New 2PAC CDs Capture the Complexity of a Lyrical Genius
December 05 2007 - 7:03AM
PR Newswire (US)
THE BEST OF 2PAC - PART 1: Thug and THE BEST OF 2PAC - PART 2: Life
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Amaru
Entertainment/Interscope/UMe announce the release of THE BEST OF
2PAC - PART 1: Thug and THE BEST OF 2PAC - PART 2: Life, the 2 CDs
are retrospective collections showing the complex creativity of
this lyrical genius. The CDs are available now. (Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071205/LAW001) 2PAC is the
top-selling rap artist of all time. His force was evident during
the height of his popularity in the Nineties, but his influence as
the voice of the streets continues to echo today throughout urban
culture. He has become an eternal icon of youthful brilliance and
rebellion with an immeasurable impact on each new generation. These
two separate CDs also show us why anyone listening to the breadth
of his work knows that behind the laconic delivery lies a vision.
2PAC's uncanny ability enabled him to represent the disenfranchised
he hoped to galvanize with his philosophy of T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E.
(which stood for "The Hatred U Give Lil Infants F***s Everybody").
"I didn't create the thug life. I diagnosed it," Tupac stated. Each
album contains one previously unreleased recording and one new
remix along with nine classic tracks. Each album is available in
edited and explicit versions. The collections were assembled with
the assistance of his mother, Afeni Shakur, who is also the
executive producer of the albums. The CDs represent different key
phases of 2PAC's evolution and shows how his talent hit a high note
right from the start and never wavered. THE BEST OF 2PAC - PART 1:
Thug features the previously unreleased "Resist the Temptation" and
a fresh mix of "Dear Mama," featuring Anthony Hamilton, whose
original Grammy-nominated version went Platinum and charted Top 10
Pop and #1 Rap. Also included are "Trapped" (2PAC's debut single),
the Grammy-nominated "California Love" (with Dr. Dre), the double
Platinum, #1 Pop/#1 Rap, Grammy-nominated "How Do U Want It" with
K-CI & JoJo, and Top 10 Rap "So Many Tears." The remaining
tracks are "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted," "I Ain't Mad At Cha," "Hail
Mary," "Changes," and "Unconditional Love." THE BEST OF 2PAC - PART
2: Life highlights the previously unreleased recording of
"Dopefiend's Diner" featuring 2PAC using a vocal sample of the
melody line of "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega in addition to the
acoustic remix of "Thugz Mansion" featuring all three verses by
2PAC. The album also brings together the Top 5 Rap "Brenda's Got a
Baby" and Gold, Top 15 Pop/#2 Rap "Keep Ya Head Up." The
tracklisting adds "Definition of a Thug Nigga," "When I Get Free,"
"Until the End of Time" (RP Remix), "Never Call You B**** Again,"
"They Don't Give a F*** About Us," "Still Ballin" (Nitty Remix) and
"Ghetto Gospel." 2PAC has sold nearly 40 million albums in the U.S.
alone, where he has claimed 11 Platinum-or-better awards. Eight of
those are for posthumous releases. 1996's The Don Killuminati: The
7 Day Theory from 2PAC's Makaveli alter ego hit #1 Pop and #1
R&B/Hip-Hop while going quadruple Platinum, a mark also reached
by the following year's R U Still Down? (Remember Me) which charted
#2 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop. 1998's Greatest Hits, #3 Pop and #1
R&B/Hip-Hop, is currently nine times Platinum. In 2000, Still I
Rise scored #6 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop while going Platinum. The
next year's Until the End of Time, #1 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop,
reached triple Platinum and 2002's Better Dayz, #5 Pop and #1
R&B/Hip-Hop, double Platinum. 2004's Loyal to the Game charted
#1 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop and was certified Platinum. The
soundtrack to Tupac: Resurrection that same year hit #2 Pop and #3
R&B/Hip-Hop and was also Platinum. A portion of the profits of
the albums will go to the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation ("TASF").
THE BEST OF 2PAC - PART 1: Thug 1. 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted 2.
California Love (Original Mix) 3. So Many Tears 4. I Aint Mad At
Cha 5. How Do U Want It 6. Trapped 7. Changes 8. Hail Mary 9.
Unconditional Love 10. Dear Mama (featuring Anthony Hamilton - NEW
MIX) 11. Resist the Temptation (Previously Unreleased) THE BEST OF
2PAC - PART 2: Life 1. Definition of a Thug Nigga 2. Still Ballin'
(NITTY REMIX) 3. Until the End of Time (RP REMIX) 4. Never Call U
B**** Again 5. They Don't Give a F*** About Us 6. Keep Ya Head Up
7. Ghetto Gospel 8. Brenda's Got a Baby 9. Thugz Mansion Acoustic
Remix (NEW REMIX) 10. When I Get Free 11. Dopefiend's Diner -
(Previously Unreleased) http://www.2paclegacy.com/
http://www.tasf.org/ About The Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation: The
Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation was founded by Afeni Shakur to
provide training and support to artists who aspire to enhance their
creative talents. TASF fosters an environment that encourages
freedom of expression, serves as a resource for the arts, and
empowers through education. To date, more than 700 students have
benefited from the program with a broad range of training available
via the Annual Performing Arts Day Camp held at the Tupac Amaru
Shakur Center for the Arts (home of the Foundation in Stone
Mountain, GA). http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071205/LAW001
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Amaru
Entertainment/Interscope/UMe CONTACT: Sujata Murthy,
+1-310-865-7812, , or Todd Nakamine, +1-310-865-7797, , both of
UMe; or Versa Manos of Gorgeous PR, +1-323-782-9000, , for UMe Web
site: http://www.2paclegacy.com/ http://www.tasf.org/
Copyright