Thug Life, Volume I

Thug Life, Volume I is the only studio album by the American hip-hop group Thug Life. The album was released on September 26, 1994, by Interscope Records and Out da Gutta Records and distributed by Atlantic Records. The group, started by American rapper 2Pac, comprised 2Pac, his stepbrother Mopreme Shakur, and Stretch, who was heavily involved in 2Pac's previous two albums, Big Syke, The Rated R, and Macadoshis.

Thug Life, Volume I
Studio album by Thug Life
Released	September 26, 1994
Recorded	March 1993 – May 1994
Studio	Blue Palm (North Hollywood) Echo Sound (Los Angeles)
Genre	West Coast hip hop gangsta rap g-funk
Length	40:52
Label	Out da Gutta Interscope Atlantic
Producer	Big Syke Easy Mo Bee Professor Jay Johnny "J" Nate Dogg Mopreme Stretch Thug Music Warren G
2Pac chronology
Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... (1993) Thug Life, Volume I (1994) Me Against the World (1995)
Singles from Thug Life, Volume I
"Pour Out a Little Liquor" Released: August 23, 1994 "Cradle to the Grave" Released: November 4, 1994 "How Long Will They Mourn Me?" Released: 1995

The album features guest appearances by Y.N.V. and Nate Dogg and production by Thug Music, comprising 2Pac and Stretch, Stretch himself, Professor Jay, Johnny "J", Warren G, and Easy Mo Bee. Since 1998, the album has been reissued by Amaru Entertainment. The album debuted at number 42 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Background

In 2016, Mopreme Shakur, Macadoshis, and Big Syke, members of Thug Life, spoke exclusively to VladTV about how 2Pac heavily advocated for Interscope to sign them after he formed the group. Syke explained that it took a lot of persuading from 2Pac to convince the label to sign them and added that they then faced an uphill battle with censorship on the album, revealing that due to the heavy criticism of gangsta rap at the time, the original album wasn't what got released to the public. Speaking more about their debut project, Syke revealed that Thug Life was never supposed to be a group, it was supposed to be a movement, a compilation album represented by more rappers than what appeared on the album, one rapper being The Notorious B.I.G. He added that the idea of making Thug Life a group was thought up by Interscope Records during their rearranging of the album's tracks.

With many songs deemed by Interscope Records too controversial to release, the album only features ten songs, with two being solo songs by 2Pac and two not featuring the rapper. Since 2Pac died in 1996, many songs removed from the album have been released on the rapper's posthumous releases. One song recorded during the album's creation and scrapped due to its theme is Runnin', which features The Notorious B.I.G., Dramacydal, and Buju Banton alongside 2Pac and Stretch of Thug Life. The song was officially released in November of the following year as a single from the compilation album One Million Strong. In 2003, a remix of the song, with an alternate verse from 2Pac and featuring only The Notorious B.I.G., was released as a single from the soundtrack to the Academy Award-nominated documentary film Tupac: Resurrection.

Singles

The first single, "Pour Out a Little Liquor" was released on August 23, 1994. It was first released on the soundtrack for the film Above the Rim earlier the same year.

The second single, "Cradle to the Grave", was released on November 4, 1994. An earlier version of which had been released that same year on 2Pac's "Papa'z Song" single.

A clean version of "How Long Will They Mourn Me?" was released as a promo single and music video in 1995, and in 1998, the album version appeared on 2Pac's Greatest Hits album.

As the original version of the album never came to fruition, the planned first single from the album, "Out on Bail," was never released, although 2Pac did perform it at the 1994 Source Awards, and it has since been remixed by Eminem and included on 2Pac's posthumous album Loyal to the Game.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Entertainment Weekly	A−
Q
Select	4/5

The album has been met with critical acclaim retrospectively as a classic underground rap album. "Full of machismo and do or die stances," wrote Jake Barnes in Q, "the lyrics' hardcore posturing is perversely undercut by sweet and delicate backings from artists like Curtis Mayfield, George Clinton and The Isley Brothers."

"A shockingly considered, thoughtful rap record," opined Select's Matt Hall. "And a very chilling one."

Commercial performance

The album was certified gold on January 24, 1996, selling over 500,000 copies.

Track listing

Eastside

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Bury Me a G" (featuring Natasha Walker from Y.N.V.)	T. Shakur D. Rivers T. Himes Rated R M. Harding	Thug Music	4:58
2.	"Don't Get It Twisted"	M. Shakur T. Himes W. Burns	Jay Mopreme	3:19
3.	"Shit Don't Stop" (featuring Y.N.V.)	T. Shakur M. Harding W. Burns D. Rivers T. Himes	Thug Music	3:46
4.	"Pour Out a Little Liquor"	T. Shakur	Johnny "J"	3:29
5.	"Stay True"	T. Shakur R. Walker M. Harding	Thug Music	3:09

Westside

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
6.	"How Long Will They Mourn Me?" (featuring Nate Dogg)	T. Shakur T. Himes W. Burns D. Rivers	Warren G Nate Dogg Jay	3:52
7.	"Under Pressure"	T. Shakur R. Walker	Thug Music	4:32
8.	"Street Fame"	M. Shakur T. Himes W. Burns	Stretch	4:00
9.	"Cradle to the Grave"	T. Shakur M. Shakur T. Himes W. Burns D. Rivers	Jay Big Syke	4:43
10.	"Str8 Ballin'"	T. Shakur	Easy Mo Bee	5:04
Total length:				40:52

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1994–1995)	Peak position
US Billboard 200	42
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)	6

Year-end charts

Chart (1995)	Position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)	35

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.