Tag: Tupac Shakur

Even though 2-Pac’s career was cut short, he left behind a mighty music catalog. While alive he produced four platinum-selling albums in ‘2Pacaplypse Now’, ‘Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z…’, ‘Me Against the World’, and ‘All Eyez On Me’.

Pac’s music is timeless and today around the world, people can sing along to his most popular hits like “California Love,” “2 Live & Die In LA,” “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted,” “I Get Around,” “How Do U Want It,” and many others.

With a catalog as thick as Pac’s, it’s hard for the average fan to know every song Pac has made, let alone memorize them. In honor of Pac’s birthday, I’ve went ahead and compiled a list of 10 of 2-Pac’s most slept on songs that the average person doesn’t know. I’ve created my list after years of playing people these songs and them not even knowing they existed. The songs are in no particular order, so please hold your slander.

“LIL HOMIES”

“Lil Homies” is one of Pac’s hardest songs. On the track, he shows love to his “Lil Homies” with explosive, vivid lyrics of the work young gang members put in to get recognized in their gang circle. The Johnny J-produced single is off Pac’s posthumous ‘Until The End Of Time’ album. The album earned a No. 3 spot on BET’s “Top 25 Posthumous Albums of All-Time”. Listen below.

“PAIN”

One of my all-time favorite Pac songs is “Pain.” On this single Pac raps about his adolescent years and being labeled a problem child, while crying out for help. He explicitly raps about his surroundings and the pain he felt with everything going on around him. Listen below.

“FAME”

On “Fame” off his posthumous ‘Better Dayz’ double album, Pac rhymes about the infatuation people have for fame and the things they do. The Hurt M Badd-produced track features Bad Azz and the Outlawz. It was first previewed in “Gang Related,” where Pac played a crooked detective alongside Jim Belushi.

“BABY DON’T CRY”

When it came to tackling social issues Pac did it flawlessly. We know the impact songs like “Brenda’s Got A Baby,” “Changes,” and “Keep Your Head Up” had. Those songs are all staples on his catalog and they’re often referred to. One song that is often forgotten is “Baby Don’t Cry” off the Outlawz’s ‘Still I Rise’ album. I remember my teenage years listening to this song on Power 106 and just focusing on the message that Pac and the Outlawz delivered. Powerful.

“LETTER 2 THE PRESIDENT”

Another song where Pac really spoke out about social injustices and issues was “Letter 2 the President”. Here he speaks out against what he called the biggest gang in the world, America. Before we ever had a Barack Obama, white presidents never cared about the inner city and Pac felt as if America was keeping the inner city trapped. Or as he put it the “outer city,” because they always kept those people out any plans of improvement.

“WHEN WE RIDE”

“When We Ride” off Pac’s classic ‘All Eyez On Me’ album showcases all the Outlawz deadly skillz, as they introduce themselves with alias and all. The track is led by the thumping production, which samples Tha Dogg Pound’s “What Would You Do”.

“DEATH AROUND THE CORNER”

The year 1994 was probably one of Pac’s darkest years highlighted by the alleged rape he didn’t commit, which landed him in New York’s Clinton Correctional Facilities. Pac used the daunting experience to craft this masterpiece that is led by paranoia.

“LORD KNOWS”

“Lord Knows” is the equivalent of Biggie’s “Suicidal Thoughts” single. It displays the depression Pac was fighting with lyrics of death and some hard experiences he dealt with like the death of his friend. On the track Pac scours all his feelings and emotions.

“IS IT COOL 2 FUCK”

An unreleased track that is guarenteed to get you out your seat and on the dance floor after the right amount of Hennessy is “Is It Cool 2 Fuck.” The song was supposed to land on Thug Life’s group album, but never made the cut. Maybe that’s why it’s still so slept on.

“BLACK JESUZ”

On “Black Jesuz,” Pac and the Outlawz reveal who they pray to, with rhymes praising the Jesuz they believed would save them from all the bullshit going on.

Every time I think of Pac, I think of the tremendous catalog and impact he had in pioneering the culture. If he was still here he without a doubt would be shaping minds through his music and keeping people woke. Happy birthday, Legend, and Rest In Peace.

@IAMBNYCE