Making of Thug Life

[CORREA]

props to @Jimmy_Bonez from t.n for this

Making of Thug Life

    As requested by @Ouroboros
    As I said before this is the album I'm least confident in the information about it...

    Thug Life: Honor Among Thugz - 1993
    This was (as far as I know) the original title and concept of the album, it was basically a soundtrack to be released as a EP/bootlegg sort of deal, along with a home video made by 2Pac, featuring Stretch, Thug Life, B.I.G. & the Thoroheadz.

    01 - Cradle to the Grave
    02 - Don't Get it Twisted
    03 - Is it Cool 2 Fuck
    04 - Pour Out a Lil Liquor
    05 - Ready 4 Whatever

    Tony Pizarros Sample Album - 1993
    This i'm not sure is totally official, all I know is Pizarro had these songs on a tape which was stolen in the 90s, it remains unseen if this is an actual demo of the album or if it's just listening material for Pizarro.
    The last two tracks are tacked on from another project.

    01 - My Definition of a Thug Nigga
    02 - Thug Life
    03 - Fake Ass Bitches
    04 - Pour Out a Lil Liquor
    05 - I'm Gettin Money
    06 - Faced Shootouts
    07 - Is it Cool 2 Fuck
    08 - High Till I Die
    09 - Time 2 Get My Drank on
    10 - Mr. Troublesome
    11 - Niggaz in the Pen

    Not long after this version of the album was created in 1993, the album faced a few switch ups:
    Definition of a Thug Nigga: Originally John Singleton wanted Pour Out a Lil Liquor for Poetic Justice, 2Pac told him it was too personal and gave him Definition instead, effectively scrapping it in the process.
    I'm Getting Money: Was scrapped, 2Pac then rerecorded it as Str8 Ballin' in 1994 for his own album, then it eventually found its way back on Thug Life.
    High Till I Die: was "remixed" adding Ital Joe and sold to Deathrow, along with DRs Hard on a Nigga for $150,000.
    Deathrow ended up not using High Till I Die so 2Pac rerecorded it in 1994, also for his solo album.
    Fake Ass Bitches: Was passed on to a female rapper 2Pac was hoping to manage at the time

    Thug Life (Promo)
    This is essentially the retail with one difference: Runnin From the Police was in this early pressing of the album, this was because Stay True was supposed to appear on 2Pacs Solo album, in fact it was the title track.
    Runnin was also sent to a Soundtrack forcing 2Pac to move his own song on to it, much like with Str8 Ballin'
    This was around the time 2Pac met up with Moe Z M.D., Moe Z mixed and remixed for the album notably:
    - Shit Don't Stop (Originally produced by Stretch)
    - Runnin From the Police (*Mastering only)
    - Cradle to the Grave (Originally by Prof Jay and Syke)

    01 - Bury Me a G
    02 - Don't Get it Twisted
    03 - Shit Don't Stop
    04 - Pour out a Lil Liquor
    05 - Runnin From the Police
    06 - How Long Will They Mourn Me
    07 - Under Pressure
    08 - Street Life
    09 - Cradle to the Grave
    10 - Str8 Ballin'

    Other related tracks
    Out on Bail: Was a late addition to the album, it was also considered for the title track, a promo of Papa'z Song lists Cradle to the Grave as featuring on the Out on Bail album, this found its way to 2Pacs solo album but again was scrapped.
    Str8 Out the Gutta: A Thug Life solo song
    Bury Me a G (Radio Version): This does exist, however I do believe this was also an early contender for 2Pacs Solo album, Thug Life were added in later.
    Thug Bitch: A duet with Thug Life and Yanni (I think its her at least :/)
    Anotha Jack: A Thug Life Solo
    Thugz Get Lonely Too: was performed live at the Thugz 4 Life tour in 1993, but went on to be rerecorded in 1994.

    The Johnny J Sessions
    Finally I thought I would show the "nine" (2 songs were also remixed) songs Johnny J made for 2pac in 1993; because people always quote Johnny Js interview, asking what the songs were:
    - Thug Life (The first song 2Pac did with Johnny, JJ even claimed it was made in late 1992)
    - Thug Life (Remix) (TBH I cant be sure when this was made, but it was made by Johnny J)
    - High Till I Die '93
    - High Till I Die (Remix) (Nothing was actually changed, but Ital Joe was added in for Deathrow)
    - I'm Getting Money
    - I'm Losin it (Either has an unleaked version, or the original version is mistakenly attributed to Pizarro)
    - Death Around the Corner (Intended for 2Pacs solo album, made MATW)
    - Pour Out a Lil Liquor
    - Ready 4 Whatever
    - Fake Ass Bitches
    - Thug 4 Life (Stretch does feature on this, though i'm not sure why he was muted at that point)

[TraceOneInfinite]

damn homie, this is a lot of info to sift thru, good looks

[TidyKris]

I always though that "Thugz get lonley too" was recorded later in the Deathrow days for some reason, i did not know it was recorded that early.
Cool

[MOBNigga06]

Props for the info.

What is known of the album Tupac intended to bear the tile "STAY TRUE"? I remember seeing something about this before, but can't remember it.

I suppose that in the mix here is the album Tupac scrapped because he felt that Biggie had already bitten it? Maybe this is the album Stay True, which ended up providing most of the songs on R U Still Down.

It's interesting how a few of the songs considered for Thug Life didn't make the album because they went to soundtracks. I guess this is a reminder that Pac was in desperate need of money at the time for his lawsuits and was eager to sell songs for a quick payday.

[teletomble]

Isn't It Don Jagwarr On High Till I Die, Not Ital Joe...

[Mr Wicked]

Isn't It Don Jagwarr On High Till I Die, Not Ital Joe...

yes

[massie200]

Thanks for posting correa

[U.N.T.O.U.C.H.A.B.L.E.]

props to @Jimmy_Bonez from t.n for this

Making of Thug Life

    As requested by @Ouroboros
    As I said before this is the album I'm least confident in the information about it...

    Thug Life: Honor Among Thugz - 1993
    This was (as far as I know) the original title and concept of the album, it was basically a soundtrack to be released as a EP/bootlegg sort of deal, along with a home video made by 2Pac, featuring Stretch, Thug Life, B.I.G. & the Thoroheadz.

    01 - Cradle to the Grave
    02 - Don't Get it Twisted
    03 - Is it Cool 2 Fuck
    04 - Pour Out a Lil Liquor
    05 - Ready 4 Whatever

    Tony Pizarros Sample Album - 1993
    This i'm not sure is totally official, all I know is Pizarro had these songs on a tape which was stolen in the 90s, it remains unseen if this is an actual demo of the album or if it's just listening material for Pizarro.
    The last two tracks are tacked on from another project.

    01 - My Definition of a Thug Nigga
    02 - Thug Life
    03 - Fake Ass Bitches
    04 - Pour Out a Lil Liquor
    05 - I'm Gettin Money
    06 - Faced Shootouts
    07 - Is it Cool 2 Fuck
    08 - High Till I Die
    09 - Time 2 Get My Drank on
    10 - Mr. Troublesome
    11 - Niggaz in the Pen

    Not long after this version of the album was created in 1993, the album faced a few switch ups:
    Definition of a Thug Nigga: Originally John Singleton wanted Pour Out a Lil Liquor for Poetic Justice, 2Pac told him it was too personal and gave him Definition instead, effectively scrapping it in the process.
    I'm Getting Money: Was scrapped, 2Pac then rerecorded it as Str8 Ballin' in 1994 for his own album, then it eventually found its way back on Thug Life.
    High Till I Die: was "remixed" adding Ital Joe and sold to Deathrow, along with DRs Hard on a Nigga for $150,000.
    Deathrow ended up not using High Till I Die so 2Pac rerecorded it in 1994, also for his solo album.
    Fake Ass Bitches: Was passed on to a female rapper 2Pac was hoping to manage at the time

    Thug Life (Promo)
    This is essentially the retail with one difference: Runnin From the Police was in this early pressing of the album, this was because Stay True was supposed to appear on 2Pacs Solo album, in fact it was the title track.
    Runnin was also sent to a Soundtrack forcing 2Pac to move his own song on to it, much like with Str8 Ballin'
    This was around the time 2Pac met up with Moe Z M.D., Moe Z mixed and remixed for the album notably:
    - Shit Don't Stop (Originally produced by Stretch)
    - Runnin From the Police (*Mastering only)
    - Cradle to the Grave (Originally by Prof Jay and Syke)

    01 - Bury Me a G
    02 - Don't Get it Twisted
    03 - Shit Don't Stop
    04 - Pour out a Lil Liquor
    05 - Runnin From the Police
    06 - How Long Will They Mourn Me
    07 - Under Pressure
    08 - Street Life
    09 - Cradle to the Grave
    10 - Str8 Ballin'

    Other related tracks
    Out on Bail: Was a late addition to the album, it was also considered for the title track, a promo of Papa'z Song lists Cradle to the Grave as featuring on the Out on Bail album, this found its way to 2Pacs solo album but again was scrapped.
    Str8 Out the Gutta: A Thug Life solo song
    Bury Me a G (Radio Version): This does exist, however I do believe this was also an early contender for 2Pacs Solo album, Thug Life were added in later.
    Thug Bitch: A duet with Thug Life and Yanni (I think its her at least :/)
    Anotha Jack: A Thug Life Solo
    Thugz Get Lonely Too: was performed live at the Thugz 4 Life tour in 1993, but went on to be rerecorded in 1994.

    The Johnny J Sessions
    Finally I thought I would show the "nine" (2 songs were also remixed) songs Johnny J made for 2pac in 1993; because people always quote Johnny Js interview, asking what the songs were:
    - Thug Life (The first song 2Pac did with Johnny, JJ even claimed it was made in late 1992)
    - Thug Life (Remix) (TBH I cant be sure when this was made, but it was made by Johnny J)
    - High Till I Die '93
    - High Till I Die (Remix) (Nothing was actually changed, but Ital Joe was added in for Deathrow)
    - I'm Getting Money
    - I'm Losin it (Either has an unleaked version, or the original version is mistakenly attributed to Pizarro)
    - Death Around the Corner (Intended for 2Pacs solo album, made MATW)
    - Pour Out a Lil Liquor
    - Ready 4 Whatever
    - Fake Ass Bitches
    - Thug 4 Life (Stretch does feature on this, though i'm not sure why he was muted at that point)

im the proud owner of that stolen thug life tape these days lol

[Hack Wilson - real]

Isn't It Don Jagwarr On High Till I Die, Not Ital Joe...

yes

i didn't think either of them were on High Til I Die   i thought it was Macadoshis and Rated R??

[DeeezNuuuts83]

That's the problem.  No disrespect to him but the guy posts a lot of assumptions that end up being wrong.  His post about Euphanasia had a few things that were off.

[Mr Wicked]

Isn't It Don Jagwarr On High Till I Die, Not Ital Joe...

yes

i didn't think either of them were on High Til I Die   i thought it was Macadoshis and Rated R??

There is an alternate version that leaked not too long ago that has Don Jagwarr doing a hook

[Hack Wilson - real]

that's awesome.  Anyone got an mp3 of it?


I got Don Jagwarr's album and it's got some really good songs on it besides the 2pac one

[Mr Wicked]

since you was so generous and hooked me up with that Crooked I EP
here's the song for you
http://www33.zippyshare.com/v/IYlC7php/file.html

[johnnie360]

Whats that Street Life song??

[Sccit]

I always though that "Thugz get lonley too" was recorded later in the Deathrow days for some reason, i did not know it was recorded that early.
Cool

DIDNT THUGZ GET LONELY TOO ORIGINALLY HAVE TECH N9NE ON IT?