death row

This is the poster that hangs above my bed.

In three specific ways, it serves as an everyday reminder of not only why I love hip-hop, but also why I hate it.

Snoop represents the creativity and skill of the craft, while Pac serves as a better example of its means of personal expression than anyone ever could. On the other hand, Suge symbolizes the thing that makes our favorite form of music so popular in today’s covetous culture – greed.

Separately, in one way or another, these three used the art of Rhythm And Poetry to better themselves.

Together, they used it as a gateway into a life somewhere between a real-life Mafioso tale of rags to riches and a big-budget action movie. Although unaware of the potential outcome of their ravenous ways, maybe even uncaring, they used their star to take them to the clouds.

Undoubtedly, they never anticipated this lifestyle of flatulence and flashing lights would end up scattering them so far apart on the way down.

Suge has fallen the furthest, as his financial woes are constantly being made public, and his crown jewel record label is now being shopped across the market. Snoop is currently a pop-culture icon, rather than a revered rapper, who uses his clout to garner lucrative deals within every media outlet possible. Tupac’s untimely death, seemingly a result of his burgeoning Death Row days, has left him with a personally prophesied legacy that forever remains untouchable.

Personally, this poster serves as a daily reminder that the endless scope of this mold of music we represent can take peoples’ lives to levels that most can’t even fathom. It also tells me that if you get too caught up and forget about how you got there in the first place, that you’ll end up on the outside looking in. Or, even worse, possibly not looking at all.

Despite the damaging association these men had, from a fans’ point of view, their time together seems legendary.

In all actuality, it wasn’t even close. For 2Pac and Tha Doggfather, the following two collabos were the only ones ever released from their brief association at Death Row Records.

With such natural chemistry, it’s a shame it couldn’t have been more.

2Pac – 2 of Americaz Most Wanted Feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg

2Pac – Wanted Dead or Alive Feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg and Charlie Wilson

Stray Shots FIXED

VA-DJ_Coolbreeze-Grand_Hustle_Mafia-(Bootleg)-2007

Gucci Mane – No Pad No Pencil (Official Mixtape)

Hev. E. Hitta_Presents_Scarface-Southern_Royalty-(Bootleg)-2007-

DJ Clue, Chops & Jay-Z- I Came I Saw, I Conquered Mixtape (Hosted By Borat)

Keith Sweat – Greatest Hits (2005)

Methrone – My Life (2000)

Alicia Myers – Again (1981)

Rome – Rome

Najee – Day By Day

VA – Diggin’ On Blue (1999)

Stray Shots FIXED

Little Brother Giveaway Small Image