2Pacalypse Now cover art

  Studio Album · No. 1

2Pacalypse Now Songwriting Credits by Tupac Shakur

1991 Interscope 13 tracks 55 min

Produced by Big D the Impossible, Pee-Wee, Raw Fusion, Shock G, J-Z, Live Squad  ·  Engineered by Darrin Harris, Steve Counter, Marc Senasac, Matt Kelley

Interscope West Coast Hip-HopPolitical Hip-HopConscious Hip-Hop
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 13 of 13 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 13 / 13 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether Tupac Shakur carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
13 trackswritten by Tupac Shakur 0 tracksoutside writers
Tupac Shakur's roles on this album

Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer0%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

13
Tracks
2
Lyricists
6
Producers
500,000
US Copies Sold
1991
Released
Data Insight

2Pacalypse Now establishes Tupac's authorship pattern from the start: he wrote every verse, sitting alone in the lyricist column except where Stretch joins him, while the composer column belongs to his Digital Underground-affiliated producers and the funk and soul records they sampled, from War and George Clinton to Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder.

2Pacalypse Now is the debut studio album by Tupac Shakur, released in November 1991 while he was affiliated with Digital Underground. Overtly political and socially conscious, it tackles police brutality, teenage pregnancy, and systemic poverty, with 'Brenda's Got a Baby' becoming an early signature track. Tupac wrote all of his own lyrics, while the production came from Digital Underground figures like Shock G and Money-B and the in-house producer Big D the Impossible, building beats from funk and soul samples. The album drew national controversy when Vice President Dan Quayle condemned it after a criminal case cited the record. It was later certified gold and laid the foundation for one of rap's most influential careers.

Track Listing & Credits 13 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Young Black Male
2Pac Deon EvansGeorge Clinton Jr.Sylvester AllenHarold BrownMorris DickersonLonnie JordanCharles MillerLee OskarHoward E. Scott Big D the Impossible 2Pac (Lead Vocals)
2
Trapped
2Pac Ramone GoodenRaymond Tyson Pee-Wee 2Pac (Lead Vocals)
3
Soulja's Story
2Pac Deon EvansIsaac Hayes Big D the Impossible 2Pac (Lead Vocals)
4
I Don't Give a Fuck
2Pac Ramone Gooden Pee-Wee 2Pac (Lead Vocals)
5
Violent
2Pac Ronald BrooksDavid ElliottMaceo Parker Raw Fusion 2Pac (Lead Vocals)
6
Words of Wisdom
2Pac Gregory JacobsHerbie Hancock Shock G 2Pac (Lead Vocals)
7
Something Wicked
2Pac Jeremy Jackson J-Z 2Pac (Lead Vocals)
8
Crooked Ass Nigga
2PacStretch - Live Squad 2Pac (Lead Vocals)Stretch (Featured Vocals)
9
If My Homie Calls
2Pac Deon EvansArlester ChristianHerbie Hancock Big D the Impossible 2Pac (Lead Vocals)
10
Brenda's Got a Baby #3
2Pac Deon Evans Big D the Impossible 2Pac (Lead Vocals)Dave Hollister (Background Vocals)
11
Tha' Lunatic
2PacStretch Gregory JacobsGeorge Clinton Jr.Ron Banks Shock G 2Pac (Lead Vocals)Stretch (Featured Vocals)
12
Rebel of the Underground
2Pac Deon Evans Shock G 2Pac (Lead Vocals)
13
Part Time Mutha
2Pac Deon EvansStevie Wonder Big D the Impossible 2Pac (Lead Vocals)Angelique (Featured Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 31 contributors

More from Tupac Shakur

Frequently Asked Questions 2Pacalypse Now

Did Tupac write 2Pacalypse Now?
Yes. Tupac wrote all of his own lyrics. The production came from Digital Underground figures like Shock G and Money-B and the producer Big D the Impossible.
Why was 2Pacalypse Now controversial?
Vice President Dan Quayle publicly condemned the album after a criminal case referenced it, calling it unfit for society, which amplified its profile.
What is Brenda's Got a Baby about?
It tells the story of a young girl who becomes pregnant and is abandoned, a socially conscious narrative that became one of Tupac's defining early songs.
Who produced 2Pacalypse Now?
Production came mainly from Big D the Impossible, Shock G, Pee-Wee, and Raw Fusion, members and affiliates of the Digital Underground camp.
How did 2Pacalypse Now sell?
It was certified gold by the RIAA for selling more than 500,000 copies in the United States.
Was 2Pacalypse Now Tupac's debut?
Yes. It was his first solo studio album, released in 1991 after his work with Digital Underground.

Sources