Beginnings: The Lost Tapes 1988–1991

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Beginnings: The Lost Tapes 1988-1991
Tupac beginnings.jpg
Compilation album by
ReleasedJune 12, 2007 (US)[1][2][3]
Recorded1988-1991
GenreGangsta rap, New jack swing, Political hip hop
LabelKoch
ProducerChopmaster J, Shock-G, Strictly Dope
2Pac chronology
Pac's Life
(2006)
Beginnings: The Lost Tapes 1988-1991
(2007)
Nu-Mixx Klazzics Vol. 2
(2007)

Beginnings: The Lost Tapes 1988–1991 is a posthumous album by American hip hop recording artist 2Pac, released on June 12, 2007[1][2][3] by Koch Records. The album was originally released on April 18, 2000 in bootleg form, under the title The Lost Tapes: Circa 1989, but the selling was quickly halted due to copyright infringement.[1]

Produced by Digital Underground and Strictly Dope member Chopmaster J,[4] Beginnings... is a collection of the rapper's earliest songs, created before Shakur began working on his first studio album, 2Pacalypse Now.[4]

Background[]

The songs featured on Beginnings... were originally created by Tupac Shakur and his early crew, Strictly Dope,[1] between 1988-1991. While these songs led to 2Pac joining a concert tour with Digital Underground as a roadie for Chopmaster J and a dancer and crew member for Digital Underground, most of them were not heard by the general public (with the exception of "Panther Power," "The Case of the Misplaced Mic" and "Static").[4]

In the year 2000, Chopmaster J rediscovered the recordings in his mother's basement[4] and released them as an album on April 18, 2000, under the title The Lost Tapes: Circa 1989. However, the selling was soon stopped by 2Pac's mother, Afeni Shakur, due to copyright infringement.[1] In 2007, the same songs were re-released with Afeni Shakur's approval, as Beginnings: The Lost Tapes 1988–1991.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic1.5/5 stars link

Track listing[]

No.TitleLength
1."Panther Power"4:36
2."Misplaced Mic"2:34
3."Let Knowledge Drop"3:37
4."Never Be Beat"5:33
5."Day In A Life"4:55
6."My Burnin' Heart"6:25
7."Minnie the Moucher"4:19
8."Misplaced Mic, Pt. 2"2:40
9."Static Mix, Pt. 1"4:19
10."Static Mix, Pt. 2"3:59

Critical reception[]

CD Universe noted that Shakur's "flow and lyrical content are more reminiscent of late-1980s/early-1990s icons like Big Daddy Kane and Rakim" than of the later songs of 2Pac himself.[2] Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic agreed that the rapper sounds "inspired here, no doubt, but nonetheless a bit clumsy and imitative".[4] Birchmeier also commented that "there's little more here than skeletal drum machine beats for production".[4] It also seems much of the political content of the songs has been overlooked.[citation needed]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Tupac Shakur Beginnings : The Lost Tapes 1988-1991 - Hip Hop Galaxy". Archived from the original on 2007-06-17. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Tupac Shakur Beginnings: Lost Tapes 1988-1991 CD
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Amazon.com: Beginnings The Lost Tapes 1988-1991: Music: Tupac Shakur
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Birchmeier, Jason. "The Lost Tapes - 2Pac". Allmusic. Retrieved September 25, 2013.

External links[]

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