- June 14 - June 22 : One Nation first recording sessions.
- Following the publishing of "Hit 'Em Up", the purpose of that project was to show that there was no East / West feud but it was just a private dispute between 2Pac and some rappers.
- In August, 2Pac decided to remove Johnny J songs, to give some other tracks to Ghetto Starz and to record new songs with new guests like Scarface, Kokane, Spice 1...
- Source : June-10 DAT, June-20 DAT, East 2 West Bootleg
### This tracklist follows the last handwritten tracklist purposed for the project by 2Pac in June, which lists all songs recorded between the 14th and the 22nd of June). We just took off the last added song that was recorded weeks before and sounds totally different, and we replaced it by the eponymous song which was recorded firstly and was included in all earlier tracklists, but was there scrapped. ###
TRACKLIST - Listen in YT - Bomb1st collective remix project here
5. Set It Off feat. Jewell
- Rap - 2Pac, Outlawz (4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12), Noble (6, 8, 9, 12), Greg Nice (2, 8, 12, 13), Capital LS (1, 2, 4, 5, 8), Asu (1, 2, 5, 8), Boot Camp Clik (3, 5, 7, 11)
- Producers - Greg Nice (5, 12), Darryl Harper (3, 11), Kurupt (1, 2, 9), Daz (4), Johnny J (6, 7), Duane Nettlesbey (10)
- Hit 'Em Up (Clean Version) feat. Outlawz
- U Can Be Touched (Kadafi Version) feat. Outlawz
- Last Onez Left (Alternate Mix) feat. Outlawz
- Reincarnation (Studio Take) feat. Outlawz & Lemika (speaking)
- Why U Turn On Me (Studio Take) feat. Kastro
- What'Cha Gonna Do (First Take) feat. Storm
- The Bomb (Medicate Freestyle) (by Napoleon, Kadafi & Storm)
- Set It Off (No LS, Jewell Alternate Take) feat. Cocoa Brovaz, Greg Nice, Buckshot & Jewell
- Tattoo Tearz (No Sample) feat. Outlawz & Sixx Feet Deep
- Fright Night (First Take, No Hook) (by Edi, Scorpio, Napoleon & Melle Mel)
- Brovaz At Armz (First Take, No Cocoa Brovaz) feat. Buckshot
- Never Call U Bitch (First Take, No Buckshot) feat. Cocoa Brovaz, Danny Boy & Jewell
- Ginseng Power (Accoustic Version) feat. Capital LS, Asu & Bo-Roc
A project of Death Row compilation led by 2Pac
Since December of '95, 2Pac clearly showed he wanted to direct a kind of compilation with the Death Row family. The first project is what we used to call Thug Pound, made with leftover songs from All Eyez On Me, Dogg Food, with the background of the label grouped behind 2Pac against Bad Boy, since Biggie called to the boycott of the video of "New York, New York" shot in Brooklyn. For that project, 2Pac and Daz seemed to have wanted a specific dirty raw sound, which could be found back in One Nation. Then in Feb. - March of '96, 2Pac meditated the mysterious Lil' Homiez, what seems to be more than an Outlawz project, more likely an Outlawz + guests, with the strong presence of Snoop Dogg, O.F.T.B., Marvaless from Sacramento, G.B.M. from Ruthless, an anticipated East Coast featuring with Big Daddy Kane... Finally, in April, 2Pac planned a rap compilation for Gridlock'd Soundtrack in which he wanted to have Goodie Mob, Wu-Tang, The Geto Boys...
These last guests will be again written down in first One Nation drafts, alongside Nice & Smooth, Grand Puba, Outkast, E-40...
"One Nation" is the name of the East Coast / West Coast collaboration album that 2Pac launched in mid June of 1996 when he invited some artists from the East Coast to come and record with him at Death Row.
2Pac probably wanted to connect both coasts in order to prove that his feud with B.I.G., Bad Boy and Mobb Deep was not a coast rivalry but a human rivalry.
This project has been unofficially bootlegged many times with a lot of wrong tracks to complete the obvious short tracklisting with BCC, Greg Nice & co. (they sometimes add "Initiated" or "Struggle Continues" that are from 95... or Kurupt's "These Reasons", remix Daz' "Only Move 4 The Money", fake track by Snoop/BCC...). One of the good idea of one of these bootlegs called One Love, One Thug, One Nation was to have 2 discs, one with the West side, the second with East side. But the compilation also gathered tracks from any times and sessions.
 |
| A good part of the team : (b) Tupac, LS (?), Asu (?), Kadafi, Napoleon (f) Dru Ha of Duck Down, Tek & Steele, Greg Nice, ? |
There are some 2Pac's handwritten tracklists (here is a copy of them) of the One Nation project. On the projects, there are tracks that have never been recorded, you can read Greg Nice and the BCC, but also guests like L.B.C. Crew, Scarface, E-40, Outkast, Grand Puba, Raekwon, Ghostface... 2Pac has record songs with LBC Crew, E-40 and Scarface, but not in this first period of One Nation sessions ("Smile" has been recorded for the second One Nation sessions in August). In the two available tracklists, 2Pac added only two tracks to the usual tracks with BCC, Greg Nice... That's why we chose to stick to this period. I think the track called "One Nation" is in fact "My Own Style", the verses of the Outlawz ending with "one nation" - not "U Don't Have 2 Worry" recorded in the beginning of July (or in March, what I don't believe anymore)... We chose to not include "Smile", "Thug Luv" and "Untouchablez" in order to keep them to form the backbone of the second part of One Nation.
==== FULL TIMELINE ====
1. Early June 96. "One Nation"
Just a list of planned featurings. Boot Camp Clik are even not noted yet. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is already planned. Greg Nice's partner Smooth is still planned but Greg will finally come with Asu. "I Got My Mind Made Up" was a Dogg Pound song with 2Pac added in later. This time, 2Pac wants to really record with the Wu Tang.
2. c. 14th of June (?). "One Nation"
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This time, 2Pac probably knows that there won't be Nice & Smooth but just Greg Nice, and that Buckshot, Tek and Steele will also come for sure. Outkast, Scarface and E-40 entered the featuring list. "Check it Out" refers to "Worldwide Dime Piecez" (cf. Greg Nice's verse), so the song is for sure not recorded yet (Snoop would be credited). Maybe they haven't recorded anything yet or just "One Nation" and "Basket Case Freestyle" over "Set It Off" instrumental, and a verse for "Worldwide Dime Pieces".
3. Circa the 14th of June. Untitled copy "featuring".
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COPY
Songs could be still not recorded, or maybe just "One Nation" and "Basket Case Freestyle" over the "Set It Off" beat. Funny to notice that 2Pac thought about inviting Grand Puba of Brand Nubian : he recorded the "Drunken Freestyle" with him and Treach in 92 (cf. Ghetto Gospel) and then also "Let's Get It On" with him, Heavy D and Biggie in 1994 for Eddie F's album (cf. Featurings).
4. Circa the 17th of June. Untitled or titled following #1
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This time, the first songs are probably recorded. Boot Camp Clik are not there yet but Capital LS and Asu are. Noble recorded this time clearly as an Outlawz member for "Tattoo Tearz". "Trump Tight" is probably just the reworked instrumental (because it still has the title of the original Kurupt featuring Syke & Kadafi song, cf. Thug Pound).
5. c. 17th of June. One Nation "featuring the East Coast / West Coast all starz".
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COPY
Boot Camp Clik is arrived and they recorded a first song together. Maybe Noble gave his verse for "Secretz of War", unless the existent song from late March has simply been reworked and transferred...
6. c. 18th of June. Untitled.
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2Pac recorded another song with LS & Asu, another one with BCC ("Brothers In Armz"). Numskull of the Luniz came and recorded "Jawz Tite".
7. c. 21th of June. One Nation Volume 1.
They could have recorded "Set It Off" and maybe "Fright Night" with the Furious Five or it is just planned with Scorpio & Mel awaited guests. Clearly not "We Rock the Hip Hop" (Kurupt only appearing as producer). There are still only 10 tracks so maybe "Secretz of War" and "Never Call U Bitch Again" are still Outlawz tracks and not repurposed for One Nation yet.
8. c. 22nd of June (?) OR 12th of July (?). One Nation Volume One "7 Dayz"
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2Pac includes "Never Call U Bitch Again". "Thug Love" completes the tracklist but Bone Thugs-N-Harmony are not credited as featured artists... Were they just forgotten ? Or the song could eventually be still unrecorded but just planned... The concept was listed in an old Outlawz LP tracklist from late March ("Euthanasia", cf. Immortalz), so it could mean that the song was initially not planned to have the Cleveland group but maybe simply the Outlawz and some One Nation guests)... 2Pac finally recorded the song with them the next day... 6 Ft (Deep) is credited but for which song ? Very likely for "Tattoo Tearz".
On the other hand, this tracklist seems to fit "Killuminati "3 Day Theory" second tracklist which enlists it as a forthcoming project titled "One Nation Volume 1". But maybe it kept that title until July and 2Pac changed it circa the 12th of July during Killuminati sessions.
9. c. 12th-17th of July (?). ONE NATION "East Meetz West".
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This time, we have all the twelve songs recorded during 8 days, with the addition of "We Rock The Hip Hop" and Kurupt entering as the third name of the credits. But "One Nation" is scrapped and "Untouchablez" is added at the end, a track recorded earlier in late May with Snoop and Bad Azz for Outlawz LP. 2Pac finishing the tracklist decided to scrap the eponymous song, wrote "Jawz Tite" instead and had to find another song to complete the album.
We could initially think that this trackist was written down right after the 22nd of June and the recording of "We Rock The Hip Hop". But that tracklist seems to exactly fit the foot of Killuminati 3rd tracklist "The 3 Day Theory" (c. July 12), which lists a "One Nation East Meetz West" with the exact same list of guests. And we can see by transparency than the next page has some "Are You Still Down" with Jon B credits - song recorded around that period.
(unfortunately a bootleg with low sound quality and wrong tracks).
DETAILED TRACKLIST
- 1996/06/17 - 07/29 (~) (Bo-Roc added). UNRELEASED.
- Story. Also called "Coast II Coast" and "Thug Nigga". "Trump Tight" was also a title initially given - maybe written on the REEL - because it re-uses the music of the earlier song by Big Syke, Kurupt & Kadafi (also known as "Dump on Site") recorded circa Dec. '95 for Thug Pound album or maybe more likely in late March for an unknown Kurupt solo project (cf. Lil Homies). Considering the dates, it is not impossible that "Trump Tight" original date is 03/30 like on "Tattoo Tearz" REEL and that they made a mistake between both. Bo-Roc of the Dove Shack, not listed in the June tracklists, could have added his vocals later in July, at the time of "Life of an Outlaw"
- 1996/06/17. UNRELEASED.
- Story. Also sometimes titled "Bitches". This is the very last song to have Snoop and Tupac recording together. Capital LS released an unofficial EP in 1996 with the song titled "Bitches", with him credited as the producer.
- Samples :
- The Honey Drippers - "Impeach The President" (drums partially)
- Marvin Sease - "Candy Licker" (vocals interpolation)
- GZA & Wu-Tang Clan - "Duel on the Iron Mic" (vocals interpolation : "where money don't grow on trees")
- 1996/06/18-20.
- Story. At this time, Tek & Steele couldn't use their original group name "Smif N Wessun". The concept of a song titled "Brothers In Arm" first appears in 1991 for an anticipated song with Stretch of the Live Squad (cf. Tales of a 90's N.I.G.G.A.).
- Samples :
- Gil Scott Heron - "We Almost Lost Detroit" (melody)
- Marvin Gaye - "Falling In Love Again" (horns interpolation)
- Bob Marley - "Zimbabwe" (vocals interpolation : "every man got a right to decide his own destiny")
- 1996/06/18-20. Remixed in the unofficial Dillinger & Makaveli EP (1998, DPG) with Daz as the only guest.
- Story. 2Pac later thought to include the song the Ghetto Starz album in mid August. Like in "Secretz of War" and "Untouchable" recorded the same month, there is a problem with Kadafi verse, the leaked mix is cut in the middle of it. (which is complete in the remix of his posthumous compilation Son Rise Vol. 1).
- Samples :
- Ralph Vargas & Carlos Bess - "Funky Drummer Vol. 1 CB#5" (drums partially)
- 1996/06/19. UNRELEASED.
- Story. The song was falsely titled "One Nation" because of the interpolation of Sly & The Family Stone "One Nation under a groove" in the chorus. The song gathers all the guests 2Pac invited for the project.
- Samples :
- ESG - "U.F.O." (melody)
- 1996/03-04 (~) - 1996/06/17-19 (~) (new mix, Noble added). Remixed in Still I Rise (1999, Interscope).
- Story. This version has totally different verses than the "Rules" 95 version recorded with Kurupt for All Eyes on Me early sessions (cf. Life Goez On). 2Pac, Hussein and Kadafi recorded new verses circa early April for 2Pac's new solo Me Against The World pt. 2 and the song was then repurposed to Outlawz' Immortalz LP. In this third version, Young Noble added his verse, Kastro some adlibs ; but the verse from Kadafi vocals are only partially patched in the leaked mixes, waiting for a final mixdown.
- Samples :
- Willie Hutch - "Brothers Gonna Work It Out" (melody)
- 1996/01 - 06/19-20 (remix, new chorus, new vocals). Remixed in Better Dayz compilation (Amaru, 2002).
- Story. Included in the tracklists of One Nation. The first version has been recorded the 31st of January over beat and chorus of "Never Be Peace" (cf. Lil' Homies project), then 2Pac reworked the song in February with a more acoustic feeling for his new solo Me Against The World pt. 2. The beat seems to have been reworked - with Death Row musician inmates - initially for Immortalz LP, before 2Pac recorded a version with Cocoa Brovaz and Buckshot and so decided to have the song in One Nation. Cocoa Brovaz said it was the last song they made with 2Pac... So maybe 2Pac recorded solo the 19th and BCC recorded the next day.
- Samples :
- Switch - "There Will Never Be" (melody, bassline)
- 1996/06/22. UNRELEASED.
- Story. Final song of the sessions. Interesting to notice that the song replaced the planned "Thug Luv" in the last tracklist, so we could think Outlawz replaced their planned song (cf. "Euthanasia" tracklist in Immortalz) - then recorded by 2Pac with Bizzy Bone - by a new song for One Nation. Who produced the song ? Capital LS ? Kurupt ?
- Samples :
- Bill Cosby - "Martin's Funeral"
- 1996/03/30 (?) (REEL date : only a beat ?) - 1996/06/17 (?) (verses added). Remixed in Still I Rise (1999, Interscope).
- Story. The
first take has been recorded over an easy to recognize Coolio's "Gangsta's
Paradise" sample. "Kurupt dropped the beat" : Kurupt might have produced that beat earlier in March (the known date for the REEL : 30th of March - unless there is a confusion with "Trump Tight"/"Ginseng Power" which has that 06/17 date). The song possibly received a final mix in early August by Edi before being scrapped (cf. One Nation pt. 2). Sixx Feet is credited as a featured artist in the tracklist where "Thug Love" appears, people say it could be Cody Chestnutt who is the cousin of Sixx Eight (and is also credited as producer for "Deliberation" in Gridlock'd soundtrack).
- Samples :
- Stevie Wonder - "Pastime Paradise" (bassline interpolation)
- Roy Ayers - "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" (vocals interpolation : "my life my life my life, in the sunshine")
- Brethren - "Outside Love" (drumline)
- New Jack City (movie, 1991) (quote interpolation : "rock-a-bye baby")
- 1996/06/21. UNRELEASED.
- Story. The Outlawz re-use the exact same beat as "Whatcha Gonna Do" recorded nine days earlier as a duet by 2Pac and Storm. 2Pac was probably not there at that time and not satisfied of his early song so he gave them the beat. Could he have refused when it was for a song with the very famous old school Furious Five ? Initially, it was believed that Kid Creole, another old school artist (funk pop), was the third guest but it has been said then it was Rondo of T.Y.B. (Taking Your Business, with notably DJ Superb), an old school group from Brooklyn who released singles in 1988-1989, like "Long Live Hip Hop / Rolling With Rondoooo". Rondo is featured in Melle Mel & Scorpio's 1997 album Right Now with also Delray and Jeeve who will be credited for having co-written "One Day At The Time".
- Samples :
- Nu Shooz - "I Can't Wait" (melody, bassline interpolation)
- 1996/06/17. Fairly remixed in Better Dayz (2002).
- Samples :
- Bob Marley - "Easy Skanking" (vocals interpolation)
- 1996/06/14. UNRELEASED.
- Story. This is the first song recorded for the project, Greg Nice probably arrived in L.A. before the others. You can guess with the end of each verse that the real title of the song is "One Nation", track appearing in every tracklists until being scrapped. "U Don't Have 2 Worry" being from July (like other QD3 produced songs and other diss songs against Nas and the Firm), this is the very first verse given by Young Noble. He's presenting himself : "Young Noble I'm Calm and Casual [but] Bomb like Arabs do", portrait conformed to the Outlawz line-up ! (kind of like applying to be recruited in the terrorist enterprise...). He also mentions "I'm NASTY NEW", what will be a planned title for his album project : Young Noble & Tha Nastee New Niggaz (cf. credits in Makaveli, The 3 Day Theory tracklist), what probably turned into the new Outlawz album Ghetto Starz...
- Samples :
- Gloria Lynne - "Speaking Of Happiness" (U-Turn Soundtrack) (bassline)
- 1996/06/16. UNRELEASED.
- Story. It is a short freestyle followed by an interview taken from the One Nation sessions (totally unmixed takes straight from the studio during One Nation June recordings). The song "Set It Off" was early supposed to be recorded on it but 2Pac presumably waited for his other guests Asu, LS and the Boot Camp Clik, to come and record the song.
- 1996/04 - 07/3 (?). Released in Greatest Hits (1998, Death Row) but in a previous longer mix.
- Story. This mix also includes the lost "Criminal Times" verse playing in the background of the first verse (could be a first version of "Made Niggaz" or "Troublesome", cf. Me Against The World pt. 2). It could mean 2Pac wanted to make that effect... Included in the One Nation sessions tape, it could indicate that this mix was re-worked around that time. 2Pac was clearly working at Outlawz LP mixdown in parallel of One Nation...
- Samples :
- 1996/06/10 (beat) - 1996/07/04-05 (~) (freestyle). UNRELEASED.
- Story. This song is a sort of remake of "Untouchable" that had been recorded the 10th of June, a few days before the One Nation sessions started. It has the same beginning "After the fire comes the rain, after the pleasure there's pain" verse before it turned into freestyle... It has probably been recorded in the beginning of July, after the live at the House of Blues (the 4th of July) to which he refers at the end of the song (so maybe the night after when he went back - directly in studio). It is unusual to re-record an almost finished song as a freestyle... This freestyle is contemporaneous of "War Gamez" (same second verse, old supposed recording date : 96/07/03)... So maybe 2Pac had that verse in mind when he recorded that freestyle, or inversely.
- Samples :
- Everything But The Girl - "Single" (melody)
- Hit 'Em Up (Clean Version) feat. Outlawz
- Reincarnation (Studio Take) feat. Outlawz & Lemika (speaking)
- Why U Turn On Me (Studio Take) feat. Kastro
- What'Cha Gonna Do (First Take) feat. Storm
- The Bomb (Medicate Freestyle) (by Napoleon, Kadafi & Storm)
- Set It Off (No LS, Jewell Alternate Take) feat. Cocoa Brovaz, Greg Nice, Buckshot & Jewell
- Tattoo Tearz (No Sample) feat. Outlawz & Sixx Feet Deep
- Fright Night (First Take, No Hook) (by Edi, Scorpio, Napoleon & Melle Mel)
- Brovaz At Armz (First Take, No Cocoa Brovaz) feat. Buckshot
- Never Call U Bitch (First Take, No Buckshot) feat. Cocoa Brovaz, Danny Boy & Jewell
- Ginseng Power (Accoustic Version) feat. Capital LS, Asu & Bo-Roc
- Last Onez Left (Alternate Mix) feat. Outlawz
- U Can Be Touched (Kadafi Version) feat. Outlawz
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