![]() ![]() The ferocity of Shakur's raging vocals, as said by long-time collaborator and producer of "Hit 'Em Up" Johnny J, was entirely authentic. The bassline of the soundtrack is a sample from a song called ' Don't Look Any Further', by ex- Temptation Dennis Edwards that was previously used in Paid in Full (Eric B. The first and third verses are performed by Shakur, while the second verse is performed by Hussein Fatal, the fourth by Yaki Kadafi and the fifth by E.D.I. Together, the rappers (along with other associates) formed the original lineup of the Outlawz. For the song, Tupac Shakur recruited the members of the former group Dramacydal whom he had worked with previously, and was eager to work with again. "Hit 'Em Up" was written and recorded at Can-Am studios in late 1995. The song is widely regarded as among the greatest diss tracks ever recorded. The controversy surrounding the song is due in part to Shakur's murder in a drive-by-shooting only three months after its release. Following its release, the East Coast rappers insulted in the song responded through tracks of their own. ![]() "Hit 'Em Up" had a large role in exacerbating the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry. ![]() The video, itself described as infamous, includes impersonations of Biggie, Puffy and M.A.F.I.A. Reporter Chuck Philips, who interviewed Shakur at Can Am, described the song as "a caustic anti–East Coast jihad in which the rapper threatens to eliminate Biggie, Puff, and a slew of Bad Boy artists and other New York acts." The song was produced by long-time collaborator Johnny "J". A previous version of the song was recorded in October 1995. The song was recorded at Can Am Studios in 1996. (also referred to colloquially as Biggie Smalls). The song's lyrics contain vicious insults to several East Coast rappers, chiefly Shakur's former friend turned rival, the Notorious B.I.G. It is the B-side to the single " How Do U Want It", released on June 4, 1996. Earlier in the song he seems to answer his own questions in what might be one of his most memorable lines: "And they say: 'how do you survive weighing 165/In a city where the skinny n-s die?'/Tell Mama 'don't cry'/Cause even when they kill me/They can never take the game from a young G." All in all, "Str8 Ballin" is easily one of the best songs Pac ever recorded." Hit 'Em Up" is a diss track by American rapper 2Pac, featuring the Outlawz. "W hat could I do? Pull the trigger or watch my n- die?" he questions at one point. It's evident here, in "Str8 Ballin," featured on Thug Life Vol 1., four verses that weave a narrative of desperation and the violence born of subjugation over a steady, head-bobbing beat which samples Bootsy Collins. But Pac undeniably had a heart for the people, and that comes through in his storytelling. That passion sometimes veered him off course. He was young, and at times seemed to struggle with the balance of living and embracing a perspective that sometimes seemed at odds with what was happening in real life, in real time. Really, he was a human being who was concerned with the growth and the upliftment of his people and community in often perilous circumstances. It's pretty cliche to say that Pac was "complicated" or a mass of contradictions. ![]() "Tupac care, if don't nobody else care" is an ode to the community, a declaration of solidarity and intent that carries on to this day. Her death obviously affected Pac, as she's mentioned more than once throughout his work. Du was sentenced to 400 hours of community service and a $500 fine for killing Latasha, and many activists point to her death as one of the catalysts of the 1992 L.A. The video is dedicated to Latasha Harlins, a 15 year-old girl who was shot in the back of the head in 1991 by store owner Soon Ja Du. This song speaks to the heart of his messaging as an artist. "Some say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice/I say the darker the flesh and the deeper the roots/I give a holler to my sisters on welfare/Tupac cares, if don't nobody else care" might be the line that sums up much of his artistic intent, and the hope that he sprinkles throughout the poignant, almost melancholy track. "Keep Ya Head Up" is another signature 2Pac song, one that you could mention as one of his most determinate as an artist. ![]()
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