2Pac Alive; Releases 2 New Tracks

Just weeks after Tupac “2Pac” Shakur’s 1994 shooter Dexter Isaac revealed himself to the press, the slain Death Row rapper is, once again, in the headlines after two new posthumous tracks, which take aim at many of Pac’s rival East Coast emcees, were leaked online June 28.

According to MTV, the tracks, “NY 87” and an alternate version of “Watch Yo Mouth,” which originally appeared online two years ago, were presumably recorded in 1996, during the height of hip-hop’s war between the East and West coasts.

In the song “Watch Yo Mouth,” ‘Pac, who’d previously dissed the East Coast’s champion rapper Notorious B.I.G. with the tracks “Hit Em Up” and “Against All Odds,” continued to take aim B.I.G. as well as Nas, De La Soul, Wendy Williams, Diddy and even his former friend and producer Dr. Dre.

“He ain’t made a beat in six years, swear he the s–t/ Won’t get no record sales suckin’ Nas’ d–k,” raps Pac.

Always the contradictory artists, ‘Pac then attempts to show his respect for the East Coast

“They say Pac ain’t got love for the East side/You’s a lyin’ motherf—-r, n—a we ride!,” raps Pac, as well as chanting, “For my n—as on the east side” throughout the song.

However, on “NY 87,” which prominently features Tha Dogg Pound and Threat, ‘Pac, once again, continues his anti-New York stance. The diss track begins with DJ Quik declaring, “Them n—–s on the East is the enemy” and ends with Pac rapping vicious lines like, “Move mother—-ers ’til they feel me/ It’s West Coast n—a, f–k New York, now did everybody hear me?”

Since ‘Pac’s death, many have assumed that the East Coast/West Coast beef led to both his and B.I.G.’s violent murders. And while new music from Pac will always be met with welcome ears, his death, coupled with these incendiary songs, will forever act as a warning of what tragedies can occur when hostile lyrics turn into violent war. – nicholas robinson