nothing else that an empty instrumental part (like "First 2 Bomb"), eventually waiting for an undefined guest, what could explain why only Young Noble gave a verse in the retail version.
• Samples :
• Rose Royce - "You're a Winner" (drums, bassline interpolation) 
  

13. Don't Stop, Keep Goin' (Long Version) feat. Dogg Pound / Daz

• 1995/08 - 1996/01/13 (?) (2Pac added, Kurupt's new vocals). Released in Dogg Pound's 2002 (2001, Death Row) without the second Kurupt's verse. The original version of the song was recorded in summer of 1995 with Nas (finally released in Tha Last of Tha Pound, in 2004). 
• Story. Probably because of the feud between the Dogg Pound and New York rappers Biggie and later C-N-N and Mobb Deep ("New York, New York" answered by "L.A, L.A"), they dropped out the Nas verse and gave a space to 2Pac who had also enemies in New-York (Mobb Deep was not yet that criticized except by Napoleon in "First 2 Bomb"). Kurupt re-recorded his verse or edited it : "Kurupt, Daz and Nas" becoming "Kurupt, Daz reside". In this original re-recording long mix, Kurupt tried a second verse. Daz probably edited that second verse out in August of '96 for their West Coast Aftershock project of second album.
• Samples :
• The Sequence - "Funk You Up" (chorus interpolation)
  

14. First 2 Bomb feat. Napoleon, Kadafi & Edi / Daz

• 1996/01/09-17 (?). Remixed by Daz on Makaveli & Dillinger (1999). 
• Story. 2Pac says "One love to my homeboyz" and repeats "Outlaw Immortalz" in the hook like an anthem (so it could be the Reel so titled, from the same day than "Homeboyz"...). The song being produced by Daz and not listed in Thug Life Volume 2 tracklist, it clearly fits to this project. It has many similarities with "Dumpin" beat, and with Pac's verse in it, also with his lyrics in "Grab The Mic" and "He Vs. She" recorded the 12th and the 13rd of January. The song is kind of unfinished or has a space at the end, maybe for another verse (why not Gonzoe who claimed to have recorded for a song titled "Outlaw Immortalz")...
• Samples :
• The Sequence - "Funk You Up" (sound effects interpolation)

15. Um Dumpin' feat. Gonzoe (Kausion), Kurupt, Starr-Loc & Nutt-So (Street Thugs) / Daz  

• 1996/01/09-17 (First beat and Starr-Loc's verse ?) - 18 (new verses, new beat). Remixed on Makaveli & Dillinger (1997).  
• Story. Like "This Life I Lead", it features Gonzoe (from Kausion) and Nutt-So (from Street Thugs) who both had just released a project with their respective group - or were about to. In an interview, Gonzoe said that he also recorded a verse for a song titled "Outlaw Immortal", but not the leaked one with Sam Sneed's beat... There is an interview in which Mr. Marcus - the black porn star - remembers how he hooked up with 2Pac, in company of Ms. Obsession and with a little known female rapper named "Star". They went chilling in the studio with Pac and she recorded a song with 2Pac and Johnny J (?) over a bouncing beat, what led people to think it was "Ride 4 Me" (but it is not Johnny J neither). But Marcus clearly says it took place in January, and he talks about only one song... So it is clearly the recording of "Dumpin" which is described (and in which the girl says "a bitch named Starr-Loc"). Could he be mistaken about Johnny J ? Maybe not. In the acapella of the song, you can hear by amplifying empty parts another beat playing... It is the Daz remix beat ! (cf. Makaveli & Dillinger EP) so Daz simply used the original beat for his remix... Maybe Starr-Loc (who didn't speak about "dumpin") recorded earlier on that original beat, which could be a Johnny J's beat (maybe Johnny J and Daz were working together on that, in a Thug Pound style). Then, other guests came and recorded their parts the 18th over that same beat, and Daz made a new mix later ?
  
• Samples : 
• Onyx - "All We Got Iz Us (Evil Streets)" (vocals : "You ain't heartless")
  

16. World Wide M.O.B. Figgaz feat. Big Syke, Edi & Kastro / Johnny J

• 1996/01/18 - 21 (~) (2Pac added). Remixed in Until The End of Time (2001). 
• Story. The song was firstly titled "It's About Time (Party Track)" on the REEL, probably before they started to record the song over the topic of "world wide". It is said to have been recorded the same day than "Dumpin'" and "This Life I Lead", but without Pac who was added a few days later. Big Syke seems to refer to a connection with Texas... Was there a Geto Boys guest like Scarface awaited for the song before 2Pac jumped on it ? This Johnny J beat sounds like a Daz one : raw, dirty & gangsta. Like if he tried new things specifically for that project, or if both worked together on that project.
  
• Samples : 
• One Way - "Can I" (melody, drumline)
  
• Scarface (Movie, 1983) (vocals)
• Goodfellas (Movie, 1990) (vocals)
  
• Reservoir Dogs (Movie, 1992) (vocals)

17. This Life I Lead feat. Gonzoe, Dogg Pound & Nutt-So / Johnny J

• 1996/01/18. Remixed in Better Dayz (2002). 
• Story. Initially, people thought it was recorded with some other Makaveli & Dillinger tracks like "Don't Fall Asleep" in April/May of 96. But Gonzoe confirmed that he recorded the song in January, like written on the Reel. Johnny J is credited as the producer in Better Dayz but the kind of beat is strangely close to Daz material aimed for Thug Pound project. Is it a mistake or, like in "World Wide MOB Figgaz", did Johnny J try a new kind of Doggish dark sound especially for that project ?
  
• Samples : 
• Al B. Sure ! - "Naturally Mine" (melody)
  

18. Bad Boy Killers (Interlude) feat. Danny Boy / Kurt Kobane

• 1996/01/22 (~). UNRELEASED.
• Story. The song was initially rumored to feature 2Pac, Outlawz, maybe Big Syke & DeVanté Swing of Jodeci... Nothing indicates such a thing exists somewhere.... DeVanté Swing produced songs for Danny Boy in 1995 (cf. It's About Time), and "No More Pain" for 2Pac in December but certainly didn't do anything more. There was probably a confusion with Kurt Kobane who also produced material for Danny Boy, like "Welcome 2 Death Row". Concept of the song was of course given by 2Pac, and Danny Boy was part of the Thug Pound project (receiving his "Babyface" nickname, cf. Thug Life Volume 2 tracklist from mid January). Various mixes of the song - without any 2Pac/Outlawz verse - appear in Danny Boy's archives but the only missing is the empty rough instrumental with just Danny Boy vocals "Death Row give me one more chance" / "Bad Boy Killaz", so it was very likely thought for Thug Pound. Kurt probably presented that rough beat circa January but the project was already dropped... Why nothing was recorded ? Because 2Pac was arrested by the police the 22nd of January and changed his projects... After posting bail, 2Pac went back at Cam-Am very angry ("Lil' Homiez" REEL is from that date). He got mad at some Dogg Pound fellow who was chilling in the studios and Kurupt took the defense of his friend (according to J-Flexx). 2Pac and him were about to fight, Daz and Nate separated them (according to Snoop). It was the end of the project and 2Pac recorded "Lil' Homiez" with Danny Boy instead of "Bad Boy Killaz" (what could explain that "Ay Junior MAFIA, got something for your mutha** ass" in the opening of "Lil' Homiez" for a topic which is not really dissing Bad Boy). Considering a DAT, "Bad Boy Killaz" beat was already given to Death Row inmates WFO and Slaughter (a male voice sounding like Malik and a female voice) the 6th of February. The beat received a new mix the 5th of March, was totally completed the 16th.
• Samples :
• EPMD - "You're A Customer" (bassline interpolation)

BONUS TRACKS

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

• 1995/12 - 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.

 

20. ...presenting All Eyez On Me / ?

• 1996/01/16. Advertising for the soon to be published album (the 13 of February).

. Me & My Homies (Rough Mix) feat. Nate Dogg & Nanci Fletcher / Soopafly - UNLEAKED

• 1995/?? (?) - 96/01/09 (?) or 02/29 (?). Recorded for Nate Dogg's first album : G-Funk Classics vol. 1 released in 1997. 
• Story. It has been said Nate Dogg firstly recorded his version in 1995 and 2Pac added his verse in 1996, but there is no proof of that. Pac's verse mentions "I ain't shit without my homeboys" and could have been taken from the original of "Homeboys" recorded in January of 96, maybe more likely with re-recorded or alternate lyrics... So that verse could have been replaced by Young Noble in the released version in Still I Rise. Either 2Pac recycled a verse of the song because Thug Pound project was scrapped or that verse could have simply been written and recorded around that same time, inspired by a similar concept.

. Outlaw Immortalz (?) (by Edi... & Gonzoe) / ? - UNLEAKED

• 1996/01 OR 08/15-31 (?). According to Gonzoe's interview, he recorded a song eventually with that title with the Outlawz group but he is not that sure 2Pac finally recorded a verse for it or not, but he was supposed to. Nothing is known about it, except that it is not the Sam Sneed beat... Gonzoe was close to Death Row at that time (his manager was related to Suge Knight) and was preparing his album with them. Is the song from the same Thug Pound period then "Dumpin" / "Life I Lead" and "I'll Do"or is it a later thing (Gonzoe is notably listed among mysterious "Ghetto Starz" starring list of guests where Dogg Pound are biffed) ?

. (Would You Die 4 Me) I'll Do (Rough Mix) (by Dogg Pound & Kausion) / Daz

• 1996/01 OR 02/08 (?). Released in Supercop Soundtrack (96/07/30). 
• Story. In the intro and later in the lyrics, they seem to pay reference to 2Pac and the Outlaw Immortalz. Gonzoe also screams "Fuck New York"... so clearly in the vein of the Thug Pound recordings. But the question is still : was it recorded in late December, or early February... before, during or after the other Gonzoe featurings ? Daz and Kurupt are not that clearly in that dissing vibe. The song