Keep Ya Head Up
Encyclopedia
"Keep Ya Head Up" is a late 1993 hit by Tupac Shakur
. #11 in About.com
's Top 100 Rap Songs, with "Dear Mama
" voted #4.
It was first released in Shakur's 1993 album Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.
, later appearing after his death in 1996 in his Greatest Hits compilation. A "sequel" to the song, Baby Don't Cry (Keep Ya Head Up II)
was released in 2Pac's posthumous album Still I Rise in 1999.
The beat is sampled from Zapp & Roger's "Be Alright" and the chorus is sampled from The Five Stairsteps
' "O-o-h Child", but originally it was sampled from Big Daddy Kane
's "Prince of Darkness". The song peaked at #2 on the U.S. Rap chart, #7 on the Hip Hop/R&B chart and #12 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart.
It features Dave Hollister
.
, it's still on", in reference to the L.A. Riots. The video has a basic format with Shakur rapping in the middle of a circle surrounded by a crowd of people and in some scenes seen holding a young child. At times the video shows scenes of what Shakur is rapping about. The music video also features Shakur's childhood friend Jada Pinkett Smith
.
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...
. #11 in About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
's Top 100 Rap Songs, with "Dear Mama
Dear Mama
"Dear Mama" is a hip hop song by American hip hop artist 2Pac. The track was produced by Tony Pizarro for 2Pac's third solo album, Me Against the World, which was released in 1995. The song was written by 2Pac as an ode to his own mother, Afeni Shakur....
" voted #4.
It was first released in Shakur's 1993 album Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.
Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.
2Pac's "Keep Ya Head Up " [previously-unreleased] from The Outlawz' 2Pac: Evolution 12-CD box set :goo.gl/5K81bEven more unreleased mp3s from the 2Pac: Evolution 12-CD box set:goo.gl/T5dw4...
, later appearing after his death in 1996 in his Greatest Hits compilation. A "sequel" to the song, Baby Don't Cry (Keep Ya Head Up II)
Baby Don't Cry (Keep Ya Head Up II)
"Baby Don't Cry " is a posthumous single by Tupac Shakur and Outlawz from the album Still I Rise. It features H.E.A.T., E.D.I. Mean & Young Noble and vocals from Heavynn, Erika and Tiana of pop band H.E.A.T . It was the only song from the album to have a video. It charted at #72 on the Billboard...
was released in 2Pac's posthumous album Still I Rise in 1999.
The beat is sampled from Zapp & Roger's "Be Alright" and the chorus is sampled from The Five Stairsteps
The Five Stairsteps
The Five Stairsteps, known as "The First Family of Soul", were an American Chicago soul group made up of five of Betty and Clarence Burke Sr.'s six children: Alohe Jean, Clarence Jr., James, Dennis, and Kenneth "Keni", and briefly, Cubie...
' "O-o-h Child", but originally it was sampled from Big Daddy Kane
Big Daddy Kane
Antonio Hardy better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MC's in Hip Hop...
's "Prince of Darkness". The song peaked at #2 on the U.S. Rap chart, #7 on the Hip Hop/R&B chart and #12 on the 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...
chart.
It features Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister is an American R&B vocalist who found fame during the 1990s as one quarter of the Platinum-selling R&B quartet Blackstreet before going on to a solo career.-Biography:...
.
Video
The video opens up with the words "Dedicated to the memory of Latasha HarlinsLatasha Harlins
Latasha Harlins was a 15 year-old African-American girl who was shot and killed on March 16, 1991 by Soon Ja Du, a 51 year-old Korean store owner. Harlins was a student at Westchester High School in Los Angeles, California...
, it's still on", in reference to the L.A. Riots. The video has a basic format with Shakur rapping in the middle of a circle surrounded by a crowd of people and in some scenes seen holding a young child. At times the video shows scenes of what Shakur is rapping about. The music video also features Shakur's childhood friend Jada Pinkett Smith
Jada Pinkett Smith
Jada Koren Pinkett Smith is an American actress, producer, director, author, singer-songwriter, and businesswoman. She began her career in 1990, when she made a guest appearance in the short-lived sitcom True Colors. She starred in A Different World, produced by Bill Cosby, and she featured...
.
Track listing
CDS - maxi single- "Keep Ya Head Up" (LP Version)
- "Keep Ya Head Up" (Vibe Tribe Remix)
- "Keep Ya Head Up" (Madukey Remix)
- "Rebel of the Underground"
- "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto"
Charts
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|