The 100 Best 2Pac Songs
By Rob Marriott | Nov 3, 2011 | 12:54 pm | Permalink
51. 2Pac f/ Shock G "Trapped" (1991)
Producer: The Underground Railroad
Album: 2pacalypse Now
Label: Amaru/TNT/Interscope
A bluesy funk sound swept over hip-hop in the early '90s and Pac was starting to synthesize the west coast gangster funk with Black Panther agitprop. The influence of Bay Area pioneers Too $hort, Digital Underground and E-40 is fully evident here. The deep rolling bassline and bluesy organ are part of a sound that producers like Shock G turned into hits like “Humpty Hump” and would ultimately morph into Hyphy.
Still a young MC, 2Pac wrote articulate dispatches about America's war on black manhood, articulating the pain and confusion of a person watching his options dwindle without sounding defeated. His crisp descriptions of police brutality were cut with righteous rage. 2pac sounds like he is swimming against the tide on this track.
His flow feels antiquated when compared to New York rhyme patterns at the time, but he finds his own grooves over this thick west coast production. Slower and more melodic than his east coast peers, Pac's singsong style is somehow comforting—even when spitting about the violence and paranoia of the street life.
Brian Kidd November 3rd, 2011 at 02:03 PM
So where is "If My Homies Call"????????? Def. should be in the top 25!!!
P-Body November 3rd, 2011 at 02:51 PM
Runnin been out for years just mainstream didn't know about it, the original version had Stretch (RIP), Dramacydal (RIP Kadafi) & Bujo Baton on the song also which sounded better than the remix stuff.
king November 3rd, 2011 at 03:33 PM
Good list my only problem is so many tears should be top ten
crackaveli November 3rd, 2011 at 04:26 PM
thought provoking, just a few minor issues... Staring Through My Rearview first appeared on the Gang Related SDTK The text below "Ghost" seems to refer to Hail Mary no mention of Stanley Burrell on your "unconditional love" riff? this obviously took time and attention...much appreciated diversion from day to day stuff...thx...
crackaveli November 3rd, 2011 at 04:28 PM
thought provoking, just a few minor issues... Staring Through My Rearview first appeared on the Gang Related SDTK...The text below "Ghost" seems to refer to Hail Mar...no mention of Stanley Burrell on your "unconditional love" riff? this obviously took time and attention...much appreciated diversion from day to day stuff...thx...
KUNGFoo November 3rd, 2011 at 04:34 PM
No "Pain" feat Stretch off Above The Rim ost ?? that's definately one of Pac's BEST song
johnbox November 3rd, 2011 at 10:14 PM
po nigga blues should b on the list somewhere.not one of his most famous.i think it has two of the best verses he ever wrote.good list though
Shanti November 3rd, 2011 at 11:16 PM
dopeness.
Hannibal November 4th, 2011 at 12:42 AM
Complex is sure pushing that terrible Loyal to the Game Eminem produced trash. Lots of posthumous overproduced stuff like the patch up job that is realist killas.. 2pac and Elton John?no thanks...Glaring omissions: Pain, Life's So Hard, High Til I Die, R U Still Down, Life is A Traffic Jam, Lost Souls, Made Niggaz, High Til I Die, The Original My Block from The Show soundtrack, Definition of a Thug Nigga from Poetic Justice, Lie to Kick It, Mamas Just A Little Girl, Im Gettin Money, Only Fear Of Death, From The Cradle To the Grave, Last Wordz with Cube and Ice T,Baby Dont Cry, Toss it Up.. 2pac had a huge catalogue of songs he actually worked on, not any studio trickery with big names, its like going out of your way to push the Loyal to the game produced stuff to the front ....pS: 83 Nothing To Lose, you guys have Nuttin But Love playing instead.
P4L November 10th, 2011 at 03:28 AM
Oh, you aint know, Complex is on Eminem's dick hard, which makes me think that they're mostly a bunch of wiggers.
dopewill November 4th, 2011 at 09:09 AM
dope list but i strongly disagree with #1