Thug Life

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Thug Life was a hip hop group founded by multi-platinum selling hip hop artist Tupac Shakur in late 1993. It featured Big Syke, Macadoshis, Mopreme and The Rated R alongside Shakur. An interesting sidenote is that the Notorious B.I.G. was originally supposed to be a part of the group but was removed by record executives. The group released their first and only album, Volume 1, on Interscope in September 1994. After Shakur's incarceration in December 1994 and subsequent joining Death Row Records, the group eventually went their separate ways.

[edit] Thug Life

Consisting of Shakur, Rated R, Macadoshis, Mopreme, Big Syke, and with production and appearances by Stretch the album was originally supposed to be titled Thug Life: Out On Bail. The album was advertised on the liner notes of the 2Pac - Papaz Song single. The single included the first song by Thug Life titled Cradle 2 The Grave. The version that appeared on Papaz Song was not accepted by interscope as a single and forced Thug Life to submit a remix. The remix was later on used for the LP and the video. The title song Out on Bail was rejected and the title was changed to the generic sounding Thug Life: Volume 1. The Notorious B.I.G. appeared on the track called "Runnin From The Police", which was supposed to be track 5 of the album. It was on the Thug Life: Volume 1 demo tape that was given to Interscope to chop and edit. The track was replaced with Stay True. The group eventually released their debut album, "Thug Life: Volume 1", in September 1994 after it was rejected multiple times by Interscope. It only had ten tracks when dozens more were recorded during the sessions.

Promotion was lacking. The album didn't sell because few hardcore rap fans knew of its existence. When 2Pac was shot and incarcerated later that year, it forced Rated R and Macadoshis to part ways and the group quickly disbandoned, although all remain on good terms and often collaborate on each other's projects.

Mopreme and Big Syke continued to rap with Shakur after his prison time while he was signed to Death Row.

[edit] Philosophy of Thug Life

As detailed in the film Tupac: Resurrection the concept of "Thug Life" was viewed by Shakur as a philosophy for life. Shakur developed the word into an acronym standing for "The Hate U Gave Little Infants F**ks Everybody." He declared that the dictionary definition of a "thug" as being a rogue or criminal was not how he used the term, but rather he meant someone who came from oppressive or squalid background and little opportunity but still made a life for themselves and were proud. Thug Life became a calling card for how Shakur viewed his influence on society. He had people from all walks of life -- criminals in jail, white kids in the suburbs, poor black kids in the ghetto -- wanting to know how they could be a part of his movement. Shakur admitted this sudden power he had over people frightened him. But he used the idea of Thug Life to transform the desires of these people into something he viewed as positive, a way to reach out to the poor, the disenfranchised, and the oppressed. Gang members instituted what was called the Thug Life Code of Ethics, and gangs from New York to Chicago to Los Angeles claimed to abide by it. Examples of the rules in this Code of Ethics were that civilians were not to be targets in gang warfare, and that children in schools should not be indoctrinated by gang propaganda.

Shakur's philosophy of Thug Life was met with harsh criticism from most of the leaders in government and politics, including many notables in the black community.

[edit] Bibliography

• Tupac:Resurrection Movie, Documentary. (2003) Filmmaker Lauren Lazin examines the life and music of Rapper Tupac Shakur, who was murdered in 1996. AC. AL. N.
• KadafiLegacy.com - Interview with THUGLIFE member, Taje.