Thug Life
Tupac's short-lived group and the acronym behind his philosophy.
Thug Life was an American hip hop group made up of 2Pac, Big Syke, Mopreme, Macadoshis and The Rated R. The group released one album, Thug Life: Volume 1 (1994), before disbanding in 1995; Tupac, Mopreme Shakur and Big Syke later became members of the Outlawz.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- West Coast hip-hop
- gangsta rap
- G-funk
- Years active
- 1993–1995
- Label
- Out da Gutta
- Interscope
- Atlantic
- Spinoffs
- Outlawz
- Past members
- Tupac Shakur (deceased)
- Big Syke (deceased)
- Mopreme Shakur
- Macadoshis
- The Rated R
- Big Stretch (deceased)
Lore & Background
Shakur conceived the acronym THUG LIFE ("The Hate U Gave Little Infants, Fucks Everybody") as a commentary on the cycle of systemic injustice: the marginalization of children in poor communities eventually produces consequences that affect everyone.
Reader's Guide
In 1992 Tupac and Mutulu Shakur wrote the "Code of Thug Life", a 26-point social contract adopted at a "Truce Convention" in California. It sought to curb mindless violence by, among other things, forbidding the targeting of civilians, children and the elderly, banning cooperation with police, routing disputes between crews through diplomats, and prohibiting carjacking and drug sales inside one's own neighborhood.
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