Hit 'Em Up

"Hit 'Em Up"
"Hit 'Em Up"
Song by 2Pac featuring Outlawz
from Death Row Greatest Hits"
A-side	"How Do U Want It"
Released	June 4, 1996
Recorded	1996
Studio	Can Am Studios, Los Angeles
Genre	West Coast hip hop; gangsta rap; hardcore hip hop;
Length	5:13
Label	Death Row; Interscope;
Songwriter(s)	Tupac Shakur; Bruce Washington; Yafeu Fula; Malcolm Greenidge; Duane Hitchings; Franne Golde; Dennis Lambert;
Producer(s)	Johnny "J"

"Hit 'Em Up" is a diss song by rapper 2Pac featuring his group the Outlawz. It was released on June 4, 1996. The song is the B-side for the song "How Do U Want It". It is from 2Pac's fourth studio album All Eyez on Me.

The song attacks many East Coast rappers and mainly attacks 2Pac's former friend and rival The Notorious B.I.G.. The song was a big part in causing the rivalry between East Coast and West Coast hip hop to become worse. "Hit 'Em Up" is considered to be one of the greatest "diss songs" ever recorded because of the explicit lyrics and the seriousness of violent intent by 2Pac and his friends towards their rivals.^[1]

Producer Johnny "J" said that Shakur was first fueled by his anger against Biggie and Bad Boy Records because he thought that they had a part in the November 30, 1994 attack on Shakur.^[2] Shakur was also angry at Biggie's release of another diss song "Who Shot Ya?" only months after the shooting happened. Even though it did not mention his name, Shakur believed that it was directed towards him. It was not.^[3] Shakur admitted that he had released "Hit 'Em Up" as a response to "Who Shot Ya?", almost two months after the 1994 attack.^[4]

References

↑ Stern, Marlow (15 August 2013). The 9 Greatest Rap Disses: Kendrick Lamar, Jay Z, 2Pac & More. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/08/15/the-9-greatest-rap-disses-kendrick-lamar-jay-z-2pac-and-more.html. Retrieved 2015-01-11.
↑ Reynolds, J.R. (June 8, 1996). "How low can you stoop? Just ask 2Pac". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc) 108 (23). ISSN 0006-2510 .
↑ Golianopoulos, Thomas (December 2006). "Spin". Spin (Spin Media LLC) 22 (12). ISSN 0886-3032 .
↑ Saxon, Shani (October 1999). "Back 2 the Essence". Vibe. Vibe Media Group. 7 (8). ISSN 1070-4701.

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[1] Stern, Marlow (15 August 2013). The 9 Greatest Rap Disses: Kendrick Lamar, Jay Z, 2Pac & More. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/08/15/the-9-greatest-rap-disses-kendrick-lamar-jay-z-2pac-and-more.html. Retrieved 2015-01-11.

[2] Reynolds, J.R. (June 8, 1996). "How low can you stoop? Just ask 2Pac". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc) 108 (23). ISSN 0006-2510 .

[3] Golianopoulos, Thomas (December 2006). "Spin". Spin (Spin Media LLC) 22 (12). ISSN 0886-3032 .

[4] Saxon, Shani (October 1999). "Back 2 the Essence". Vibe. Vibe Media Group. 7 (8). ISSN 1070-4701.

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