Back in September it was announced that two albums worth of unreleased material from the late Tupac Shakur would be released. This is due to Tupac’s estate winning a settlement from Death Row Records over unpaid royalties and masters that were sitting in the vault. Hopefully the music will include artists that Tupac shared a great chemistry with and fans have had a yearning for more. One artist that comes to mind is Spice 1. The material they worked on together was classic and genuine due to their brotherhood.
The two initially met on the set for Spice 1’s video “In My Neighborhood” back in 1992. It would be quite some time before they recorded together. They immediately struck a genuine bond with each other first. Tupac’s original “I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto” recorded in 1992 was inspired by Spice 1’s powerful “Welcome to the Ghetto” that used that very line of “I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto”.
Spice 1- VladTV Interview
Spice 1 – In My Neighborhood
2Pac – I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto (OG)
Spice 1 – Welcome to the Ghetto
One of the first tracks Spice 1 and 2Pac recorded together was “I’m Losin’ It” along with Big Syke. The track was originally for the 1994 Thug Life Vol.1 project but was not released. Later that year they teamed up on South Central Cartel’s “Gangsta Team” which also featured MC Eiht and Ice-T from the album ‘N Gatz We Truss. Shortly after that Spice 1 released AmeriKKKa’s Nightmare which included “Jealous Got Me Strapped” featuring 2Pac.
2Pac – I’m Losin’ It feat. Spice 1 & Big Syke (OG)
South Central Cartel – Gangsta Team feat. Ice T, 2Pac, MC Eiht, & Spice 1
Spice 1 – Jealous Got Me Strapped feat. 2Pac
The following year the pair would pop up on E-40’s song “Dusted ‘N’ Disgusted with Mac Mall from the In a Major Way project. In 1996 Tupac would record “1 Day at a Time” and “Fame” with Spice 1 shortly before his untimely passing. Fittingly, Spice 1 had the tribute “The Thug In Me” to Tupac on his 1997 album, The Black Bossalini.
E-40 – Dusted ‘N’ Disgusted – feat. 2Pac, Spice 1 & Mac Mall
2Pac – 1 Day at a Time – feat. Spice 1 (OG)
2Pac – Fame feat. Kokane, E.D.I. Mean, Yaki Kadafi & Spice 1 (OG)
Spice 1 – The Thug In Me (2Pac Tribute)
Within a span of four years Spice 1 and 2Pac formed a true brotherhood. The two were very close as evident with the interviews he conducts. He always speaks of him in a high regard and shares stories that are not commonly known to the public. The recordings of the two together are timeless. With the release of two new albums on the horizon hopefully more material they worked on will see the light of day.
