1995 - When I Get Free (1992-1996 Lost Tracks)

• Jan. - Sept. 1995 : project of a Me Against The World lost tracks compilation album to make people wait until 2Pac would be freed and able to record new material.
  
• Firstly titled "B-Sides", it then became a project of "Album IV" with the title "When I Get Free : 92-96 Lost Trax", "R U Still Down", "When I Get Free produced by Dr. Dre", and finally "R U Still Down" again, before being merged into the project of a new album titled "When I Get Free" when 2Pac knew he was about to be freed. After a few days of recording at Death Row the album was still titled "When I Get Free"... but only two songs of the compilation will be re-recorded.
• Sources : DAT #PO781746, handwritten tracklists.

 

The day 2Pac was sentenced of 1.5 to 4.5 years of prison

#### - OK, the contain of the further state of the project was leaked... But all tracks here have been taken untouched from older sequences and were supposed to receive a fresh new mix if 2Pac would have decided to finalize the project... so the best thing could be to give new fanmade/professional mixes/blunts in the vibe of Daz/Dre and other planned producer work... GIVE US IDEAS TO REMIX/REMAKE ALL THESE TRACKS TO ACCOMPLISH THE KIND OF PROJECT 2PAC WANTED. ####

R U Still Down '95 : Lost Tracks

1. My Block (The Show Alternate Mix) feat. Richie Rich (backing)
   - Better Dayz Remix
2. Amerikkka Eatz Itz Young feat. Young Lay, Ray Luv & Mac Mall
   
3. Out On Bail (No Intro) feat. AB Money
   
4. Wonda Why They Call U Bitch (Original) feat. Natasha Walker (speaking)
   
5. Thugz Get Lonely Too (Gigolos Mix) feat. Macadoshis (chorus)
   - Wizzatz OG VIbe
6. Where Do We Go From Here feat. Y?N-Vee
   
7. Nothing To Lose (Short Mix) feat. Natasha Walker
8. Hellrazor (Stretch Version) feat. Stretch (hook)
   - R U Still Down Remix
9. When I get Free (Chorus Version) feat. Felony (chorus)
   
10. My Only Fear of Death (Short Mix)
    
11. High Til I Die (Body Mix)
    - Wizzatz OG VIbe
12. Hold On Be Strong feat. Stretch & DJ Choo (scratching)
    - Wizzatz OG VIbe
13. Sucka 4 Love feat. G-Money
    - R U Still Down Remix
14. R U Still Down feat. Natasha Walker
    - Wizzatz OG VIbe

95-09-13 DAT also includes When I Get Free (Intro), Hold On (Outro) and Bitchin' (Interlude). The two last have their vocals included in "Hold On Be Strong" and in "Death Around The Corner" released in Me Against The World. So this DAT was probably waiting for a new mix, way more than just "Hold On" and "Hell Razor", but maybe for all tracks.

Track 1 from F.T.W./Me Against The World. Released in The Show O.S.T. (cf. Rarities : Radio & Soundtrack Versions).
Track 2 from Stay True.

Track 3 from R U Still Down '94 (Manu Tape) and Stay True.

Track 4 from Mr. Middle Finger and Out On Bail.

Track 5 from ? (R U Still Down '94, B-side or special mix)

Track 6 from R U Still Down '94 (Manu Tape) and Exodus. Released in R U Still Down.

Track 7 from ? (Stay True, B-Side, F.T.W./Me Against The World or special mix)

Track 8 from R U Still Down '94 (Manu Tape).

Track 9 from ? (Stay True, Young Thugz EP or special mix). Released in R U Still Down.

Track 10 from Stay True.

Track 11 from Stay True.

Track 12 from R U Still Down '94 and Exodus. Released in R U Still Down.

Track 13 from F.T.W./Me Against The World. 

Track 14 from R U Still Down '94 (Manu Tape).

Like we can see (in bold), only 3 mixes could - eventually - have been made strictly made for that compilation... 2Pac also wanted to have "Hellrazor", "My Only Fear of Death" and eventually "Nothing To Lose" remixed. Firstly respectively by Battlecat, Khayree and Warren G, and then only the two first by Daz (until the project being shelved.

In another handwritten paper, probably only at the moment where he signed with Death Rown, 2Pac wrote "produced by Dr. Dre". But it is doubtful that 2Pac really thought to have the whole album remixed by him...

A perfect move would be to purpose a whole compilation of remixes in the vibe of DJ Battlecat, Khayree, Warren G, Daz and Dr. Dre (or blunts). We could also add Moe-Z, Tony Pizarro, Easy Mo Bee, Soulshock, Mike Mosley...

TIMELINE 

1. c. Dec. 94 - Jan. 95. Album IV + B-Sides + Greatest Hits EP.

 

2Pac tried the title "Hard 2 Kill" for his Me Against The World album in December 94. Here we are supposedly a little later and tracklist and title of Me Against The World are probably fixed (cf. F.T.W.) and the album more or less ready to be released (March 14). So 2Pac is already starting to conceive a follow up to the album with new concepts.

The B-Sides compilation companion to the forthcoming album includes "I Wonder If Heaven's Got A Ghetto", already published as a B-Side to Keep Ya Head Up single, leftover track from the 1992 shelved album Troublesome 21. It also have "What U Won't Do" but it could be more likely the 94 "Sucka 4 Love" version. 

"Thug Style" won't make the final cut (eventually given to the Volume 2 : Lost Tracks compilation, aka Makaveli 6 Bootleg, cf. Honor Among Thugz / Exodus) and "Throw Ya Hands" is probably already planned to be given to Pump Ya Fist compilation (released in April 11) but it could work as a promotion for the album, planned to be released later that year.

A strange omission is "Out On Bail" which was removed from the tracklist of Me Against The World right after "Hard 2 Kill" tracklist, so could easily find a place here. 

The planned "Greatest Hits EP" compilation indicates that 2Pac knew he would be in prison for a time and that these two compilation projects would occupy the market waiting for a new project.

2. Circa Feb. - April 95 (?). (Album IV) When I Get Free 92-96 Lost Trax.

Planned to be released the 14th of November 14th 1995. Now 2Pac has been sentenced (the 7th of February), and he knows he won't get out of prison before at least 1.5 years (until 4.5 years...), so 2Pac sees his Lost Tracks compilation as his forthcoming album IV (and not as a B-Sides compilation anymore).

This tracklist still has "Open Fire" (probably dropped because of his lyrics against the police...) and "Can't Turn Back" (was he thinking to have Young Hollywood aka Felony replacing Black Jack's Young Akayser verse ? is there any unknown version ? - maybe he finally gave the song to Black Jack who produced the thing and who will also give a verse only at that time by his member Akayser), "Thug Style" and the 92 track "Don't Call Me Bitch" from the shelved album Troublesome 21 (both given to Volume 2 Lost Tracks compilation project, aka Makaveli 6 Bootleg).

At that time, 2Pac already thought to remix tracks originally produced by Stretch (we saw that he scratched all Stretch things from "Me Against The World" on his last tracklists, probably in the beginning of 95 - cf. F.T.W.). Here we have the interesting ideas of Khayree remixing "Hellrazor", Battlecat remixing "My Only Fear of Death" and Warren G remixing "Nothing 2 Lose" ! what proves that there was no problem between him and 2Pac (consecutively to the beat of "Animosity" / "Lie 2 Kick It" given to Snoop Dogg, credited to Dr. Dre...).

3. Circa March - May of 95. R U Still Down (Album IV)

Close to the previous state, this one still have the Felony featuring for "Can't Turn Back" but 2Pac decides to scrap the song. 

The album has now 12 tracks and no "Thug Style" neither "Open Fire" anymore. This could correspond to the time of the Makaveli 6 Bootleg (or almost), what includes alongside Volume 1 leftover tracks "Thug Style", "Don't Call Me Bitch", but also "Throw Ya Hands Up (Remix)" and "R U Still Down (Raise Em Up)"...

4. Circa April - June of 95. (Album IV) R U Still Down

The album is then scheduled to Jan. 96. It still has 12 tracks. You can recognize the kind of presentation of many "Euthanasia" tracklists with producers credits on side and the blue / red pens game.

This time, 2Pac wanted to have two Stretch tracks being remixed by Daz. Is this because of the work he made for "Life's So Hard" in August 94 (but he was not planned before), or 2Pac had already been approached by Suge Knight ?

If "Hell Razor" had some Stretch vocals (not the Tony Pizarro version), it is not the case for "My Only Fear of Death" and there is a Tony Pizarro remix for both (but maybe not enough remixed to not give full credits to him... Other Stretch tracks "Thugz Get Lonely Too", "Nothing To Lose" and "Wonda Why They Call U" are here credited to 2Pac, like "Where We Go From Here". All these songs are known to have been more or less co-produced by 2Pac with the help of Duane Nettlesbey (as an engineer) so maybe 2Pac was thinking to include them like that (without crediting Stretch). But 2Pac could also think to give Duane or somebody else the idea of a new sample... 

5. Circa May - July 95. R U Still Down, Album IV.

 

2Pac went back to a 12 tracks album idea. So he dropped "Out On Bail" and "Throw Ya Hands". This could be the exact time of the Makaveli 6 Bootleg Thug Life Lost Tracks sequence (which includes "Throw Ya Hands Remix").

6. Circa June - Aug. 95. "When I Get Free, Album IV Produced by Dr. Dre".

This tracklist is probably close to the time 2Pac decided to sign in on Death Row. No complicated credits here, like everybody, he was dreaming about his whole album being produced by the legendary Dr. Dre... He was probably not conscious that Dr. Dre was already not very fan of him since Above The Rim (cf. Out On Bail). who will finally produce nothing for him ("California Love", "Can't C Me" and "Blunt Time" were given to him because Suge Knight wanted to... and that was the beginning of the end for Dr. Dre at Death Row).

"My Block" which was given to The Show soundtrack around that time (the 15th of August, but maybe already planned before) is scratched - because 2Pac was hesitating between "Throw Ya Hands" and "My Block" in a 12 tracks album.

7. Circa Aug. 95. When I Get Free / Live From The Pen IV R U Still Down.

Typical "Euthanasia" era handwritten kind of draft. Same producing credits than earlier (step 4) but 2Pac went back to a 14 tracks album to have both "Throw Ya Hands" and "My Block" and chose "Out On Bail" as a complementary 14th track.... Symbolically, this choice could correspond to the exact time 2Pac knew he would be freed soon.

The album is very close to the final sequence we have before the project was dropped (sequence usually called "Pre-Death Row Compilation"), except that we still have "Throw Ya Hands" which will be soon replaced by "Hold On, Be Strong".

8. September 13, 1995. "Unreleased Copy".

1. My Block  -  w speaking voices during bridges
2. America Eats Its Young
3. Out on Bail  - no intro mix
4. Wonda Why They Call You Bitch  - cradle tape mix
5. Thugs Get Lonely Too  -  gigolos short mix
6. Where Do We Go From Here
7. Nothing To Lose  -  short mix with Natasha Walker
8. Hell Razor  -  Stretch mix
9. When I Get Free  -  young ho backing
10. My Only Fear Of Death  -  short mix
11. High Till I Die  -  short mix
12. Hold On Be Strong
13. Suka 4 Love
14. R U Still Down  -  Shock G version

DAT #PO781746

Right before the project was dropped or more exactly merged into new album project (cf. Hard 2 Kill : Euthanasia prison drafts).

The fact we have that 14 tracks sequence with "Out On Bail" recently included, and with new "Hold On", seems to mean that absolutely nothing was made by Interscope engineers upon that project... Did 2Pac want to release the thing without any remix ? It is doubtful...

Track order of that DAT is suspect compared to the previous tracklists : "Where Do We Go" was always the outro (except first B-Sides draft), "When I Get Free" / "R U Still Down" were always the opener... It is also strange to have the guest song "Amerika Eatz Itz Young" in 2#...

9. October (~) 1995. Euthanasia (with Pre-DR compilation tracks transferred).

Like we can see, knowing he will be free soon, 2Pac decided to merge some tracks from his planned compilation into the new album he is planning to record with Death Row.

In following tracklists of that project, he will replace "R U Still Down" by "When I Get Free", drop "Where Do We Go From Here", and adopt the title of "When I Get Free" for the album, what would still be the title of the first sequence of All Eyez On Me after 3 days of recording (cf. Demo 1 : Life Goez On). 

He will re-record "When I Get Free" and "Wonda Why They Call U Bitch" during these first sessions, but only the second one will remain in the released album.

 

 

. Po' Nigga Blues (Shock G Remix) feat. Numskull (chorus) / Shock G & Numskull

• 1992 - 1995-1996 (?). Remixed in Loyal To The Game (2004, Amaru). It has been said (by Numskull) that 2Pac asked Shock G to remix the song he recorded in 92. Shock G was then working with Numskull of Luniz. At the same time, the voice sounds a bit different, older. He finally gave the song to The Govenor for his album Floss Mode in 1995 (with a beat very close to the original produced by DJ Daryl). 
• Samples : 
• Bill Withers & Grover Washington Jr – "Just The Two Of Us" (melody) - re-used by Cocoa Brovaz in "Wrekonize Remix"
  

. Don’t Make Enemies With Me (DR Remix) feat. K-Dog, Mutah, Big Malc & Young Hollywood  / Stretch REMIXED by Daz (?) - OG VIBE, REMAKE

• 1994/10 - 1995-1997 (?). Released in R U Still Down (1997, Amaru). Is this Death Row remix appearing in many tracklists really exist ? Erasing the Live Squad’s part sounds as a threat towards Stretch who will be killed the 30th of November...). This song will reappear in some Outlawz Immortalz tracklists. It is said that the leaked versions we have are just OG Vibes. At the same time, the fact that Amaru released a version edited without Live Squad and Sh'Killa could indicate that such a version exists...
• Samples :
• Love Unlimited Orchestra - "Makin' Believe That It's You" (melody)

. Dear Mama (DR Remix) feat. Reggie Green & Sweet Franklin / DF Master Tee, Tony Pizarro REMIXED by Daz (?)

• 1995/?.
• Samples : 
• Joe Sample - "In All My Wildest Dreams" (melody)
• The Spinners - "Sadie" (vocals interpolation)

. When I Get Free pt. 1 (No Souljah Mix) / Lay Law - FANMADE

• 1992 - 1997 (?). Fanmade mix that allows to hear the text of the first part of the song with 2Pac speaking with a normal voice - reminding that 2Pac chose to pitch his voice to express a dark evil incarnation and to mean the difference with himself...