I Ain't Mad at Cha
Encyclopedia
"I Ain't Mad at Cha" is the name of a song by rapper 2Pac
released as the sixth single from his album All Eyez on Me
. Although the album was released exactly 7 months before his death, the single was released shortly after his death. The song is a heartfelt tribute to his friend who had converted to Islam
. The song features contemporary soul singer Danny Boy
who provided the vocals for the song's hook. The song did well in the United Kingdom
, reaching the number 13 on the UK Singles Chart
. It was not released as a single in the United States
, thus making it ineligible to chart on the Billboard
singles charts (due to chart rules at the time), but reached numbers 18 and 58 in the R&B and Pop Airplay charts, respectively. It also reached number two on the New Zealand Singles Chart.
) and samples the song "A Dream"
by DeBarge
. The song was recorded the same day 2Pac was released from prison, and was the second song he recorded when he came out ("Ambitionz Az a Ridah" being the first). The single was released two days after 2Pac's death. As so, by the time this single was released, 2Pac had already finished recording his next album, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
. It has been labeled by many one of the best songs on "All Eyez on Me" and one of the greatest in 2Pac's career.
The song also appeared on 2Pac's Greatest Hits
album. Another song on the CD single
proved to be popular among fans. "Heartz of Men" appeared on 4 of 2Pac's albums, compared to 3 for "I Ain't Mad at Cha". These include: All Eyez on Me, 2Pac Live
, 2Pac's Greatest Hits
, and a remixed version on Nu-Mixx Klazzics
. A remix was made of Rihanna
's "We Ride" to include elements of "I Ain't Mad at Cha". R&B group BLACKstreet
also used the identical keyboard tune in "Don't Leave Me
" off of their Another Level album. "American Dream", a track featured on deceased rapper Big L's CD In Memory of Big L, Vol.2 also samples "I Ain't Mad at Cha".
In fact, "I Ain't Mad at Cha" samples the song "Helen's Tune" by composer Philip Glass
, which was originally written for the movie Candyman (film)
.
, written and performed by Bunny
, and taken from their 1983 album In a Special Way
. This makes the instrumentals very identical. This is most apparent in the piano usage which is almost identical to the original song. The main difference is "A Dream" uses a keyboard for its notes, while "I Ain't Mad at Cha" uses more of a classical piano. Daz
's main job as producer of the song was changing this piano instrument, as most other aspects of the song were the same. The tempo of the original song was also sped up, which matches with 2Pac's pace of rapping. Another minor difference is the accompanying beat uses different sounds to project the same repetition (sped up as previously noted).
The day 2Pac was released from prison, he went to the studio and recorded I Ain't Mad at Cha and Ambitionz Az a Ridah. When 2Pac entered the studio the beat was already complete, and 2Pac wrote the lyrics and recorded the song all in a few hours. Shortly thereafter, BLACKstreet
released "Don't Leave Me" to radio, which also interpolates the melody of "A Dream". According to Dave Aron 2Pac had a lot of energy going into the studio. Kurupt
was in the studio at the time of recording and said when 2Pac heard the beat he "flipped out" from excitement. He wanted to finish the song quickly and was cursing at the engineers for moving too slow.
Technical info
Like many rap songs the single had many explicit lyrics and was too profane to be shown on TV. Rather than have them blanked out, most these lines carried alternative words. For example:
Original lyrics: And I can see us after school, we'd bomb / on the first motherfucker with the wrong shit on
Censored lyrics: And I can see us after school, we'd bomb / on the first player haters with the wrong set on.
The music video
begins with 2Pac and a friend of his (played by Bokeem Woodbine
) leaving a hotel party at night time. While waiting for someone to arrive a hooded man comes up, pulls out a handgun, and starts shooting in their direction. As 2Pac pushes them out of the way, he gets hit by at least one bullet. In the ambulance
his body gives in and he passes away. As an angel he goes back to Earth and watches his friend as he struggles through the next days away from his friend. While this is going on 2Pac is shown rapping to his friend, (who can't see or hear him) and at an elegant party in Heaven
. Look-alikes of many deceased entertainers are revealed to be playing the beat in the party, featuring (among others), Redd Foxx
, Jimi Hendrix
, Bob Marley
, Nat King Cole
, Miles Davis
, Marvin Gaye
, Billie Holiday
, Florence Ballard
, Sammy Davis Jr., and Louis Armstrong
. Danny Boy
is also present in Heaven as an angel.
In the censored version, the third verse of the song is completely replaced with new lyrics which talk about the struggles of living, God, and life after death. The video ends with the words "Dedicated to Mutulu Shakur
and Geronimo Pratt
" appearing on the screen. These individuals are 2Pac's stepfather and godfather
, respectively. The music video was voted #33 on the "MTV
Top 100 of 1996" ranking music videos. The concept of the video (showing 2Pac's death and him being on Earth as an angel) was used as evidence by many who believed in the 7 Day Theory that Tupac is still alive. The music video is available on the edition of Tupac: Live at the House of Blues
.
Additional crew
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
released as the sixth single from his album All Eyez on Me
All Eyez on Me
All Eyez on Me is the fourth studio album by American rapper 2Pac, released February 13, 1996 on Death Row Records and Interscope Records....
. Although the album was released exactly 7 months before his death, the single was released shortly after his death. The song is a heartfelt tribute to his friend who had converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. The song features contemporary soul singer Danny Boy
Danny Boy (singer)
Daniel O’Connor, , best known as Danny Boy O’Connor, is an American rapper and a member of the hip-hop group, House of Pain. Danny Boy moved to California in the 80s where he masterminded House of Pain, one of the first all white hip-hop groups...
who provided the vocals for the song's hook. The song did well in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, reaching the number 13 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. It was not released as a single in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, thus making it ineligible to chart on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
singles charts (due to chart rules at the time), but reached numbers 18 and 58 in the R&B and Pop Airplay charts, respectively. It also reached number two on the New Zealand Singles Chart.
Background
The track was produced by Dat Nigga Daz (who now goes by Daz DillingerDaz Dillinger
Delmar Drew Arnaud , better known by his stage name Daz Dillinger is an American hip hop producer and rapper mostly known for his membership in the rap duo Tha Dogg Pound, with Kurupt, and his work with Death Row Records.-The Chronic, Tha Dogg Pound and Dogg Food:Daz began his career on Death Row...
) and samples the song "A Dream"
A Dream (DeBarge song)
"A Dream" is a 1983 song performed and recorded by the famed Motown singing family, DeBarge, for their album, In a Special Way. Though the song was not released as a single and was not a hit, the song's key legacy derives from the fame it received from the interpolation of its melody being utilized...
by DeBarge
DeBarge
DeBarge was a sibling music group of American origin whose repertoire included R&B, soul, funk, and later gospel. Active as a professional recording group from 1979 and 1989, the group was one of the few recording acts to bring success to the Motown label during the 1980s.-Background:Hailing from...
. The song was recorded the same day 2Pac was released from prison, and was the second song he recorded when he came out ("Ambitionz Az a Ridah" being the first). The single was released two days after 2Pac's death. As so, by the time this single was released, 2Pac had already finished recording his next album, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory is the fifth and final studio album by Tupac Shakur, under the new stage name Makaveli, finished before his death and his first studio album to be posthumously released...
. It has been labeled by many one of the best songs on "All Eyez on Me" and one of the greatest in 2Pac's career.
The song also appeared on 2Pac's Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (2Pac album)
Greatest Hits is a double disc greatest hits album for late rapper 2Pac, released by Amaru/Death Row Records in 1998. The album's non-chronological sequence highlights 2Pac's career; the 21 popular hits, some slightly re-edited for legal reasons, are accompanied by four previously unreleased songs:...
album. Another song on the CD single
CD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
proved to be popular among fans. "Heartz of Men" appeared on 4 of 2Pac's albums, compared to 3 for "I Ain't Mad at Cha". These include: All Eyez on Me, 2Pac Live
2Pac Live
2Pac Live is a live album by rapper Tupac Shakur. It was released on August 6, 2004 by Koch Records and is Shakur's first-ever live album.- Track listing :#"Live Medley"#"Intro"#"Ambitionz az a Ridah"#"So Many Tears"#"Troublesome"...
, 2Pac's Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (2Pac album)
Greatest Hits is a double disc greatest hits album for late rapper 2Pac, released by Amaru/Death Row Records in 1998. The album's non-chronological sequence highlights 2Pac's career; the 21 popular hits, some slightly re-edited for legal reasons, are accompanied by four previously unreleased songs:...
, and a remixed version on Nu-Mixx Klazzics
Nu-Mixx Klazzics
Nu-Mixx Klazzics is a remix album by 2Pac, released in 2003 by Death Row Records. The album includes several songs from All Eyez on Me, with new backing tracks and new guest vocals from artists such as Aaron Hall, K-Ci and JoJo, and Tha Outlawz. Nu Mixx Klazzics was generally panned by critics...
. A remix was made of Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
's "We Ride" to include elements of "I Ain't Mad at Cha". R&B group BLACKstreet
Blackstreet
Blackstreet is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by Thomas Taliaferro and Teddy Riley, the inventor of New Jack Swing known for his work as a member of Guy. Chauncey Hannibal and Levi Little were signed under production and management contracts with Thomas Taliaferro and were merged into what...
also used the identical keyboard tune in "Don't Leave Me
Don't Leave Me
"Don't Leave Me" is a single by R&B group Blackstreet, produced by R&B producer and New Jack Swing legend Teddy Riley. Following the path of Tupac's "I Ain't Mad At Cha" a single released after his death in September 1996, "Don't Leave Me" was the second song released as a hit single to implement...
" off of their Another Level album. "American Dream", a track featured on deceased rapper Big L's CD In Memory of Big L, Vol.2 also samples "I Ain't Mad at Cha".
In fact, "I Ain't Mad at Cha" samples the song "Helen's Tune" by composer Philip Glass
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
, which was originally written for the movie Candyman (film)
Candyman (film)
Candyman is a 1992 horror film starring Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd and Xander Berkeley. It was directed by Bernard Rose and is based on the short story "The Forbidden" by Clive Barker, though the film's scenario is switched from England to Chicago. The film was scored by Philip Glass. The film was...
.
Composition and recording
"I Ain't Mad at Cha" was the first song to interpolate the core melody of the song "A Dream" an album track by DeBargeDeBarge
DeBarge was a sibling music group of American origin whose repertoire included R&B, soul, funk, and later gospel. Active as a professional recording group from 1979 and 1989, the group was one of the few recording acts to bring success to the Motown label during the 1980s.-Background:Hailing from...
, written and performed by Bunny
Bunny Debarge
Etterlene "Bunny" DeBarge is an American soul singer-songwriter, best known as the lone female sibling of the Motown family group DeBarge...
, and taken from their 1983 album In a Special Way
In a Special Way
In a Special Way is the third studio album released by family singing group DeBarge released on the Gordy label on September of 1983.-Reception:...
. This makes the instrumentals very identical. This is most apparent in the piano usage which is almost identical to the original song. The main difference is "A Dream" uses a keyboard for its notes, while "I Ain't Mad at Cha" uses more of a classical piano. Daz
Daz Dillinger
Delmar Drew Arnaud , better known by his stage name Daz Dillinger is an American hip hop producer and rapper mostly known for his membership in the rap duo Tha Dogg Pound, with Kurupt, and his work with Death Row Records.-The Chronic, Tha Dogg Pound and Dogg Food:Daz began his career on Death Row...
's main job as producer of the song was changing this piano instrument, as most other aspects of the song were the same. The tempo of the original song was also sped up, which matches with 2Pac's pace of rapping. Another minor difference is the accompanying beat uses different sounds to project the same repetition (sped up as previously noted).
The day 2Pac was released from prison, he went to the studio and recorded I Ain't Mad at Cha and Ambitionz Az a Ridah. When 2Pac entered the studio the beat was already complete, and 2Pac wrote the lyrics and recorded the song all in a few hours. Shortly thereafter, BLACKstreet
Blackstreet
Blackstreet is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by Thomas Taliaferro and Teddy Riley, the inventor of New Jack Swing known for his work as a member of Guy. Chauncey Hannibal and Levi Little were signed under production and management contracts with Thomas Taliaferro and were merged into what...
released "Don't Leave Me" to radio, which also interpolates the melody of "A Dream". According to Dave Aron 2Pac had a lot of energy going into the studio. Kurupt
Kurupt
Ricardo Emmanuel Brown , better known by his stage name Kurupt, also known as Kurupt Tha Kingpin, Kurupt Young Gotti or Young Gotstra is an American rapper and former Executive Vice President of Death Row Records...
was in the studio at the time of recording and said when 2Pac heard the beat he "flipped out" from excitement. He wanted to finish the song quickly and was cursing at the engineers for moving too slow.
Technical info
- MIDIMusical Instrument Digital InterfaceMIDI is an industry-standard protocol, first defined in 1982 by Gordon Hall, that enables electronic musical instruments , computers and other electronic equipment to communicate and synchronize with each other...
format: 1 - Ticks per quarter noteQuarter noteA quarter note or crotchet is a note played for one quarter of the duration of a whole note . Often people will say that a crotchet is one beat, however, this is not always correct, as the beat is indicated by the time signature of the music; a quarter note may or may not be the beat...
: 384 - TempoTempoIn musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
: Allegretto (Quarter Note = 120) - Key: C majorC majorC major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative minor is A minor, and its parallel minor is C minor....
- Time signatureTime signatureThe time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
: 4/4
Music video
In the video version of the song, the whole song was rerecorded with a live band. Featuring live horns and strings Kevin Lewis commissioned a band featuring, Cornelius Mims, Warryn Campbell, Priest, Ricky Rouse, Darryl Crooks to replay the track. The new track was recorded at Ca-am Studio by Conley Abrams, it was mixed at Larrabee North by Abrams. A cursory listen to the album version and video version shows it is completely different, there are no samples in the video version.Like many rap songs the single had many explicit lyrics and was too profane to be shown on TV. Rather than have them blanked out, most these lines carried alternative words. For example:
Original lyrics: And I can see us after school, we'd bomb / on the first motherfucker with the wrong shit on
Censored lyrics: And I can see us after school, we'd bomb / on the first player haters with the wrong set on.
The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
begins with 2Pac and a friend of his (played by Bokeem Woodbine
Bokeem Woodbine
Bokeem Woodbine is an American film and television actor.-Personal life:Woodbine was born in Harlem, New York to an actress mother. He attended the prestigious Dalton School in New York before transferring to the also prestigious LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in the city...
) leaving a hotel party at night time. While waiting for someone to arrive a hooded man comes up, pulls out a handgun, and starts shooting in their direction. As 2Pac pushes them out of the way, he gets hit by at least one bullet. In the ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
his body gives in and he passes away. As an angel he goes back to Earth and watches his friend as he struggles through the next days away from his friend. While this is going on 2Pac is shown rapping to his friend, (who can't see or hear him) and at an elegant party in Heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
. Look-alikes of many deceased entertainers are revealed to be playing the beat in the party, featuring (among others), Redd Foxx
Redd Foxx
John Elroy Sanford , better known by his stage name Redd Foxx, was an American comedian and actor, best known for his starring role on the sitcom Sanford and Son.-Early life:...
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
, Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
, Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
, Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
, Florence Ballard
Florence Ballard
Florence Glenda Ballard Chapman was an American singer and a founding member of the Motown group The Supremes. From 1963 until 1967, Ballard sang on 16 Top 40 hit Supremes' singles, ten of which hit number-one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1967, Motown CEO Berry Gordy decided to remove Ballard from...
, Sammy Davis Jr., and Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
. Danny Boy
Danny Boy (singer)
Daniel O’Connor, , best known as Danny Boy O’Connor, is an American rapper and a member of the hip-hop group, House of Pain. Danny Boy moved to California in the 80s where he masterminded House of Pain, one of the first all white hip-hop groups...
is also present in Heaven as an angel.
In the censored version, the third verse of the song is completely replaced with new lyrics which talk about the struggles of living, God, and life after death. The video ends with the words "Dedicated to Mutulu Shakur
Mutulu Shakur
Mutulu Shakur , is a former proponent of the Republic of New Afrika and a close friend of Geronimo Pratt....
and Geronimo Pratt
Geronimo Pratt
Geronimo Ji Jaga , also known as Geronimo ji-Jaga Pratt born: Elmer Pratt, was a high ranking member of the Black Panther Party...
" appearing on the screen. These individuals are 2Pac's stepfather and godfather
Godparent
A godparent, in many denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a child's baptism. A male godparent is a godfather, and a female godparent is a godmother...
, respectively. The music video was voted #33 on the "MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
Top 100 of 1996" ranking music videos. The concept of the video (showing 2Pac's death and him being on Earth as an angel) was used as evidence by many who believed in the 7 Day Theory that Tupac is still alive. The music video is available on the edition of Tupac: Live at the House of Blues
Tupac: Live at the House of Blues
Tupac: Live at the House of Blues was 2Pac's last recorded performance. The album was recorded on July 4, 1996 and then released in 2005, 9 years after his death in 1996. It includes hit singles to date such as "Hit 'Em Up", "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" and "So Many Tears". Since its release it has...
.
Personnel
Filming crew- First aired: September 15, 1996
- Filmed: May 1996
- Production company: Been There
- Director(s): Tupac Shakur & Kevin Swain
- Producer(s): Taj Lewis
- Photography: Patrick Loungeway (cinematographer)
Additional crew
- 1st assistant director: Joe Oz
CD single
DRWCD5/854 843-2- "I Ain't Mad at Cha" - Edit
- "I Ain't Mad at Cha" - LP Version
- "Skandalouz"
- "Heartz of Men"
- "Hail Mary"
12" maxi single
12 DRW5/854 843-1- "I Ain't Mad at Cha" - Edit
- "I Ain't Mad at Cha" - LP Version
- "Skandalouz"
- "Heartz of Men"
Song credits
- 13. I Ain't Mad At Cha (feat. Danny Boy)
- Written by: T. Shakur, D. Arnaud, E. Jordan
- Produced by: Dat Nigga Daz
- Mixed by: DJ QuikDJ QuikDavid Martin Blake , better known by his stage name DJ Quik, is an MC and record producer. According to Quik himself, his stage name reflects his ability to produce records in short time....
& Carlos Warlick - Engineered by: Dave Aron
- Assistant Engineer: Alvin McGill
- Remix recorded by Conley Abrams
- Remix mixed by Conley Abrams
Peak positions
| Charts (1996) - Charts (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Charts | 47 |
| Deutsch Charts | 86 |
| Dutch Charts | 15 |
| New Zealand Charts | 2 |
| Swedish Charts | 35 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
13 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
58 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 18 |
External links
- Music video at MTV.com, Yahoo! Music