Thug Life

Thug Life
Genres Hip hop, G Funk, gangsta rap
Years active 1993–1995
Labels Out Da Gutta, Interscope, Amaru, Atlantic
Associated acts 2Pac, Y?N-Vee, Stretch, Live Squad, Dramacydal, Buju Banton, The Notorious B.I.G., Nate Dogg, DJ King Assassin, Dee Tha Mad Bitch, Taje, JMJ, Mouse Man,Ben Harwood
Past members
2Pac (Deceased)
Big Syke
Mopreme
Macadoshis
Stretch (Deceased)
The Rated R
Kato (Deceased)

Thug Life was an American hip-hop group that consisted of 2Pac, Big Syke, Stretch, Mopreme Shakur, The Rated R, Macadoshis, and Kato. They released one album, 1994's Thug Life: Volume 1, before disbanding after Tupac died in September 1996.

History

2Pac & Randy "Stretch" Walker formed Thug Life. In 1992, Tupac met Tyruss “Little Psycho” Himes. They recorded a song also titled “Thug Life” and soon Little Psycho joined the group under the name Syke. Later Macadoshis and The Rated R joined the group. They signed with Interscope Records and recorded an LP titled Thug Life Volume 1. Interscope initially declined to release it, but they later changed their mind. Then Tupac’s stepbrother, Mopreme Shakur, joined the group.

Thug Life: Volume 1

On September 26, 1994, Thug Life Volume 1 was released. It sold gold, which was good, but not as good as they expected. A lot of people blamed Interscope who edited and removed a lot of songs on the LP. The first single and video was “Pour Out A Little Liquor” which was a Tupac solo song. The second, third and fourth singles and videos were “Cradle To The Grave,” “How Long Will They Mourn Me?” and “It Don’t Stop.”

Although the original version of the album never came to fruition as the album went through a number of changes, Tupac performed the planned first single from the album, "Out on Bail" at the 1994 Source Awards. Although the album was originally released on Shakur's label Out Da Gutta. Tha label owned by Tupac's mother, Amaru Entertainment has since gained the rights to the album.

The track "How Long Will They Mourn Me?" appeared later in 1998 from 2Pac's Greatest Hits album.

Thug Life: Volume 1 sold 478,419 copies in the United States as of 2011.

Stretch's Death

On November 30, 1995, Stretch was killed after being shot four times in the back by three men who pulled up alongside his green minivan at 112th Ave. and 209th St. in Queens Village, while he was driving. His minivan smashed into a tree and hit a parked car before flipping over. Stretch was killed exactly one year (almost to the minute) after 2pac's 1994 Quad Studio shooting, and many people believe that Stretch was killed as a form of retaliation.

Original Members

Other Members

Discography