2Pacalypse Now

2Pacalypse Now is the solo debut studio album by American rapper 2Pac, released on November 12, 1991 by Interscope Records. 2Pacalypse Now is 2Pac's commentary on contemporary social issues facing American society, such as racism, police brutality, poverty, black on black crime, and teenage pregnancy. It featured three singles: "Brenda's Got a Baby", "Trapped", and "If My Homie Calls".

2Pacalypse Now
Studio album by 2Pac
Released	November 12, 1991 (1991-11-12)
Recorded	March–August 1991
Studio	Starlight Sound Studios, Richmond, California
Genre	Hip hop political hip hop
Length	55:07
Label	Interscope
Producer	Atron Gregory (exec.) Big D the Impossible Jeremy Live Squad Pee-Wee Raw Fusion Shock G The Underground Railroad
2Pac chronology
2Pacalypse Now (1991) Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... (1993)
Singles from 2Pacalypse Now
"Trapped" Released: September 25, 1991 "Brenda's Got a Baby" Released: October 20, 1991 "If My Homie Calls" Released: February 25, 1992

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Q	[2]
RapReviews	8/10[3]
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide	[4]

2Pacalypse Now was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on April 19, 1995.[5] In commemoration of its twenty-fifth anniversary, it was released on vinyl and cassette on November 11, 2016.[6]

Controversy

The album generated significant controversy stemming from then-U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle's public criticism after Ronald Ray Howard murdered a Texas state trooper and his defense attorney claimed he was influenced by 2Pacalypse Now and its strong theme of police brutality. Quayle made the statement, "There's no reason for a record like this to be released. It has no place in our society."[7]

Commercial performance

2Pacalypse Now peaked at number 64 on the US Billboard 200 and number 13 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. On April 19, 1995, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over 500,000 copies in the United States. As of September 2011, the album has sold 923,455 copies in the United States.[8]

Track listing

Credits are adapted from the album's Liner Notes[9]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Young Black Male"	Tupac Shakur	Big D the Impossible	2:35
2.	"Trapped"	T. Shakur, Ramone "Pee-Wee" Gooden, Ray Tyson	The Underground Railroad	4:44
3.	"Soulja's Story"	T. Shakur, D. Evans, Isaac Hayes	Big D the Impossible	5:05
4.	"I Don't Give a Fuck"	T. Shakur, R. Gooden	Pee-Wee	4:20
5.	"Violent"	T. Shakur, David Elliott, Ronald Brooks, Maceo Parker	Raw Fusion	6:25
6.	"Words of Wisdom"	T. Shakur	Shock G	4:54
7.	"Something Wicked"	T. Shakur, Jeremy Jackson	Jeremy	2:28
8.	"Crooked Ass Nigga" (featuring Stretch)	T. Shakur, Randy Walker	Stretch	4:17
9.	"If My Homie Calls"	T. Shakur	Big D the Impossible	4:18
10.	"Brenda's Got a Baby"	T. Shakur	The Underground Railroad	3:53
11.	"Tha' Lunatic" (featuring Stretch)	T. Shakur, G. Jacobs	Live Squad	3:29
12.	"Rebel of the Underground"	T. Shakur	Shock G	3:17
13.	"Part Time Mutha" (featuring Poppi)	T. Shakur	Big D the Impossible	5:13
Total length:				55:07

Notes

• Additional Vocals on "Trapped" performed by Dank, Playa-Playa and Wiz
• Background Vocals on "Trapped" performed by Shock G
• Telephone Voices on "I Don't Give ..." spoken by Mickey Cooley, Rodney Cooley and Pogo
• Background Vocals on "Violent" performed by 2Pac, Raw Fusion, and Descaro "Mac Mone" Moore
• Background Vocals on "Something Wicked" performed by Pee-Wee
• Keyboards on "Crooked ..." played by The Piano Man
• Background Vocals on "Rebel of the Underground" performed by Shock G, Ray Luv, Yonni & Di-Di
• Background Vocals on "Part Time Mutha" performed by Angelique

Samples

Young Black Male[9][10]

• "Good Old Music" by Funkadelic
• "Where Was You At" by War
• "The Product" and "Dead Homiez" by Ice Cube
• "I Got to Have It" by Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs

Trapped[9][11]

• "The Spank" by James Brown
• "Holy Ghost" by The Bar-Kays
• "Her Silent Smile" by Tom Browne
• "Save the World" by Southside Movement

Soulja's Story[9][12]

• "No Name Bar" by Isaac Hayes
• "Sneakin' in the Back" by Tom Scott and the L.A. Express
• "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers
• "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss
• "Let the Bass Go"[13] and "Mind Blowin'" by The D.O.C.

Violent[14]

• "Pirates Theme" by Home T, Cocoa Tea and Shabba Ranks
• "City Under Siege" by Geto Boys
• "Rebel Without a Pause" by Public Enemy
• "Any Colour You Like" by Pink Floyd[13][15]
• "Halloween Theme Song" by John Carpenter[13]

Words of Wisdom[9][16]

• "Chameleon" by Herbie Hancock

Something Wicked[17]

• "Welcome to the Terrordome" by Public Enemy
• "It's Funky Enough" by The D.O.C.

Crooked Ass Nigga[18]

• "Crab Apple" by Idris Muhammad[9]
• "Kool is Back" by Funk, Inc.
• "Straight Outta Compton"[15], "Gangsta Gangsta" and "Fuck tha Police" by N.W.A

If My Homie Calls[9][19]

• "Let a Woman Be a Woman - Let a Man Be a Man" by Dyke & the Blazers
• "Fat Mama" by Herbie Hancock
• "I Don't Know What This World Is Coming To" by Wattsax
• "I Don't Know What This World Is Coming To" by The Soul Children and Jesse Jackson
• "Around the Way Girl" by LL Cool J
• "Prelude" by N.W.A
• "Theme from the Black Hole" by Parliament

The Lunatic[20]

• "One of Those Funky Thangs" by Parliament

Rebel of the Underground[21]

• "Impeach the President" by The Honey Drippers[9]
• "The Pinocchio Theory" by Bootsy Collins
• "Theme from the Black Hole" by Parliament

Part Time Mutha[22]

• "Part-Time Lover" by Stevie Wonder feat. Luther Vandross[9]
• "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss
• "Part Time Suckers" by Boogie Down Productions

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1992)	Peak position
US Billboard 200[23]	64
US Heatseekers (Billboard)[24]	3
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[25]	13

Chart (1996)	Peak position
US Catalog Albums (Billboard)[26]	3

Chart (2016)	Peak position
US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)[27]	21

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[28]	Gold	923,455[8]
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. Marisa Brown. "2Pacalypse Now - 2Pac". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
2. McCann, Ian: reissue reviews, Q, April 1997
3. Emilee Woods. "2Pac :: 2Pacalypse Now :: Interscope Records". rapreviews.com. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
4. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 26 April 2011. Portions posted at "Tupac Shakur: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-10-11.
5. "2Pac - GOLD & PLATINUM". RIAA. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
6. Walker, Angus (3 November 2016). "Tupac's 2Pacalypse Now released on vinyl and cassette". Hotnewhiphop. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
7. Broder, John (September 23, 1992). "Quayle Calls for Pulling Rap Album Tied to Murder Case". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
8. "Tupac Month: 2Pac's Discography". Retrieved May 27, 2013.
9. 2Pac. "2Pacalypse Now" (Album Notes). Interscope Records. 1991.
10. "Young Black Male by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
11. "Trapped by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
12. "Soulja's Story by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
13. "2Pac Releases his Debut Album...(1991)". RVM. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
14. "Violent by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
15. "2Pac...Now (The Samples)". Hip Hop Is Read. 18 March 2008.
16. "Words of Wisdom by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
17. "Something Wicked by 2Pac feat. Pee-Wee". WhoSampled. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
18. "Crooked Ass Nigga by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
19. "If My Homie Calls by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
20. "Tha Lunatic by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
21. "Rebel of the Underground by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
22. "Part Time Mutha by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
23. "2Pac Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
24. "2Pac Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
25. "2Pac Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
26. "2Pac Chart History (Catalog Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
27. "2Pac Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
28. "American album certifications – 2 Pac – 2Pacalypse Now". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.