"Changes" is a song by American rapper
2Pac
Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...
featuring vocals by the group Talent first released as a
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
from Shakur's
greatest hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
compilation on October 13, 1998. The song makes references to the
war on drugs
The war on drugs is a Globalization, global campaign, led by the United States federal government, of prohibition of drugs, drug prohibition, military aid, and military intervention, with the aim of reducing the illegal drug trade in the Unite ...
, the treatment of
black people
Black is a racialized classification of people, usually a political and skin color-based category for specific populations with a mid to dark brown complexion. Not all people considered "black" have dark skin; in certain countries, often in s ...
by the police,
racism
Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism ...
, the
reconciliation
Reconciliation or reconcile may refer to:
Accounting
* Reconciliation (accounting)
Arts, entertainment, and media Sculpture
* ''Reconciliation'' (Josefina de Vasconcellos sculpture), a sculpture by Josefina de Vasconcellos in Coventry Cathedra ...
between the black and white people in America, the perpetuation of
poverty
Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little income. Poverty can have diverse social, economic, and political causes and effects. When evaluating poverty in ...
and its accompanying vicious-cycle value system in urban
African American culture
African-American culture refers to the contributions of African Americans to the culture of the United States, either as part of or distinct from mainstream American culture. The culture is both distinct and enormously influential on Ameri ...
, and the difficulties of life in the
ghetto
A ghetto, often called ''the'' ghetto, is a part of a city in which members of a minority group live, especially as a result of political, social, legal, environmental or economic pressure. Ghettos are often known for being more impoverished t ...
. "Changes" samples
Bruce Hornsby and the Range
Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. His music draws from folk rock, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Southern rock, country rock, jam band, rock, heartland rock, and blues rock musical traditions. ...
’s song "
The Way It Is The Way It Is may refer to:
Music
* ''The Way It Is'' (Bruce Hornsby album), by Bruce Hornsby and the Range
** "The Way It Is" (Bruce Hornsby song), the title song
* ''The Way It Is'' (Glenn Hughes album), or the title song
* ''The Way It Is' ...
".
Production and recording
The song was originally recorded during his tenure at
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
in 1992 and was produced by Big D The Impossible (Deon Evans). "Changes" was later remixed in 1998 by Poke from
Trackmasters
The Trackmasters are an American hip hop production duo composed of music producers Poke (Jean-Claude Olivier) and Tone (Samuel Barnes), best known for their commercial hit records in the mid-late 1990s and early 2000s. Frank "Nitty" Pimentel joi ...
.
The song re-uses lines from "
I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto
"I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto" is a song by American rapper 2Pac. It was released as the first single from the posthumous album ''R U Still Down? (Remember Me)''. The original version, titled "I Wonda if Heaven's Got a Ghetto", was released as ...
" which was recorded during the same year, and samples the 1986 hit "
The Way It Is The Way It Is may refer to:
Music
* ''The Way It Is'' (Bruce Hornsby album), by Bruce Hornsby and the Range
** "The Way It Is" (Bruce Hornsby song), the title song
* ''The Way It Is'' (Glenn Hughes album), or the title song
* ''The Way It Is' ...
" by
Bruce Hornsby and the Range
Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. His music draws from folk rock, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Southern rock, country rock, jam band, rock, heartland rock, and blues rock musical traditions. ...
. The chorus of "The Way It Is" was slightly reworded and sung by Talent and was used for this song. At times Tupac re-used lines from other unreleased songs because he planned to make an updated version at a later date. However, since his death many of the unreleased and unmastered songs have been officially released.
The remixed version released in 1998 has notably different percussion, and a few minor changes to the musical elements. The chorus on the original track features a notable difference in a vocal sample of the line, "It's like that and that's the way it is", from
Run DMC
Run-DMC (also spelled Run-D.M.C.) was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of ...
's "
It's Like That", which is also played twice during the intro. The second chorus adds the
Ice Cube
An ice cube is a small piece of ice, which is typically rectangular as viewed from above and trapezoidal as viewed from the side. Ice cubes are products of mechanical refrigeration and are usually produced to cool beverages. They may be produc ...
line, "Dope dealers, you're as bad as the police", from his song, "Us". The third chorus omits the Ice Cube sample and adds
B-boy
Breakdancing, also called breaking or b-boying/b-girling, is an athletic style of street dance originating from the African American and Puerto Rican communities in the United States. While diverse in the amount of variation available in ...
-style chant with an unknown person repeating, "Clap your hands and feel it, clap your hands and feel it!" until the song ends.
Samples
The song is an interpretation of the 1986 hit "
The Way It Is The Way It Is may refer to:
Music
* ''The Way It Is'' (Bruce Hornsby album), by Bruce Hornsby and the Range
** "The Way It Is" (Bruce Hornsby song), the title song
* ''The Way It Is'' (Glenn Hughes album), or the title song
* ''The Way It Is' ...
" by
Bruce Hornsby and the Range
Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. His music draws from folk rock, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Southern rock, country rock, jam band, rock, heartland rock, and blues rock musical traditions. ...
, and was further influenced by the 1972 hit "
Changes
Changes may refer to:
Books
* ''Changes'', the 12th novel in Jim Butcher's ''The Dresden Files'' Series
* ''Changes'', a novel by Danielle Steel
* ''Changes'', a trilogy of novels on which the BBC TV series was based, written by Peter Dickinson ...
" by
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
. Bay Area rapper
E-40
Earl Tywone Stevens Sr. (born November 15, 1967), better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper. He is a founding member of the rap group The Click, and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. He has released 26 studio albums to date, a ...
had interpreted the song already on his track, "Things'll Never Change", for his album ''
Tha Hall of Game
''Tha Hall of Game'' is the third studio album by American rapper E-40, released October 27, 1996, on Jive and Sick Wid It Records. The album features production by Ant Banks, Mike Mosley, Rick Rock, Studio Ton and Tone Capone. It peaked at num ...
''. The Tupac "Changes" instrumental was used by
Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse, often abbreviated as ICP, is an American hip hop duo. Formed in Detroit in 1989 as a gangsta rap group, ICP's best known lineup consists of rappers Violent J (Joseph Bruce) and Shaggy 2 Dope (originally 2 Dope; Joseph Utsler ...
in "Mom Song", a Mother's Day song.
Nas
Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones.
Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to:
Aviation
* Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea
* National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia
** Nas Air ( ...
sampled the song for his song "Black President".
Polo G
Taurus Tremani Bartlett (born January 6, 1999), known professionally as Polo G, is an American rapper. He rose to prominence with his singles "Finer Things (Polo G song), Finer Things" and "Pop Out" (featuring Lil Tjay). His debut album ''Die a ...
interpolated "Changes" on his 2020 song "Wishing for a Hero". “Changes” samples the drum loop from the 1984 song "Set It Off” by Strafe.
Overview
The song was a number-one hit in Norway and the Netherlands and reached the top ten in the singles charts of several other countries, including number three in the United Kingdom, which gained Tupac a broader audience.
Released
posthumously
Posthumous may refer to:
* Posthumous award - an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death
* Posthumous publication – material published after the author's death
* ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1987
* ''Posthumous'' (E ...
on his album ''
Greatest Hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
'', the song talks about all of the different issues that were related to Tupac's era of influence—notably racism,
police brutality
Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, but is not limited to, ...
, drugs and
gang violence
A gang is a group or society of associates, friends or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collectivel ...
. The "Huey" that 2Pac mentions in the song ("two shots in the dark, now Huey's dead") is
Huey P. Newton
Huey Percy Newton (February 17, 1942 – August 22, 1989) was an African-American revolutionary, notable as founder of the Black Panther Party. Newton crafted the Party's ten-point manifesto with Bobby Seale in 1966.
Under Newton's leadershi ...
, founder of the
Black Panther Party
The Black Panther Party (BPP), originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, was a Marxist-Leninist and black power political organization founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton in October 1966 in Oakland, Califo ...
. The song refers to the
possibility of a black president of the United States, claiming "we ain't ready". Further, the last verse of the song refers to Tupac's imagining himself being shot to death, mimicking the sound of the gun with the phrase "rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat".
The Chris Hafner-directed
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
is a compilation of a number of previous music videos Tupac released in addition to home videos and never-before-seen pictures, similar to the format of
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...
's "
Dead Wrong", also released in 1999.
Critical reception
Chuck Taylor of ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' wrote, "This latest posthumous Tupac Shakur release is an unquestionable smash. Cleverly sampling
Bruce Hornsby and the Range
Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. His music draws from folk rock, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Southern rock, country rock, jam band, rock, heartland rock, and blues rock musical traditions. ...
's No. 1 "
The Way It Is The Way It Is may refer to:
Music
* ''The Way It Is'' (Bruce Hornsby album), by Bruce Hornsby and the Range
** "The Way It Is" (Bruce Hornsby song), the title song
* ''The Way It Is'' (Glenn Hughes album), or the title song
* ''The Way It Is' ...
" from 1986, the rapper masterfully talks to his disciples like a pastor delivering a motivating and positive sermon to his congregation. He tells of the trials and tribulations of life in the
ghetto
A ghetto, often called ''the'' ghetto, is a part of a city in which members of a minority group live, especially as a result of political, social, legal, environmental or economic pressure. Ghettos are often known for being more impoverished t ...
and is blunt about the need for change and an end to black-on-black violence, saying that 'misplaced hate makes disgrace to races.' This track is a must for any playlist and ironic in that its all-important message surfaces after the artist became a victim of what his song addresses." The track was selected by
the Vatican as part of their 2009
MySpace music playlist.
"Changes" is widely regarded as one of Shakur's greatest songs. In 2017, ''
Consequence
Consequence may refer to:
* Logical consequence, also known as a ''consequence relation'', or ''entailment''
* In operant conditioning, a result of some behavior
* Consequentialism, a theory in philosophy in which the morality of an act is determi ...
'' ranked the song number two on their list of the 20 greatest Tupac Shakur songs, and in 2020, ''
Far Out'' ranked the song number six on their list of the 10 greatest Tupac Shakur songs.
Accolades
"Changes" was nominated for
Best Rap Solo Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance was awarded from 1991 to 2011, alongside the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Previously, a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance.
In 2003, this award was split into separate a ...
at the
Grammy Awards of 2000
The 42nd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 23, 2000, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1999. Nominations were announced on January 4, 2000. Santana was the main ...
and remains the only posthumous song to be nominated in this category. It was also nominated at the
MTV Video Music Award
The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
for Best Editing in a Video & Best Rap Video in 1999.
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
External links
Music video on MTV.com
{{Authority control
1998 singles
1998 songs
Tupac Shakur songs
Interscope Records singles
Death Row Records singles
Songs released posthumously
Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
Number-one singles in Norway
UK Independent Singles Chart number-one singles
Songs written by Bruce Hornsby
Songs written by Tupac Shakur
Political rap songs
Protest songs
Songs about poverty
Songs about drugs
Songs against racism and xenophobia
Criticism of police brutality
Songs about police brutality
Songs about revenge