Tuesday night, Iggy Azalea performed in front of a sold-out crowd at Hollywood’s Dim Mak Studios in support of her Ignorant Art mixtape. Following live renditions of her the tape’s standouts including “Pu$$y” and “My World,” the Aussie-rapper had a treat for fans debuting a new song titled “Picture Me Rollin.” The song of course draws inspiration from Tupac Shakur, who Iggy has stated to be obssesed with and calls an idol. Until we hear the full product enjoy a preview above.

Iggy’s debut album The New Classic, is set to drop in June. T.I. will serve as executive producer on the project releasing via Interscope Records.

via Complex

Previously:
Say What? T.I. To Executive Produce Iggy Azalea’s Debut Album
Iggy Azalea Signs With Interscope, Says Jimmy Iovine Called Her the ‘Next 2pac’

A$AP Rocky’s boo has officially signed with Interscope Records. The Australian bombshell elaborated on her deal with Billboard’s The Juice. Apparently, Jimmy Iovine was so taken back by her that he compared her to the  “next Tupac.” That’s a pretty bold statement, and I’m sure Jimmy will have a response to this at some point. Currently, Iggy is working on her debut album, The New Classic (slated for June).

“It’s a family and it’s a long-term commitment,” Iggy tells The Juice. “People aren’t just asking you to sign for one album. They’re asking you to sign for like three or four, sometimes five and that’s like a marriage.”

“I think they [labels] have things that they specialize in. Def Jam, I love. I was super close to signing with them. I think they’re just the best team. I think they’re really passionate about what they do and you can just tell that they’re so hungry over there. But then you look at who they’ve got signed to their label and it kind of makes you be like, ‘I don’t know. Am I going to be the guinea pig here for this?’ I don’t know.”

Related: New Music: Iggy Azalea “Roman In Moscow (Remix)”
Iggy Azalea Open Up About Dating A$AP Rocky: “I Love Him”
New Video: Iggy Azalea “The Last Song”

Something like this has been a long time in the makes. More than 15 years after the untimely passing of Biggie and Tupac, Lil Cease and The Outlawz have finally buried the hatchet. Teaming up for Kay Slay, the once feuding sides have officially put the beef to rest int the name of rap’s two fallen legends. This track will be included on Slay’s upcoming album, Rhyme or Die.

Related: The Tupac Quad Studio Confession: Are You Sure You Know Who Shot Pac?
Nas Reflects On Issues With Tupac And Working With Dr. Dre
The Chuck Phillips Fiasco: When you lie with dogs, you get…..forged FBI documents from a hip hop compulsive liar
Welcome Back to the Suck: More loose allegations from the LA Times about Big and Pac
Lil Cease speaks on B.I.G.’s birthday memories
Lil Cease Says Heavy D and Biggie Wanted to Record an Album Together

After making its rounds on the black market, the 1991 footage of ‘Pac receiving head at a house party has found its way into the hands of a private collector for an undisclosed amount according to TMZ.

Don’t hold your breath on it surfacing to the public though. As previously reported, Tupac’s estate promises to carry out a lawsuit if the tape is ever released.

We’ve come to know Tupac Shakur for a number of important contributions to Hip Hop, racial justice, politics, and social consciousness. His debut solo release, 2Pacalypse Now, embodies the spirit of each of those diverse categories. Dropped in the midst of a changing period in Hip Hop history, Pac’s album represented a bridge between the old school 80’s sound and an updated, aggressive but conscious trend that came to exemplify the early 90’s period. At 20 years old, an angry, intelligent, and insightful Tupac would help usher in a new era of Hip Hop that spoke to the roots of the problems facing many oppressed people, not just the surface struggles. Twenty years later, this album still holds up as a relevant critique of society, with lyrics that could just as easily describe the ills many face today.

Structurally, 2Pacalypse Now is an incredibly sparse and basic album. Pac incorporated a lot of really stripped down beats to help accentuate his vocal intensity. Instead of using complicated production (like some of his later work does), he used his complex subject matter to create an undeniably provocative album. It also should be mentioned that this might not have been quite the thoughtful decision since much of the production, handled by guys like Shock G and Big D the Impossible, was pretty average. They tapped into the evolving West Coast funk style, but without really pulling it together with any real conviction.

Vocally, Tupac employed a deliberate, narrative style that gave his words an unfiltered access to his audience, telling the history of struggle and proposing oppositional action. For me, this is what has always separated Pac from other socially aware artists. His personal narrating style of rapping made it seem like he was a guy that you could relate to, talking about issues that made sense. Too often rappers aren’t quite able to make that connection, despite their otherwise commendable lyrical themes. It’s a slight distinction, but it’s this type of introspection that made Pac such a relatable artist.

Tracks like “Words of Wisdom,” “Young Black Male,” and “Violent” speak to this point. While they are certainly poignant with their critique of society, there is nothing particularly complex about the rhyme scheme, word choice, or backing production. Instead of putting things in complicated terms only a few could understand, Pac really got at the core of what the street mentality was in the early 1990’s. His simplistic rhymes could have just as easily come from the typical kid on the corner with lines like, “They tried to frame me, they tried to say I had some dope in the back seat/ but I’m a rap fiend, not a crack fieeend,” getting at the prevailing sentiment that cops are not to be trusted.

Even the most notable track from this album, “Brenda’s Got a Baby,” is not an overly complicated composition. The story in Pac’s retelling is instead demonstrative because of its reliability and accessibility: “Now, Brenda really never knew her moms and her dad was a junky/ puttin death into his arms, it’s sad, cause I bet Brenda doesn’t even know/ Because you’re in the ghetto doesn’t mean you can’t grow.” These are stories that people understand that sadly get experienced on a daily basis and Tupac had the insight to tell them in a way that everyone could easily identify with.

It’s interesting because I think the tracks that fail to stand the test of time are those that tried to get too complicated—either stylistically or sonically. For me, “Rebel of the Underground” sounds a little gimmicky with its echoed chorus and choppy keyboard line. It’s unfortunate, since it is one of the album’s strongest tracks lyrically, taking everyone from the media to law enforcement to task along the way. Similarly, “Tha’ Lunatic,” fails to make a lasting impression, largely because of the underwhelming production by way of Shock G.

For those Pac critics that talk endlessly of his run-ins with the law, controversial relationships with women, and on-going discussions of censorship, 2Pacalypse Now always seems to get overlooked. They refuse to accept that at his earliest, Pac stood for truth, no matter who it rubbed the wrong way. With twenty years standing between us and the album’s debut, and 15 years since Tupac’s tragic passing, hopefully we can appreciate the work for what it is: a brash, straightforward and sometimes controversial narrative of the social, cultural, and political ills that plagued (and largely still effect) America’s streets.

Related posts:

1. Remembering Tupac Shakur: 2Pacalypse Now
2. Tupac Shakur: 15 Years Later
3. Remembering Tupac Shakur: Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.