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Ghetto Gospel
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Wikipedia article
"'Ghetto Gospel'" is a song by rapper Tupac Shakur, which was released as the lead single from his 2004 posthumous album 'Loyal to the Game'. The song was produced by rapper Eminem and features English musician Elton John through a sample from 1971s "Indian Sunset".
The single topped the charts in the United Kingdom (for 3 weeks), Australia, Czech Republic, and the Republic of Ireland. In New Zealand it peaked at number 3. The song was written by Tupac as an outcry to "end the war on the streets", addressing the futility of racial difference and dissidence, particularly under the unifying banner of poverty. He also pays tribute to murdered black activists Malcolm X and Bobby Hutton in the song.
In response to Eminem's remix, Elton John said: "how he's managed to meld [Indian Sunset] with Tupac, I'll never know. It's just genius."
Original version
Tupac recorded the song for inclusion on the 1992 Christmas-themed compilation album 'A Very Special Christmas 2', but due to his legal troubles, the song was dropped from the compilation and was never released. This version has a much faster tempo and has a third and fourth verse which didn't feature in the 2004 remix. This version was produced by Big D The Impossible, a regular producer on Tupac's first two albums; '2Pacalypse Now' and 'Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.' and does not contain the "Indian Sunset" sample, but builds on a sample of Tracy Chapman's song "Crossroads" instead.
Music video
"Ghetto Gospel" was the only song on 'Loyal to the Game' with an accompanying . The music video showcases the last day of a man's life before he is fatally shot in the evening. Neither 2Pac nor Elton John physically appeared in the video - though clips of 2Pac are shown on a television. Towards the end of the music video, the actor (J. D. Williams) is shot but then appears at his own funeral, fueling rumors that the rapper's death was faked. At the end of the video, there is a message from his mother, Afeni Shakur, saying "Remember to keep yourself alive, there is nothing more important than that".
Track listing
;CD single
;UK CD single
Official versions
* Ghetto Gospel (Album Version Explicit)
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
References
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