'Hit 'Em Up' is a diss song by hip hop artist 2Pac featuring the Outlawz, a group associated with. Create a book Download as PDF Printable version. Check out Hit 'em Up by 2Pac on Amazon Music. Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazon.com.
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'Hit 'Em Up' is a diss song by hip hop artist 2Pac featuring the Outlawz, a group associated with him. It is the B-side to the single 'How Do U Want It', released on June 4, 1996. The song's lyrics contain vicious insults to several East Coast rappers, chief among them, Shakur's former-friend-turned-rival, the Notorious B.I.G., also known as Biggie Smalls. The song was recorded in Los Angeles, California at Can Am Studios in May 1996. Reporter Chuck Philips, who interviewed Shakur at Can Am, described the song as 'a caustic anti-East Coast crusade in which the rapper threatens to eliminate Biggie, Sean Combs (Puffy), and a slew of Bad Boy artists and other New York acts.'[1] The song was produced by long-time collaborator Johnny 'J' and samples the bassline from 'Don't Look Any Further' by Dennis Edwards and interpolates '10% Dis' by MC Lyte, 'Get Money' by The Notorious B.I.G.'s group Junior M.A.F.I.A., which used the Dennis Edwards sample as well. The video, itself described as infamous, includes impersonations of Biggie, Puffy and M.A.F.I.A. member Lil' Kim.
'Hit 'Em Up' had a large role in exacerbating the East CoastâWest Coast hip hop rivalry. Following its release, the East Coast rappers insulted in the song responded through tracks of their own. The controversy surrounding the song is due in part to Shakur's murder in a drive-by-shooting only three months after its release.
The song is widely considered by the American hip hop community as one of the greatest diss tracks ever recorded due to its explicit lyrical content and the seriousness of violent intent by Shakur and his colleagues towards their competitors.[2]
Origins[edit]
'Hit 'Em Up' was written and recorded at Can-Am studios in May 1996.[3][4] For the song, Tupac Shakur recruited the members of the former group Dramacydal whom he had worked with previously, and was eager to work with again. Together, the rappers (along with other associates) formed the original lineup of the Outlawz.[5] The first and third verses are performed by Shakur, while the second verse is performed by Hussein Fatal, the fourth by Yaki Kadafi and the fifth by E.D.I. Mean.[6][7]
The ferocity of Shakur's raging vocals,[8] as said by long-time collaborator and producer of 'Hit 'Em Up' Johnny 'J', was entirely authentic.[3] He explained that Shakur was initially fueled by his anger against Biggie and Bad Boy Records for the belief that they had a role in the November 30, 1994 ambush and attack on Shakur. He claimed that Biggie and his crew knew of his shooting and wanted him dead.[9] Shakur used this fury, which Johnny 'J' described as 'superhuman',[3] to attack Biggie and other East Coast rappers.[3] Johnny 'J' also stated that he had never seen Shakur so angry and that the words he rapped were in no way an act,[10] describing the recording process as the most 'hard-core he had ever done.'[3] Although he was very happy with the work he had put into it and the resulting song, Johnny 'J' went on to say that he had no desire to work on anything of that magnitude again.[3]
Shakur was also enraged by Biggie's release of 'Who Shot Ya?' provocatively only months after the shooting incident, and although it did not directly involve Shakur's name, he believed it was directed towards him. Shakur admitted to releasing 'Hit 'Em Up' as a response to 'Who Shot Ya?'[11] In a Vibe interview, the rapper called out Sean 'Puffy' Combs and Biggie Smalls and accused both of them of setting him up, or of having knowledge of the attack and not warning him. He also singled out businessmen James Rosemond ('Jimmy Henchman'), and Jacques Agnant ('Haitian Jack') of orchestrating the assault. Shakur announced the names of his ostensible conspirators to Kevin Powell, a journalist for Vibe; however, to mask their true identities, Vibe referred to Henchman as 'Booker,' and Jack as 'Nigel' in the published interview. Persons familiar with the interview say they used different names after the magazine received threats from Henchman. A former Vibe editor denied receiving threats, but neglected to explain why the magazine substituted aliases for Henchman and Haitian Jack.[1]
Henchman promised Shakur $7,000 to duo with Lil Shawn, a rapper whom the businessman represented at that time.[1] In a 2008 article by Philips, Henchman was implicated in organizing the assault,[12] and was further implicated in 2012 by his long-time friend Dexter Isaac, who confessed to attacking Shakur on Henchman's orders. Isaac was confirmed as a source in Philip's earlier story as well as in Henchman's own confession, according to prosecutors at his 2012 trial.[13][14][15]
Composition[edit]
The lyrics in 'Hit 'Em Up' were aimed primarily at Biggie and Puffy.[9][16] Shakur viciously insults Biggie throughoutâ ââ ââthe first line by Shakur is 'That's why I fucked your bitch, you fat motherfucker'[17]â ââ ââand threatens retaliation in the songs hook, saying 'Who shot me?/But you punks didn't finish/Now you're about to feel the wrath of a menace.'[18] He also used the song as a platform to express his belief that Biggie was guilty of stealing his style of rapping, and was merely imitating his lifestyle.[19] This notion is addressed in the verse in 'Now it's all about Versace, you copied my style.'[20] He also touches topically on their early friendship with the line 'Biggie, remember when I used to let you sleep on the couch?' and their subsequent fallout. Towards the end of the song Tupac disses Mobb Deep, saying 'Don't one of you niggas got sickle cell or something? You fucking with me, nigga you fuck around and get a seizure or a heart attack', referring to Prodigy, a member of Mobb Deep who suffered from sickle cell disease (and would in fact later die of complications related to the disease.) Mobb Deep responded by releasing 'Drop a Gem on 'em', which was released shortly before Tupac's death (but pulled from airplay rotation after).[20][21] 'Hit 'Em Up' features much profanity, using the words 'fuck' or 'motherfucker' at least 35 times in the song, and was issued a Parental Advisory label.[22]
The bassline in 'Hit 'Em Up' is taken from the 1984 Dennis Edwards song 'Don't Look Any Further'.[23] The chorus of 'Hit 'Em Up' is a play on the chorus of Junior M.A.F.I.A's 'Player's Anthem.'[11] The phrase 'take money' is repeated throughout the song, which is a play on Junior M.A.F.I.A's recent release 'Get Money', which is also the beat used in 'Hit 'Em Up'.[24] Faith Evans, who at the time was Biggie's estranged wife,[25] was reportedly seen with Shakur after a public breakup with Biggie.[26][27] Journalist Chuck Philips spotted Faith Evans at Can Am when he interviewed Shakur a year earlier in 1995. People at the studio told the reporter that Faith Evans also contributedâthat the R&B chanteuse recorded one or more 'Take Money' background vocals that would appear on 'Hit Em Up.'[1] In his October 1995 interview of the rapper, Philips remembered in 2012, 'I was so unaware of the bi-coastal rap war that I suspected nothing when Faith Evans appeared with Shakur at Can Am. The estranged wife of Biggie was recording background vocals for 'Wonda Why They Call U Bitch', a song which was at the time yet to be released.[1] According to Shakur she had given him gifts of clothing, which he offered as proof of a relationship in an interview. Using this against Biggie in 'Hit 'Em Up', Shakur continued to fuel the rumors of a sexual relationship with Evans in the song's line 'You claim to be a player, but I fucked your wife.'[4] Claims of an affair with Evans appear three times in the song.[5]
Shakur also attacked many other people associated with Bad Boy Records and with Biggie,[18] such as Lil' Kim and Junior M.A.F.I.A.[28] He exclaimed that their lifestyle and what they rapped about were fraudulent, and that they were not from the streets. He believed that they were only perpetuating the drama and did not understand the situation they were getting into.[5] Bronx rapper Chino XL was also insulted for vulgar comments he made about Shakur on his song 'Riiiot!'.[29] In the original recording,[30] Shakur also insulted Jay-Z at the ending segment, but removed it after being convinced by Outlawz members that Carter had nothing to do with the conflict between Death Row and Bad Boy.[31]
Music video[edit]
Shot from the music video, with stand-in Biggie on the left, Shakur in the middle, and Lil' Kim on the right.
The music video for 'Hit 'Em Up' was filmed in a warehouse off Slauson Avenue near Fox Hills Mall in Los Angeles in May 1996.[32][33] It was filmed by the production company Look Hear Productions.[33] Shakur raps in a white room with The Outlawz, as well as in purple-caged room and a black room with bullet holes in the background. TV monitors in the background show clips of Shakur, Puffy, and Biggie Smalls, and even clips from the video 'Made Niggaz.' The video featured actors who were recalled from their prior roles in the music video for '2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted' to impersonate some of those who were attacked in 'Hit 'Em Up.'[34] This included Biggie, whose stand-in stares dully into the camera and sports a Kangol and jacket, similar to one Biggie would wear. During the moments where Shakur raps about his claimed affair with Evans, the Biggie impersonator crouches near the camera while Shakur yells in his face. Puffy is also impersonated, appearing with a high-top fade and leaning towards the camera, lowering and raising his sunglasses.[34]
During the shooting of the video, Shakur was engaged in an argument with someone, who was heard telling him 'You'll get shot.' His armed bodyguard assured him that he had nothing to worry about.[33] He also broke up a fight involving his friend Muta during the filming,[35] and fired a production assistant on set.[36] The assistant was answering Shakur's pager and returning his personal calls without his consent. Many callers were confused or angry that a female assistant was answering Shakur's calls. The assistant had mistakenly lost the pager, and with Shakur already growing wary of her, fired her for that reason.[37]
Like the song, the video for 'Hit 'Em Up' has also been called 'infamous'.[38] The pro-West Coast track's music video featured the members crushing buildings in Manhattan, which was already done in another pro-West Coast music video for 'New York, New York' by Tha Dogg Pound earlier.[39] The music video for 'Hit 'Em Up' can be found on Tupac: Live at the House of Blues DVD.[40]
Release and reception[edit]
Finishing the recording of the song, Shakur felt very positively about the track, saying the 'song is going to be playing in every club., every country. Deejays are calling from everywhere, wanting to get a piece of this.'[41] 'Hit 'Em Up' appeared first as a B-side,[18] on the single 'How Do U Want It',[42] by Shakur featuring The Outlawz.[43] On June 4, 1996 under the label Death Row Records,[17] 'Hit 'Em Up' was released on compact disc, 12-inch,[42] and a 45 RPM.[44] The original cover for the single had Puffy's head on a snake's body, and Biggie's head on a pig's.[32] It also appeared posthumously on several compilations, including the 2005 release of Shakur's last recorded live performance, Live at the House of Blues.[45] 'Hit 'Em Up' was also remixed on Nu-Mixx Klazzics.[46] Upon its release, 'Hit 'Em Up' received frequent radio airplay, which was attributed to the public interest in the ongoing feud and radio stations' desire to garner high ratings.[9] However, some radio stations, such as the Los Angeles-based KPWR, refused to play it.[47] The follow-up to 'Hit 'Em Up' was the song 'Bomb First (My Second Reply)'.[48]
'Hit 'Em Up' has been called 'controversial,'[47] 'infamous,'[18] 'disturbing,'[49] and 'brutal.'[11] Shakur's insults against virtually the entire East Coast scene of rappers were said to be ferocious.[3] The song, along with 'Dear Mama,' has been viewed as one of Shakur's songs that resonated with and was spoken of the most by young people.[50] Some felt that 'Hit 'Em Up' showcased Shakur ranting and raving like a fool,[51] and J.R. Reynolds of Billboard called it horrendous, noting that Shakur revealed his true colors upon recording the song. He also went on to say that although sympathetic to the shooting, 'Hit 'Em Up' had 'fan[ned] the flames of hatred ..and affect[ed] an entire black culture's psyche'; he called the song 'repugnant and unacceptable.'[9] Among associates of Shakur, it was called a 'bad-luck song.'[41] Los Angeles radio director Bruce St. James called the song 'the be-all, end-all, curse-word, dirty-lyric, violent song of all time.'[47]Game's manager has called it the best diss record.[52] Documentary filmmaker Carl Weston believed that 'most people in Biggie's shoes would have wanted to at least hurt Tupac' in a Spin magazine interview.[53]
Among musicians, the song drew criticism from singer Dionne Warwick,[54] and disapproval from fellow rappers Kool Moe Dee and Chuck D, as written in their book There's a God on the Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs. They felt that although Shakur was one of the most substantive rappers of that period, he had gone too far with 'Hit 'Em Up,'[55] causing some of Shakur's fans to turn on him, according to the two rappers.[56]
Aftermath[edit]
The song has been viewed as the turning point in the feud between Tupac and Biggie, where things were said and rapped which could never be taken back during the remainder of Shakur's life.[57] This has led to it being dubbed as the beginning of the war between the East Coast and the West Coast,[57] and the centerpiece in what became the most venomous battle in history of hip hop.[58]
'Hit 'Em Up' has been studied by and with academics,[59] and it has been used as a part of a series of lessons for building the means to communicate with younger people.[60] Its main role in these lessons is to define anger in rap music.[61] Biggie was shot and killed six months after Shakur's death.[62]
Response[edit]From Biggie[edit]
After hearing 'Hit 'Em Up', Biggie continued proclaiming his innocence in the shooting incident. He also remarked that the song 'Who Shot Ya?' was written before Shakur was shot and thus, was not about him.[11]Regarding the lyrics aimed at his wife Faith, Biggie expressed an inability to find merit in what Shakur had claimed. He believed that Shakur intended to attack him through Faith, although he remained unsure of whether an encounter between them had occurred. Ultimately, he thought that if something had occurred it was none of his business, and that Shakur should not have publicly disclosed this information in a song.[4] Biggie responded to this matter in a similar fashion to 'Hit 'Em Up', rapping in a joint release by himself and Jay-Z in the song 'Brooklyn's Finest',[63] where he says 'If Faye have twins, she'd probably have two Pacs. Get it? Tupac's?'[64] Shortly after the release of 'Hit 'Em Up', Evans went on the radio and denied that she had been with Shakur.[64]
From other artists[edit]
Puffy had trouble understanding the sheer rage Shakur had expressed for Biggie in 'Hit 'Em Up'. He also responded by reinforcing his and Biggie's innocence regarding the shooting and went on to say that prior to the incident they 'were friends',[65] and that they 'would have never done nothing to hurt him.'[65] In an interview with Vibe Magazine concerning Shakur's allegations of Biggie and Puffy having prior knowledge of the ambush, Puffy stated:
He ain't mad at the niggas that shot him; he knows where they're at. He knows who shot him. If you ask him, he knows, and everybody in the street knows, and he's not stepping to them, because he knows that he's not gonna get away with that shit. To me, that's some real sucker shit. Be mad at everybody, man; don't be using niggas as scapegoats. We know that he's a nice guy from New York. All shit aside, Tupac is a nice, good-hearted guy.[66]
Lil' Kim responded on the original version of her song 'Big Momma Thang', which was aimed at Biggie's wife, Faith Evans, and Shakur.[67] Junior M.A.F.I.A. recorded a music video for the song 'Get Money', which has been regarded as a diss to Shakur. Biggie denies these claims, stating: 'It's just a video; ain't nobody got no time to make no diss on nobody.'[68] Lil' Cease said after the release that Biggie still had love for Shakur, and even respected him.[53] The attack on Mobb Deep came as a response for their involvement on the song 'L.A L.A' by Capone-N-Noreaga, which was a retaliation to Snoop Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound's song 'New York, New York' music video in which members of Tha Dogg Pound and Death Row are seen knocking down buildings in New York City. Mobb Deep responded to Shakur with the track 'Drop a Gem on 'em'.[69] It was first released as a promotional single, and later appeared on their album Hell on Earth. Lyrically, it did not specifically name Shakur, but it did allude to the shooting incident. It has also been noted for erroneously stating the cost of the assets Shakur had taken from him during the shooting incident.[70] Bronx rapper King Sun also responded to Shakur with 'New York Love (All Eyez On Sun)'.
Appearances[edit]Tupac Hit Em Up Download Video
'Hit 'Em Up' was originally featured as a B-side on Shakur's single 'How Do U Want It'.[71] In 1998, it was released on Shakur's first compilation album, Greatest Hits.[72] A remix of the song was featured on Nu-Mixx Klazzics (2003), where the intro lyrics from the originally explicit version and the main lyrics from the edited radio version.[73] A live version of the song was included on the 2005 release of Tupac: Live at the House of Blues.[74] 'Hit 'Em Up' was first released on Death Row Greatest Hits,[75] and was again released as a live recording on the 2004 album 2Pac Live.[76]
Alleviate hazard; tell a similar story, even into character circular segments. Underneath everything is a story which spits up a close revamp of A New Hope â an account wellbeing valve. Star wars the force awakens 1080p download.
In the second half of Eminem's song 'Quitter', the rapper attempts to remake 'Hit 'Em Up' and in itself is a diss track aimed towards Everlast. Eminem has support from D12 on his version like the Outlawz supported Shakur on the original.[77]Khia used the song's beat and part of the hook in her song 'Hit 'Em Up', which is a diss to female rappers Trina and Jacki-O.[78] 'What I Think About You' by Bow Wow uses a reinterpolation of 'Hit 'Em Up' and is a diss song to fellow rapper Soulja Boy Tell 'em.[79]
The song appears in 2Pac's Biopic, 'All Eyez On Me' (2017), in which 2Pac performs the song during his 1996 House Of Blues Concert in the film as a message to Biggie, talking about having relations with Faith Evans, Biggie's wife. The film shows 2Pac sending the song to Biggie to hear along with Biggie being handed a magazine with 2Pac & Faith taking a close picture together, furthering the accusation of 2Pac taking Biggie's wife in the song.
Tupac Hit Em Up Video To DownloadReferences[edit]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hit_%27Em_Up&oldid=898445916'
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[2Pac]
I ain't got no motherfucking friends That's why I fucked your bitch, you fat motherfucker West Side, Bad Boy killers (take money, take money) You know who the realest is, niggas, we bring it too Take money, take money
First off, fuck your bitch and the clique you claim
Westside when we ride, come equipped with game You claim to be a player, but I fucked your wife We bust on Bad Boys, niggas fucked for life Plus Puffy tryna see me, weak hearts I rip Biggie Smalls and Junior M.A.F.I.A. some mark-ass bitches We keep on coming while we running for your jewels Steady gunning, keep on busting at them fools You know the rules Lil' Cease, go ask your homie how I'll leave you Cut your young ass up, leave you in pieces Now be deceased Little Kim, don't fuck around with real G's Quick to snatch your ugly ass off the streets So fuck peace I'll let them niggas know it's on for life Don't let the Westside ride the night Bad Boy murdered on wax and killed Fuck with me and get your caps peeled You know, see
Grab your Glocks when you see 2Pac
Call the cops when you see 2Pac Who shot me, but your punks didn't finish Now you 'bout to feel the wrath of a menace Nigga, I hit 'em up
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Check this out (take money)
You motherfuckers know what time it is I don't know why I'm even on this track (take money) Y'all niggas ain't even on my level I'm going to let my little homies ride on you bitch-made ass (take money) Bad Boy bitches (take money)
[Hussein Fatal]
Get out the way, yo, get out the way, yo Biggie Smalls just got dropped Little Moo' pass the Mac and let me hit em in his back Frank White needs to get spanked right for setting traps Little accident-murderer And I ain't never heard of you Poisonous gats attack when I'm serving you Spank you, shank your whole style when I gank Guard your rank, cause I'ma slam your ass in the paint Puffy weaker than the fuckin' block I'm running through, nigga And I'm smoking Junior M.A.F.I.A. in front of you, nigga With the ready-power tucked in my Guess under my Eddie Bauer Your clout petty/sour, I push packages every hour, I hit 'em up
[2Pac]
Grab your Glocks when you see 2Pac Call the cops when you see 2Pac Who shot me, but your punks didn't finish Now you 'bout to feel the wrath of a menace Nigga, we hit 'em up Tupac Hit Em Up Download Video
Peep how we do it
Keep it real as penitentiary steel This ain't no freestyle battle All you niggas getting killed with your mouths open Trying to come up off of me, you in the clouds hoping Smoking dope, it's like a sherm high Niggas think they learned to fly But they burn, motherfucker, you deserve to die Talking about you getting money But it's funny to me All you niggas living bummy Why you fucking with me? I'm a self-made millionaire! Thug livin', out of prison, pistols in the air Biggie, remember when I used to let you sleep on the couch And beg a bitch to let you sleep in the house? Now it's all about Versace, you copied my style 5 shots couldn't drop me, I took it and smiled Now I'm back to set the record straight With my AK, I'm still the thug that you love to hate Motherfucker, I'll hit em up
[Kadafi]
I'm from N-E-W Jers' Where plenty of murders occurs No points or commas, we bring drama to all you herbs Now go check the scenario Little Cease, I'll bring you fake G's to your knees Copping pleas in de Janeiro Little Kim, is you coked up or doped up? Get your little Junior Whopper click smoked up What the fuck, is you stupid? I take money, crash and mash through Brooklyn With my click looting, shooting and polluting your block With a 15-shot cocked Glock to your knot Outlaw MAFIA clique moving up another notch And your pop stars popped and get mopped and dropped And all your fake ass East Coast props brainstormed and locked
[E.D.I. Mean]
You's a beat biter A Pac style taker I'll tell you to your face, you ain't shit but a faker Softer than Alize with a chaser About to get murdered for the paper E.D.I Mean approach the scene of the caper Like a loc, with Little Ceas' in a choke Gun totin' smoke, we ain't no motherfucking joke Thug Life, niggas better be known Be approaching in the wide open, gun smoking No need for hoping, it's a battle lost I got 'em crossed as soon as the funk is bopping off Nigga, I hit 'em up!
[2Pac]
Now you tell me who won I see them, they run They don't wanna see us (take money) Whole Junior M.A.F.I.A. clique dressing up trying to be us (take money) How the fuck they gonna be the mob when we always on our job? (Take money) We millionaires, killing ain't fair, but somebody got to do it (take money) Oh yeah, Mobb Deep: you wanna fuck with us? (Take money) You little young-ass motherfuckers (take money) Don't one of you niggas got sickle-cell or something? (Take money) You're fucking with me, nigga? You fuck around and have a seizure or a heart attack (take money) You better back the fuck up Before you get smacked the fuck up This is how we do it on our side Any of you niggas from New York that want to bring it, bring it But we ain't singing, we bringing drama Fuck you and your motherfucking mama We gon' kill all you motherfuckers Now when I came out, I told you it was just about Biggie Then everybody had to open their mouth with a motherfucking opinion Well, this is how we gonna do this Fuck Mobb Deep, fuck Biggie Fuck Bad Boy as a staff, record label and as a motherfucking crew And if you want to be down with Bad Boy, then fuck you too Chino XL: Fuck you too All you motherfuckers, fuck you too (take money, take money) All of y'all mother fuckers, fuck you, die slow, motherfucker My .44 make sure all y'all kids don't grow You motherfuckers can't be us or see us We motherfuckin' Thug Life-riders Westside til we die Out here in California, nigga, we warned ya We'll bomb on you, motherfuckers We do our job You think you mob? Nigga, we the motherfuckin' mob Ain't nothing but killers and the real niggas All you motherfuckers feel us Our shit goes triple and 4-quadruple (take money) You niggas laugh cause our staff got guns under they motherfuckin' belts You know how it is, when we drop records they felt You niggas can't feel it, we the realest Fuck 'em, we Bad Boy-killers
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