Tuesday, March 18, 2008

2Pac - 2Pacalypse Now [The Samples]



This is the one that started it all (and got Dan Quayle all riled up)! Whenever anyone asks me about 2Pac and his albums, I always refer to the solid three: 2Pacalypse Now, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. and Me Against the World. To me, these are three certified classics and his most definitive works.

It's no surprise that I'm a huge 'Pac fan... I've been heavily influenced by not only his music, but also by his demeanor and approach to expressing his opinions. Sure, I don't agree with all the paths he chose to take throughout his life, but the positive efforts he made speak for themselves. A great aspect about sample sets is that it tells a story about the artist. Each sample resonated within that emcee, and impacted their work. Throughout other sample sets, we've seen compilations that were jazzy, funky and so on... They give a background on the artist. Well, this one definitely speaks for 'Pac and who he was. It's got your political joints, be they from The Honey Drippers or N.W.A., riot music if you will. But it's also got your jazzier side with the likes of Herbie Hancock, as well as thought-provoking gems by Bill Withers and The Soul Children. Appropriately so, there were two sides to 2Pac. This set exhibits and highlights that duality. Check it out:

Disc One:

01. 'Good Ole Music' by Funkadelic
• Sampled for 'Young Black Male' by 2Pac
• Produced by Big D the Impossible
02. 'I Got to Have It' by Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs
• Sampled for 'Young Black Male' by 2Pac
• Produced by Big D the Impossible
03. 'The Product' by Ice Cube
• Sampled for 'Young Black Male' by 2Pac
• Produced by Big D the Impossible
04. 'Dead Homiez' by Ice Cube
• Sampled for 'Young Black Male' by 2Pac
• Produced by Big D the Impossible
05. 'Holy Ghost' by The Bar-Kays
• Sampled for 'Trapped' by 2Pac
• Produced by The Underground Railroad
06. 'The Spank' by James Brown
• Sampled for 'Trapped' by 2Pac
• Produced by The Underground Railroad
07. 'No Name Bar' by Isaac Hayes
• Sampled for 'Soulja's Story' by 2Pac
• Produced by Live Squad
08. 'Ain't No Sunshine' by Bill Withers
• Sampled for 'Soulja's Story' by 2Pac
• Produced by Live Squad
09. 'Sneakin' in the Back' by Tom Scott & The L.A. Express
• Sampled for 'Soulja's Story' by 2Pac
• Produced by Live Squad
10. 'Any Colour You Like' by Pink Floyd
• Sampled for 'Violent' by 2Pac
• Produced by Big D the Impossible

Disc Two:

11. 'Crab Apple' by Idris Muhammad
• Sampled for 'Crooked Ass Nigga' by 2Pac
• Produced by Live Squad
12. 'Straight Outta Compton' by N.W.A.
• Sampled for 'Crooked Ass Nigga' by 2Pac
• Produced by Live Squad
13. 'Fuck tha Police' by N.W.A.
• Sampled for 'Crooked Ass Nigga' by 2Pac
• Produced by Live Squad
14. 'Gangsta Gangsta' by N.W.A.
• Sampled for 'Crooked Ass Nigga' by 2Pac
• Produced by Live Squad
15. 'Let a Woman Be a Woman, and Let a Man Be a Man' by Dyke & the Blazers
• Sampled for 'If My Homie Calls' by 2Pac
• Produced by Shock G
16. 'Fat Mama' by Herbie Hancock
• Sampled for 'If My Homie Calls' by 2Pac
• Produced by Shock G
17. 'Chameleon' by Herbie Hancock
• Sampled for 'If My Homie Calls' by 2Pac
• Produced by Shock G
18. 'I Don't Know What This World Is Coming To' by The Soul Children
• Sampled for 'If My Homie Calls' by 2Pac
• Produced by Shock G
19. 'Prelude' by N.W.A.
• Sampled for 'If My Homie Calls' by 2Pac
• Produced by Shock G
20. 'Impeach the President' by The Honey Drippers
• Sampled for 'Rebel of the Underground' by 2Pac
• Produced by Shock G
21. 'Part-Time Lover' by Stevie Wonder
• Sampled for 'Part Time Mutha' by 2Pac
• Produced by Jeremy