Thug Life (group)
American hip hop group
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thug Life was an American hip hop group that consisted of 2Pac, Big Syke, Mopreme, Macadoshis, and The Rated R. They released one album, 1994's Thug Life, Volume I, before disbanding in 1995.[1]
- Out da Gutta
- Interscope
- Atlantic
- Tupac Shakur (deceased)
- Big Syke (deceased)
- Mopreme Shakur
- Macadoshis
- The Rated R
- Big Stretch (deceased)
Thug Life | |
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 From left to right: Big Syke, Mopreme, 2Pac, Macadoshis, The Rated R | |
| Background information | |
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| Years active | 1993–1995 |
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Tupac Shakur, Mopreme Shakur and Big Syke later became members of the Outlawz.
Concept
THUG LIFE ("The Hate U Gave Little Infants, Fucks Everybody")[2] is about the cycle of systemic injustice. It represents the fact that racism and marginalization experienced by black children eventually ends up negatively affecting everyone in society not just marginalized communities.[3]
In 1992, Tupac, his stepfather Dr. Mutulu Shakur and other 'O.G.'s', had come up with a plan to create "The Code of Thug Life" which was designed to bring order to the streets, minimize innocent bystanders being harmed in gang disputes, and promote self-defense.[4][5]
The code
Tupac and his stepfather, Mutulu came up with a 26 point code for T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E.:
1. All new Jacks to the game must know:
1. He’s going to get rich. 2. He’s going to jail. 3. He’s going to die.
2. Crew Leaders: You are responsible for legal/financial payment commitments to crew members; your word must be your bond.
3. One crew’s rat is every crew’s rat. Rats are now like a disease; sooner or later we all get it; and they should too.
4. Crew leader and posse should select a diplomat, and should work ways to settle disputes. In unity, there is strength!
5. Car jacking in our Hood is against the Code.
6. Slinging to children is against the Code.
7. Having children slinging is against the Code.
8. No slinging in schools.
9. Since the rat Nicky Barnes opened his mouth; ratting has become accepted by some. We’re not having it.
10. Snitches is outta here.
11. The Boys in Blue don’t run nothing; we do. Control the Hood, and make it safe for squares.
12. No slinging to pregnant Sisters. That’s baby killing; that’s genocide!
13. Know your target, who’s the real enemy.
14. Civilians are not a target and should be spared.
15. Harm to children will not be forgiven.
16. Attacking someone’s home where their family is known to reside, must be altered or checked.
17. Senseless brutality and rape must stop.
18. Our old folks must not be abused.
19. Respect our Sisters. Respect our Brothers.
20. Sisters in the Life must be respected if they respect themselves.
21. Military disputes concerning business areas within the community must be handled professionally and not on the block.
22. No shooting at parties.
23. Concerts and parties are neutral territories; no shooting!
24. Know the Code; it’s for everyone.
25. Be a real ruff neck. Be down with the code of the Thug Life.
26. Protect yourself at all times.[6]
History
Early days: 1993
Thug Life was formed in 1993 by Tupac Shakur, along with Randy Walker a.k.a. Stretch, Princess Mel and Tyruss Himes [7]
Tyruss Himes, adopted the name Big Syke when he joined the group. Other members such as, Macadoshis (Diron Rivers) and The Rated R (Walter Burns) were added to the group later, followed by Tupac's stepbrother, Mopreme Shakur who named himself The Wycked. The group eventually signed with Interscope Records and released their only LP titled Thug Life, Volume I.
There was speculation that 2Pac and Thug Life were supposed to sign to Eazy-E's Ruthless Records. In 1993, 2Pac and Eazy-E met up and Eazy-E liked the demo tape that 2Pac had brought with him. However, Eazy-E wanted 2Pac to change his group name because Ruthless already had a group with a similar name, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. This never came into fruition because of Eazy-E's passing from AIDS on March 26, 1995.
The group disbanded in 1995.
Randy Walker, also known as Stretch was shot and killed at the age of 27 on November 30, 1995.
Big Syke, adopted the stage name Mussolini in 1995 when he joined Tupac Shakur's new group, the Outlaw Immortalz, later known as the Outlawz.
Big Syke died at his home in Hawthorne, California on December 5, 2016.
Thug Life, Volume I
On September 26, 1994, Thug Life, Volume I was released.
The first single and video was "Pour Out a Little Liquor" (which originally appeared on the Above the Rim soundtrack, released six months earlier), which was a Tupac solo song.
Tupac performed "Out on Bail" at the 1994 Source Awards.[8] The album was originally released on Shakur's label Out da Gutta. Tupac's mother's label, Amaru Entertainment, has since gained the rights to the album.
The track "How Long Will They Mourn Me?" appeared on Tupac's 1998 Greatest Hits album.
Thug Life, Volume I had sold 478,419 copies in the United States as of 2011.[9]
Members
- Tupac Shakur (d. 1996)
- Big Syke (a.k.a. Little Psycho or Mussolini) (d. 2016)
- Mopreme Shakur (a.k.a. Mocedes, The Wycked, Komani or Mo' Khomani)
- Macadoshis (a.k.a. The Original Mac 10)
- The Rated R (a.k.a. Super Star, Runner)
- Big Stretch (d. 1995)
Discography
Studio albums
- Thug Life, Volume I (1994) #42 Billboard 200; #6 R&B/Hip-Hop
