This is a suggestion of a compilation of the best posthumous remixed songs published by the Amaru Entertainment's label.
1. Redemption
2. R U Still Down (Remember Me)
3. Hellrazor (Remix)
4. Thug Style (Remix)
5. Do For Love (Remix) feat. Eric Williams
6. Homeboyz feat. Young Noble
7. Baby Don't Cry (Keep Ya Head Up II) (Remix) feat. Outlawz
8. High Speed (Remix) feat. Outlawz
9. Breathin' (Remix) feat. Outlawz
10. Until the End of Time (Remix)
11. My Closest Roaddogz (Solo Version Remix)
12. Thug 'N U Thug 'N Me (Remix) feat. K-Ci & Jojo
13. Thugz Mansion (Acoustic Solo Remix)
14. My Block (Remix)
15. Never Call U Bitch Again (Remix) feat. Tyrese (TGT)
16. Better Dayz (Solo Version Remix) feat. Ron Isley
17. Military Minds (Remix) feat. Buckshot & Cocoa Brovaz
18. Catchin' Feelins (Remix) feat. Outlawz
From R U Still Down [Remember Me] (1997) : tracks 1-5
From Still I Rise (1999) : tracks 6-8
From Until The End of Time (2001) : tracks 9-12
From Better Dayz (2002) : tracks 14-18
From Best of, Part 2 : Life (2007) : track 13 (remix from 2002)
The Amaru is a legendary dragon in the Andean mythology (Tiwanaku and
Inca civilizations). The top and the head is the one from a Llama, The
back is from a serpent and it has the wings and the legs of a dragon (or
an eagle). It is the symbol of a link between the underground and the
spiritual worlds.
Túpac Amaru was the name of the last Inca monarch in 1571-1572, executed
by the Spanish conquerors. He was a proud rebel, and leaded a
relentless guerilla against them. Túpac Amaru II was a supposed
descendant of the first, and was the leader of a large indigenous
uprising in Peru against the Spanish government in 1780-1782.
"thupaq" in Quechua means also "royal". By giving this nickname to his
son Lesane Parish Crooks, Afeni Shakur, a Black Panther activist, gave him
a cultural, revolutionary and indigenous background. This is like a
symbol for the Black Panther emancipation struggle.
I must admit that I've never been very fan of the posthumous remix
albums. Maybe R U Still Down has its good moments... In comparison of the leaked Makaveli bootlegs at the same period, these albums sounded too polished, distorted, kind of too far from the rapper who died a few years before. I will not even talk about the Eminem directed remix albums, I hardly listened at them once or twice and I think it is not worth listening at all. But I admit that there are some really good and fair
remixes, and some original cleaned versions in the four first
compilations (R U Still Down and Better Dayz are even really solid and
cohesive albums). This is often due to the producers that had worked with 2Pac during his lifetime : Johnny J of course,
Soulshock & Karlin, Darryl Harper, QD3...
DETAILED TRACKLIST
01. Redemption (Intro) / We Got Kidz, Ricky Rouse
- 1997, R U Still Down.
02. R U Still Down (Remember Me) / Tony Pizarro
- 1994-1997, R U Still Down. This is the second version of
the song, with a new 3rd verse instead of the first one, over a new
music by Tony Pizarro, more dynamic, less sad, recorded in late 94
(intended to be released in a compilation of leftover tracks, cf. F.T.W.).
03. Hellrazor (Remix) feat. Stretch (chorus) / QD3
- 1994-1997, R U Still Down. This remix keeps the vibe of the original version.
04. Thug Style (Remix) / We Got Kidz, Ricky Rouse
- 1994-1997, R U Still Down. This remix keeps the old school vibe of the original version.
05. Do For Love (Remix) feat. Eric Williams (Blackstreet) / Karlin & Soulshock
- 1994-1997, R U Still Down. This remix uses the "Sucka 4 Love" version from 1994, not the 1992's, and it is very close to it.
06. Homeboyz feat. Young Noble / Johnny J
- 1996-1999, Still I Rise. The og version hasn't been leaked yet (supposed to have been recorded in 1996/01). But it is probable that the og is very similar to this version. But we can read somewhere that the og features Napoleon. Young Noble maybe was with the Outlawz in january but his first known verse with them has been recorded in March ("U Don't Have 2 Worry") and then in June.
07. Baby Don't Cry (Keep Ya Head Up II) (Remix) feat. Outlawz / 2Pac, Karlin & Soulshock
- 1996-1999, Still I Rise. This remix keeps the vibe of the original version. The original version had space for featurings. And the song was supposed to be included in the original Outlawz album (cf. Troublesome, Tha Secretz of War).
08. High Speed (Remix) feat. Outlawz / Darryl Harper
- 1999, Still I Rise. This remix keeps the boom bap original vibe.
09. Breathin' (Remix) feat. Outlawz / Johnny J
- 2001, Until The End of Time. The first take had space for featurings. The well-known version with Bizzy Bone is a Johnny J remix, maybe from 98. There is also a late leaked version with three female verses (among them Sylk-E Fyne), two from the Outlawz (Edi & Kadafi), but it doesn't sound really well.
10. Until the End of Time (Remix) / Johnny J
- 2001, Until The End of Time.
11. My Closest Roaddogz (Solo Version Remix) / Johnny J
- 2001, Until The End of Time. The original hasn't been leaked yet. The leaked solo version is just an acapella version pasted over the og instrumental.
12. Thug 'N U Thug 'N Me (Remix) feat. K-Ci & Jojo / Johnny J
- 2001, Until The End of Time. This is a remix version from a og remix version also with K-Ci & Jojo (published in a cleant version in one of their album), but it doesn't include all their singing.
13. Thugz Mansion (Acoustic Solo Remix) / Claudio Cueni & Michael Herring
- 2002, published in 2007, Best of 2Pac. The two versions (in Better Dayz, in Nas' God's Son), have not all three 2Pac verses, only this version from the late Best of has.
14. My Block (Remix) / Franky "Nitty" Pimental
- 2002, Better Dayz. This acoustic version is maybe one of the best posthumous songs from 2Pac, it totally changes the old school vibe of the OG, for a modern very powerful timeless song.
15. Never Call U Bitch Again (Remix) feat. Tyrese (TGT) / Johnny J
- 2002, Better Dayz.
16. Better Dayz (Solo Version Remix) feat. Ron Isley / Johnny J
- 2002, Better Dayz. The original solo version has the dedication to OFTB that sounds strange for a solo track (it was probably a first take waiting for the featurings to be recorded). This remix is totally fair to the original, it just adds the fine chorus of Ron Isley, well felt.
17. Military Minds (Remix) feat. Buckshot & Cocoa Brovaz / Darryl Harper & Edi
- 2002, Better Dayz. This version gives a very aggressive vibe to the song.
18. Catchin' Feelins (Remix) feat. Outlawz / Edi
- 2002, Better Dayz. The original version had space for featurings.
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