1996 - One Nation, Volume One (Original sessions)

  •  One Nation first recording sessions : 14th of June - 22th of June


Not a bad cover for the project 
because it doesn't emphasize on the Boot Camp Clik : there are many other guests !

### This album follows the last handwritten tracklist purposed by 2Pac in June, which lists all the 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 the other tracklists available, but was there scrapped. ###

Listen to that album in YouTube. You can also listen to the Bomb1st members attempt to give a final mixdown to the project here.

Tracklist :

1. Ginseng Power (Coast II Coast)
2. World Wide Dime Piece feat. Snoop Dogg
3. Brothaz In Armz
4. Jawz Tight (Let's Fight) feat. Numskull
5. Set It Off feat. Jewell
6. Secretz of War (Noble Version)
7. Never Call U Bitch Again (BCC Version) feat. Danny Boy & Jewell
8. We Rock The Hip Hop feat. Storm & Kurupt
9. Tattoo Tearz (One Nation Version) feat. Cody Chesnutt
10. Fright Night (How Many Shots Will It Take) feat. The Furious Five
11. Military Minds
12. Untouchablez * One Nation (Ya Own Style)
 
Bonus Tracks :
13. Basket Case ('96 Sho Shot Freestyle) - Studio Philosophy (Interview)
14. Troublesome '96 (Short Version) *
15. Untouchable (Drunken Freestyle)*

* not recorded during the BCC/Greg Nice sessions (June 14-22).


Producers - 2Pac & Greg Nice (5), Darryl Harper (3, 11), Greg Nice, Kurupt (1, 2, 9), Daz (4), Johnny J (6, 7), Duane Nettlesbey (10), Tony Pizarro (12)
 
One Nation team :
- Makaveli
- Outlawz : Kadafi, Kastro, Napoleon, Edi, Hussein, Young Noble & Storm
- Boot Camp Clik : Buckshot of Black Moon, Tek & Steele aka Smif N Wessun aka Cocoa Brovaz
- Greg Nice of Nice N Smooth 
- Asu
- Capital L.S. of the Rumpletilskinz
- Kurupt, Snoop Dogg 
- Jewell & Danny Boy
- The Furious Five
- Numskull of the Luniz

"One Nation" is the name of the east coast/west coast collaboration album that Pac was preparing in june 1996. Because he wanted to connect both of the coasts, to prove that his feud with Bad Boy and Mobb Deep wasn't a coast rivalry but a human's rivalry. At a time, the project was eventually supposed to have two or three parts : West side, East side, and another one (South ? Thug ?)...

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 fake track with Snoop/BCC or the Daz "Only Move 4 The Money"...). One of the good idea of one of these bootlegs called One Love, One Thug, One Nation was to have 2 discs, one with west side, the second with east side. But the compilation also gathered tracks from any times and sessions.


A good part of the team

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.

1. Early June 96. 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. "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 group.

2. Second week of June ? 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 probably 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".

copies of handwritten tracklists

3. Circa the 16th of June. 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).

4. Circa the 17th of June. This time, the first songs are probably recorded. Boot Camp Clik are not here yet but Capital LS and Asu are. Noble recorded with the Outlawz for the first time in "Tattoo Tearz". Could "Trump Tight" be still just an instrumental yet ? (because it still has the title of the original Kurupt featuring Syke & Kadafi song, cf. Thug Pound)


 

5. Circa the 17th of June. Boot Camp Clik is arrived and they recorded a first song together. Noble gave his verse for "Secretz of War". 

6. Circa the 18th of June. Numskull of the Luniz came and recorded "Jawz Tite".

 
  
 

7. Circa the 21th of June (?). They probably recorded "Set It Off" and "Fright Night" with the Furious Five, but not "We Rock the Hip Hop", maybe neither "Never Call U Bitch Again Boot Camp Clik Version". There are still 10 tracks.



8. Circa the 21th of June. 2Pac includes "Never Call U Bitch Again" so they probably recorded the Boot Camp Clik version. "Thug Love" completes the tracklisting but Bone Thugs-N-Harmony are not credited in the featured artists so the song is probably not recorded yet but just planned (the song was also included in the Outlawz LP, so it could mean that the song was not planned to be with the Cleveland group at that time but maybe just a 2Pac/Outlawz song. So 2Pac finally recorded the song a few days later when he met them. 6 Ft (Deep) is credited but for which song ? It could possibly for "Tattoo Tearz" but it could also be for the unrecorded "Thug Love" (not appearing in the next tracklist)...

9. Circa the 22th of June. This time, we have all the twelve songs recorded during these 7 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 replaced by "Untouchablez", a track recorded earlier with Snoop and Bad Ass (Just 2Pac finishing the tracklist decided to scrap the song, wrote "Jawz Tite" instead and had to find another song to complete the album). That song will also be listed in Outlawz LP, probably later in July.



A beautiful cover for a poor unofficial release
(unfortunately a bootleg with low sound quality and wrong tracks).


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

01. Ginseng Power (Coast II Coast) feat. Capital LS, Asu / Kurupt
  • 1996/06/17. Also called "Thug Nigga". "Trump Tight" was also a title given because it re-uses the music of an earlier song by Big Syke, Kurupt & Kadafi (also known as "Dump on Site") recorded in Dec.'95 Jan. '96 for Thug Pound album (which was maybe itself an old Daz beat from 94 Murder Was The Case sessions).
02. World Wide Dime Piece feat. Greg Nice, Capital LS, Asu & Snoop Dogg / Kurupt (?), Capital LS (?)
  • 1996/06/17. Also sometimes titled "Bitches". This is probably the very last song to feature Snoop and Tupac together. Capital LS released an unofficial EP with the song in 1996, titled "Bitches".
  • Samples : 
03. Brothaz In Armz feat. BuckshotCocoa Brovaz / Darryl "Big D" Harper
  • 1996/06/18. At this time, Tek & Steele couldn't use their original group name "Smif N Wessun".
  • Samples : 
04. Jawz Tight (Let's Fight) feat. Capital LS, Cocoa Brovaz, Buckshot, Edi, Numskull (Luniz), Napoleon & Kadafi  / Daz - FIX Kadafi verse
  • 1996/06/18. Remixed in the unofficial Dillinger & Makaveli EP (1998, DPG) with Daz as the only guest. 2Pac also thought to include it in the Ghetto Starz album in the late summer, but it is possible that there is another unleaked version or mix of the track. Like in "Secretz of War" and "Untouchable", 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 : 
05. Set It Off feat. Asu, Cocoa Brovaz, Capital LS, Greg Nice, Buckshot & Jewell / Tupac, Greg Nice & Darryl "Big D" Harper
  • 1996/06/19. 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 :
06. Secretz of War (Noble Version) feat. Hussein, Kadafi, Young Noble & Kastro (vocals) / Johnny J REMIXED By ? - FIX Kadafi verse
  • 1996/04 (~) - 06/19-22 (~) (new mix, Noble added). Remixed in Still I Rise (1999, Interscope). This version has totally different verses than the "Rules" 95 version recorded with Kurupt for When I Get Free / All Eyes on Me album. A second version has probably been recorded earlier around April for 2Pac new solo or for Troublesome : The Secretz of War Outlawz LP. In this third version, Young Noble added his verse, Kastro adlibs and 2Pac an outro, the mix is renewed ; but the verse from Kadafi vocals are partially patched in the leaked mixes, waiting for a final mixdown.
  • Samples :
07. Never Call U Bitch Again (BCC Version) feat. Cocoa Brovaz, Danny Boy & Jewell / Johnny J REMIXED By 2Pac (?)
  • 1996/01 - 06/19. Remixed in Better Dayz compilation (Amaru, 2002). 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", then 2Pac reworked the song in February. in a more accoustic feeling for his new solo 100% Black Gold. 2Pac was probably working on the mix of the song then planned for Outlawz LP Troublesome, The Secretz of War - probably with the help of Death Row musician team - when Cocoa Brovaz gave a freestyle.
  • Samples :
08. We Rock The Hip Hop by Capital LS, Storm, Young Noble, Greg Nice, Edi, Asu & Kurupt / ?
  • 1996/06/22. Final song of the sessions
  • Samples : 
09. Tattoo Tearz (Original Mix) feat. Young Noble, Napoleon, Kastro, Kadafi & Sixx-Nine (?) / Kurupt & Edi (?)
  • 1996/06/17 (?). Remixed in Still I Rise (1999, Interscope). The first take has been recorded over the easy to recognize Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" sample. "Kurupt dropped the beat" : Kurupt may have produced that beat earlier in March (the known date for the REEL : 30th of March). Then he (or Edi) reworked it for One Nation album. The song received a final mix in July/August (maybe by Edi) before being scrapped (cf. One Nation pt. 2) maybe to be put in Outlawz LP Ghetto Starz. Sixx Feet is credited as a featured artist in the tracklist where "Thug Love" appears, so it could be Sixx-Nine doing the chorus.
  • Sample : 
10. Fright Night (How Many Shots Will It Take) by Edi, Scorpio, Napoleon, Kidd Creole, Kastro & Melle Mel /  Duane Nettlesbey
  • 1996/06/21. 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 the song and gave the beat to his friends. Could he have refused when it was for receiving the very famous old school group the Furious Five ?  
  • Samples : 
11. Military Minds feat. Cocoa Brovaz & Buckshot / Darryl "Big D" Harper
12. One Nation (Ya Own Style) feat. Greg Nice, Edi & Young Noble / Tony Pizarro
  • 1996/06/14. 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 (credits in a Makaveli 3 Day Theory tracklist), what probably turned into the new Outlawz album Ghetto Starz...
  • Samples : 
13. Basket Case ('96 Sho Shot Freestyle) feat. Greg Nice - Studio Philosophy (Interlude) / Greg Nice & Darryl "Big D" Harper
  • 1996/06/16. 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).
14. Troublesome '96 (Short Version) / Johnny J
  •  1996/04 - 07/3 (?). Released in Greatest Hits (1998, Death Row) but in a previous mix. It still 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. 100% Black Gold). Included in the One Nation sessions tape, it could indicate that this mix has been re-worked around that time. But maybe 2Pac worked upon it when he came back from his trip to Italy... 
  • Samples : 
    • Whodini - "Friends" (drums, bassline interpolation)
    • Louchie Lou & Michie One - "Rich Girl" (vocals interpolation)
15. Drunken Freestyle (over Untouchable) / 2Pac
  • 1996/07/04 (?). 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 right 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)

BONUS TRACKS :

01. Ginseng Power (First Take)
02. Tattoo Tearz (First Take, Gangsta Paradise Sample) feat. 
03. Never Call U Bitch (One Nation Version Alternate Take) feat. Cocoa Brovaz, Danny Boy & Jewell / Johnny J
04. Military Minds (First Take) feat. Boot Camp Clik
05. Brovaz At Armz (Alternate Take) feat. Buckshot
06. Fright Night (First Take) by Outlawz feat. Scorpio, Kidd Creole & Melle Mel / Duane Nettlesbey
07. Set It Off (Alternate Take)
08. One Nation Instrumental #1
09. One Nation Instrumental #2
10. Coast II Coast (Accoustic Version)


An older cover (made from the well know picture of 2Pac with the One Nation team).









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