Tupac Shakur: The Lost Footage (Parts 3-4)

More exclusive footage of Pac from his 1996 VIBE magazine interview. In Part 3, he talks about how Puff Daddy knew about his infamous shooting at Quad Studios. He also speaks about his prison stint(s). In Part 4, he talk about leaving the streets, falling in love and black people's second favorite president of all time, Bill Clinton.

Tupac Shakur: The Lost Footage

It's been 13 years since 2Pac died on the 13th day of September 1996, yet the void he left in hip-hop--let alone black culture--is gaping, For his anniversary, VIBE revives the fallen icon, if just for a couple minutes, with the first in a series of previously unreleased interview footage from May '96. As he discusses a unified rap nation and where he'd be in 2016, and in Part 2 he speaks on his issues with Biggie Smalls. Pac is everything we remember: Candid, passionate, prophetic. Rest in peace, Tupac Amaru Shakur.





Part 2



Courtesy of VIBE.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAC.

Today would be Pac's 38th birthday. Or maybe it really is, depending on your theory. Regardless, Pac was one of the most influential rap artists of all time. Whether you liked him or not, there is no denying his legacy. So pour out a little liquor for the homie today.

I imagine he's throwing a party up in heaven right now to celebrate his life, chilling with Marvin Gaye, Frank Sinatra, Curtis Mayfiled, Jimi Hendrix, Malcolm X, Eazy-E, and of course Biggie Smalls. Now that ain't nothing but a Gangster Party.

2Pac - "I Ain't Mad Atcha"

WESTCOAST WEDNESDAY.

2Pac - "How Do You Want It"

Most of you are probably familiar with this concert version of the video, but below is the original version that was not approved by the MPAA to run on television. Maybe it was the girl riding the mechanical bull.

Looking back, this video is actually pretty hilarious. It didn't age very well at all, and almost comes off corny. And seriously, why is Pac wearing a girdle in half the shots? Is that what was hot in the streets back in 1996?

R.I.P. Pac.

[NEW] 2Pac ft. Boot Camp Clik - "Initiated"

I swear, sometimes I have no idea where this stuff comes from. It's like the Heavens open up and drop gold plated diamonds wrapped in cashmere from the sky. Duckdown just unearthed this gem of a Tupac song featuring the mighty Boot Camp Clik. It's always dope to hear new Pac records.

DOWNLOAD: 2Pac ft. Boot Camp Clik - "Initiated"

R.I.P. MC Breed.

Damn. Michigan rapper, MC Breed, passed away over the weekend. He was 37. Details are still hazy, but they think the cause of death is related to kidney failure. Although Breed never received very much success in terms of record sales, he was definitely well respected and created an undeniable classic with "Ain't No Future In Yo Frontin." That song will live on forever.

In tribute, here's his video he did with 2Pac back in 1993 (and one of my favorite songs that year). Who would have thought that 15 years later, both emcees would be deceased. Crazy.


MC Breed (ft. 2Pac) - "Gotta Get Mine"

Tupac Is The Most Overrated Thing In Music History.

....According to Blender (aka Maxim Music), that is. They recently released "The 33 Most Overrated People, Places, Trends and Other Junk in Rock." Why 33? Who the fuck knows. Why was Pac number 1? Read for yourself...

"He had insane rock-star charisma. He admirably conceived of a gangsta rapper as a principled rebel. His booming baritone gave bass lines competition for the most-trunk-rattling part of a hip-hop song. Hell, even Juice hasn’t aged nearly as badly as you’d expect. But while Tupac’s musical highs were epic—the pro-feminist “Keep Ya Head Up,” the terrifying “Hail Mary,” the boisterous “California Love”—that still leaves 15,837 other songs. He was a good rapper, not a great one: The guy larded records with self-mythologizing, mediocre filler that wouldn’t have made Biggie’s “give to Lil’ Cease” file. Maybe someone in his retinue could’ve stepped in during one of those legendary 96-hour recording binges and said, “Pac, instead of laying down this 14-minute rant about how Sun Tzu taught you how to take down the East Coast, how about some Yahtzee?” The man: awesome. The music: somewhat less than awesome. "

Do I think Tupac was overrated? Slightly. But I think he was still dope. Powerful writer with the ability to touch the people. In no way was he the most overrated aspect of music. That's down right ridiculous, Blender. You're hip-hop credibility card has just been rejected. ::Bumps Me Against The World::

BONUS: 2pac - "So Many Tears"

These Are The Breaks.

So I wanted to start a new category of posts here on the Bloggy Smalls. If you didn't know, allow me to reintroduce myself (c) Jigga...I'm a huge beat head. i study the history of hip-hop. I dig through dusty records. I love the original samples that we flipped to make some of the illest beats in the music history. So i wanted to dedicate a post every week to let you in on some of the original samples that have left a huge impact on hip hop history. Because you'll never know where you're going unless you know where you're from.

And since I'm from the West, that's where we're going to start. One of the most prolific and legendary producers in westcoast hip hop history is the good Doctor. Dre has laid classic track after classic track,and set the soundscape for L.A. based Hip-Hop. Many people are unaware that Dr. Dre actually samples -- but rather that he produces his tracks from scratch. This is not true. Dre has sampled hundreds of times, he is just so good at replaying the original sample on his keyboard and/or layering it with other synth and drums sounds that it sounds original. Here is one of those sneaky samples he snuck in there, and gave to Pac just as he was out on bail, fresh outta jail...

Joe Cocker - Woman to Woman


2Pac - California Love

(I forgot Chris Tucker was in this video, haha. What happened to that guy?)

Suge Says Goodbye to Death Row Records.

Death Row Records has a new owner. Global Music Group president, Susan Berg, purchased the record label for $24 million dollars after Suge Knight was forced to auction off Death Row due to bankruptcy. I wonder if she can take a punch better than suge?

Burg, who's a former aesthetician, now owns and controls all the masters from one of the most notorious labels in hip-hop history, which includes legendary recordings from Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Tupac Shakur. If i were Dre, i would would have ponied up the loot to purchase my masters, considering he was the driving force behind all that music. I think he was caught slippin on this one.

Also included in the purchase, were 20 unreleased 2Pac tracks...only time will tell if the world will get to hear those...I'm sure we will, considering Berg could get paid large off those tracks, I just hope it not old Pac accapellas thrown over Lil Jon produced beats. I just love it when non-hip hop business people are in control of the music.

There Can Only Be One.

Streetwear clothing company Undrcrwn is releasing a brand new Biggie and Pac T-shirt based on the recent NBA Playoff ad campaign with the split screen of two basketball players talking to you. (did you know can make you're own image?) This is a fresh ass spin on an already dope concept, and it conjures up that age old question, "Who's bettter, Biggie or Pac?" If you ask me, Biggie Smalls is the illest.

I will own this T-Shirt.

Happy Birthday Pac.

Today is Tupac Amaru Shakur's birthday, he would be 37. Rest in peace. He was one of the most famous rap stars the world has ever seen. He passed away 12 years ago. Can you believe it's been that long ago? I wonder if heaven's got a ghetto.

In tribute, we pour out a little liquor...

2Pac - "Pour Out A Little Liquor"

2Pac - "So Many Tears"

2Pac - "I Ain't Mad Atcha"

In addition, here's one of my favorite Pac songs of all time:

2Pac - "Got My Mind Made Up"

For a Limited Time Offer, You Can Own Death Row Records!

For a cool $24 Million, you too can start and own your own gangster rap music label, complete with hit records! Now, you're asking yourself, "Self, what does $24 million dollars actually buy me?" Glad you asked. For a limited time, once-in-a-lifetime offer, Suge Knight will throw in the master recordings of legendary gangsta rap musicians Tupac Shakur! Dr. Dre! And Snoop Doggy Dogg!

Act now, and you'll receive these hit records at no extra cost!


"Ain't Nuthin' But a G-Thang"

"Gin & Juice"

"California Love"

and many, many more!



EVERYTHING MUST GO!


Suge is getting cleaned out. After filing for bankruptcy in 2006, a judge has ordered that all assets for Death Row be auctioned off to the highest bidder on June 24. The minimum starting bid is a measly $24 mil. This is not a joke, all he Death Row masters are going up for sale. If were Daz and Kurupt, I'd pool my money together and get in line. But seriously, if Dre doesn't pony up and claim those masters, he's slippin.