Artists and 2pac: The Official Debate

[Code Blue]

Aight, there's been a grip of threads about re-makin' Pac songs and what not, and if it's right or wrong. Ever since the tragedy in late '96 artists have used Pac beats, remade Pac classics, and have even featured Pac on they own traccs. Not to mention the numerous guest appearances on Pac's albums and mixtapes. So...what is y'all opinion on this subject? And are there certain artists/DJ's that should be able to do this? And if you think this, why or why not?

This should be good.

[The Watcher]

nobody should do it, leave his legacy alone.

[R-Tistic]

For the good of music...some of it is tite. Like how Em did his new beat, and how 50 rapped on that one song. But it gets way outta hand. For one, I think it's wrong to make money off of him in any way, whether it's makin money of re-makin his songs, or if it's puttin his verses on their album and advertisin it as "featuring Pac." I didn't really like the Em and 50 Hail Mary diss, but at least they didn't make money off it, and the same with "Realest killaz" with 50.
As far as doin mixtapes, like the Green Lantern, that was dope to me. If I was Pac and I died, I'd find it a heeeeeeeeelluva compliment to know that people would still be jockin me, and re-doin my songs after I passed, jus because it proves I made that big of an impact...even if many of the songs were wack or with artists I wouldn't or didn't like...the fact that people still care to use my verses would be a great compliment.

[Code Blue]

I agree with R-Tistic about the money makin' part. Every profit that anything Pac-related makes should either go  Afeni Shakur, or to some kinda Pac Memorial Fund or something.

[Kaidy]

Personally I don't like most of the remixed Pac music that has come out since his death.

The thing about Pac's songs is you could feel he had put himself into them completely, meaning he had really vibed off of a particular beat and rapped how he felt accordingly.

Now, if you change the original beat you lose a certain spark of what the original concept was and the emotion behind the song, thats why a lot of the albums Pac's mom has put out have sounded bland and somewhat contrived.

BUT as R-Tistic mentioned, it's really a special thing to still see artists 7 years on dying to use a Pac verse or work on a beat. Pac's name is still in everybody's mouth and he's still one of the most important people in hip hop, and still getting new fans. Its hard to say if he'd still be having that effect if they just let everything rest when he passed.

sorry to be long-winded, i hope that makes some sense.

[OpTiCaL]

For the good of music...some of it is tite. Like how Em did his new beat, and how 50 rapped on that one song. But it gets way outta hand. For one, I think it's wrong to make money off of him in any way, whether it's makin money of re-makin his songs, or if it's puttin his verses on their album and advertisin it as "featuring Pac." I didn't really like the Em and 50 Hail Mary diss, but at least they didn't make money off it, and the same with "Realest killaz" with 50.
As far as doin mixtapes, like the Green Lantern, that was dope to me. If I was Pac and I died, I'd find it a heeeeeeeeelluva compliment to know that people would still be jockin me, and re-doin my songs after I passed, jus because it proves I made that big of an impact...even if many of the songs were wack or with artists I wouldn't or didn't like...the fact that people still care to use my verses would be a great compliment.

I agree, people shouldnt be stealing his style for self gain...but if they doing it for the love then its a great compliment to Pac.

[Don Seer]

why does this have to be dragged up again? we've jsut been through this whole thing in a thread already

[OpTiCaL]

^^ I haven't  


j/k  boo

[Don Seer]

lol hon



ok.. we'll go over one more time... without such a heavy ja rule/eminem influence.


i think the deal is this..  respectful usage, think all the arguments are because its a subjective thing.


for non-profit (read: mixtapes) people can do what they like.. but...

for profit, using the image + covering songs like "pain" and "me & my girlfriend" doesnt sit comfortably, its seen as biting.  also biting 2pac lyrics/verses in a shady way a'la master p / no limit is also damn dodgy.

gray areas are the things most disputed, things like makavelli+dillinger - afeni was against it, but lots of fans werent,.  thugz mansion + the eminem track to me ok coz they're on better days/resurrection ost (amaru recs projects), nu mixxes, altho pants and seemingly a cash in thing isnt as bad as some people make out.. had it been better executed it may well have been a big hit..

[i love men who take pictures with their booty's out]

put it like this..

afeni and suge are fuckin up pac's legacy...let tha man jus be dead already...pac is one rapper nobody will ever 4get..period..

niggas in new york dont milk biggies death as much as they do pacs....

biggie has 2 albums after his death... pac..got damn near 8,,and what about eazy,big pun,etc..smh

peep this tho...suge is fuckin afeni and her son...how so??

suge holds pac's final album one nation...this was goin to be his final album on deathrow....some say its not complete..but to tell u tha truth its actually is ..pac lived in tha studio...i put a hundred dollars up that pac finished that album and makaveli all while he was recordin all eyes on me..he did this so quikly kause he knew if he hurried up and knokked them down.... he would be free.. pac had a 3 album deal wit tha row.. to pay back tha money suge spent to get him out( 9 times out of 10 plus interest)...

so instead of suge releasin that final album and losin his only "legit investment"...he's holdin on to that album..cause unlike deathrow.. pac is still signed to interscope..but its a tricky situation,...kuz suge is still signed to interscope..he's pimpin tha publishin..deathrow as a label isnt signed .. but suge as a producer is...

joshua's dream is no longer on deathrow as pac's,his mothers amaru's publishin is in its place .. since all tha checks are goin to a dead man...its switched over to amaru..so his moms can eat..whenn this switched over.. big simon says publishin start appearin on his newer cd's.....since suge holds some of pacs final songs..suge gets interscope money,deathrow money,and amaru' money..

pac literally sold his soul to tha devil...kuz suge is never goin to drop that one nation album..he'll drop songs off of it .. but not tha complete album...only way that it can be dropped is if tha artist who are on that one nation album click up and take tha songs they did wit pac 4 this album..bizzy already doin it..buckshot did it,scarface done did it..daz doin it..

and if tha rest quit bein pussies and grow nuts,suge will have to drop it .. kuz nobody would wanna anticipate tha one nation album release kuz tha songs already out there...

as far as suge and afeni lettin other artist buy his songs or verses...this is tha worse thang that could ever happen to pac's legacy..people they sellin to are some of his worse enemies...

they sell songs to niggas like jay-z and shit.. then release a album, wit pac dissin jay-z?? smh.. damn shame..

[CRAFTY]

I agree with Seer.

[Lil Jay]

I think its wrong to say that its ok for some people to take his vocals or beats and not for others.
It doesnt make a difference to me if its for a mixtape or album, fact is they used him on their
songs, wether they make money of off it or not. Some may say 50 Cent didnt make no money, which
may be true but he got llllllots of promo for those tracks he did with pac and biggie, which means money
again, so its not right in my eyes to say that its ok for 50 but not for others. Nobody should do it
period. Its up to Afeni if she wants to do that shit.

Oh and those Djs put out those Dedication mixtapes cause they know they gonna sell if it has
Pacs name on it. They should leave it alone,i think that shit is wack.

[Code Blue]

You do have to give a lil' credit to DJ's though for tryna keep Pac's name alive and strong. Even though Pac ain't here, they help so that his music continues to bump in our rides and in our homes. Shouldn't that be the big picture?

[SGV]

You do have to give a lil' credit to DJ's though for tryna keep Pac's name alive and strong. Even though Pac ain't here, they help so that his music continues to bump in our rides and in our homes. Shouldn't that be the big picture?

Oh I get it. You can make a mixtape of Tupac, sell it for 10 bucks a pop, and get props for it?! So, if you just sample Tupac, and put that on your album, it's wrong? Riiiiiight.


Man, Pac's camp is making money off of the Ja's, the Jay's, etc. They own the tracks, so they get money off the samples. That's benefiting Pac's legacy. A Mixtape song, that doesn't have to be cleared or paid for. So, really, they're using Pac's name free. I believe that's more wrong than anything.

[Lincoln]

I have no problem with Nas Jay-Z Ja Rule Eminem or 50 using the songs. My problem is that it aint cool for some but it is for others. There should be no hating at all. Nobody hates on the dozens of artists on the West who sample Parliament religiously.