"Temptations" is a song by American

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

Tupac Shakur 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 Li ...

(2Pac) from his third studio album, ''

Me Against the World ''Me Against the World'' is the third studio album by American rapper 2Pac. It was released on March 14, 1995, by Interscope and Jive Records. 2Pac draws lyrical inspiration from his impending prison sentence, troubles with the police, and pove ...

'' (1995). It was released as a single in the US on August 29, 1995, and was released as a CD,

cassette Cassette may refer to: Technology * Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback ** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in the ...

, and 12" promo. While rapping is solely performed by Shakur,

Erick Sermon Erick Sermon (born November 25, 1968) is an American rapper, musician, and record producer. He is best known as one-third—alongside PMD & DJ Scratch—of 1980s/1990s hip hop group EPMD and for his production work. Career Sermon started profe ...

and producer

Easy Mo Bee Osten Harvey Jr. (born December 8, 1965), better known by his stage name Easy Mo Bee, is an American hip hop and R&B record producer, known for his production work for artists such as Big Daddy Kane and Miles Davis, as well as his affiliatio ...

are also featured in the song primarily as background vocalists. The song uses the

bassline Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, Dub music, dub and electronic music, electronic, traditional music, traditional, or classical music for the low-pitched Part ( ...

from the " Computer Love", and the theme focuses on relationship and

infidelity Infidelity (synonyms include cheating, straying, adultery, being unfaithful, two-timing, or having an affair) is a violation of a couple's emotional and/or sexual exclusivity that commonly results in feelings of anger, sexual jealousy, and riva ...

issues. Debuting at number sixty-eight on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, the song did fairly well in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. It was also well received by critics, with many writers commenting on its romantic tone. The song's music video does not have any shots of Shakur, since he was incarcerated at the time. Instead, the video features many celebrities such as

Coolio Artis Leon Ivey Jr. (August 1, 1963 – September 28, 2022), known professionally as Coolio, was an American rapper. First rising to fame as a member of the gangsta rap group WC and the Maad Circle, Coolio achieved mainstream success as a solo ...

, Ice-T,

Treach Anthony Criss (born December 2, 1970), better known by his stage name Treach, is an American rapper and actor. He is perhaps best known as the lead rapper of the hip hop group Naughty by Nature. Career With Naughty by Nature, Treach worked ...

Issac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, actor, songwriter, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwri ...

Warren G Warren Griffin III (born November 10, 1970) is an American rapper and producer known for his role in West Coast rap's 1990s ascent.Steve Huey"Warren G: Biography" ''AllMusic.com'', Netaktion LLC, visited May 8, 2020. Along with Snoop Dogg and N ...

Adina Howard Adina Marie Howard (born November 14, 1973) is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to fame during the mid-1990s with her debut album, ''Do You Wanna Ride?'' and her debut single, "Freak like Me". Some of her other minor hits include "Wh ...

Shock G Gregory Edward Jacobs (August 25, 1963 – April 22, 2021), known professionally as Shock G and by his alter ego Humpty Hump, was an American rapper and musician who was best known as the lead vocalist of the hip hop group Digital Underground. ...

B-Real Louis Mario Freese (born June 2, 1970), known by his stage name B-Real, is an American rapper. Since 1991, he has been one of two lead rappers in the hip hop group Cypress Hill, along with Sen Dog. He has also been a part of the rap metal band ...

Marcus Chong Marcus Scott Chong (né Wyatt; born July 8, 1967) is an American actor. He is known for playing Miguel Mendez in the short-lived crime drama, ''Street Justice'' (1991–1993), real-life activist Huey P. Newton in ''Panther'' (1995), directed by ...

, and

Kenya Moore Kenya Summer Moore (born January 24, 1971) is an American actress, model, producer, author, television personality, and entrepreneur. She is best known for winning the Miss USA pageant in 1993 and being a main cast member on Bravo's reality seri ...

. Taking place in a

hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...

, the video opens and closes with the

concierge A concierge () is an employee of a multi-tenant building, such as a hotel or apartment building, who receives guests. The concept has been applied more generally to other hospitality settings and to personal concierges who manage the errands of ...

(Ice-T) complaining about Coolio (a

bellboy A bellhop (North America), or hotel porter (international), is a hotel employee who helps patrons with their luggage while checking in or out. Bellhops often wear a uniform (see bell-boy hat), like certain other page boys or doormen. This o ...

). The main plot of the video follows Coolio while he is working in the

Writing and composition

The idea for "Temptations" began in late 1993 when

record producer A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...

came to Shakur while he was on the set of ''

Above the Rim ''Above the Rim'' is a 1994 American sports drama film co-written and directed by Jeff Pollack in his directorial debut. The screenplay was written by Barry Michael Cooper, adapted from a story by Benny Medina. The film stars Duane Martin, Tu ...

'' (1994). At

Rucker Park Greg Marius Court at Holcombe Rucker Park is a basketball court in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, at 155th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, just east of the former Polo Grounds site. It is geographically at the base of a large cliff ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, Mo Bee approached Shakur with several different songs they could sample from in the ''

'' album. Out of the pieces he showed the rapper, Shakur favored the Zapp song " Computer Love." Despite being frequently sampled in the past by other artists, Shakur proposed that they simply speed up the

tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...

of "Computer Love" and use a low

frequency Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time. It is also occasionally referred to as ''temporal frequency'' for clarity, and is distinct from ''angular frequency''. Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz) which is eq ...

automatic filter to retrieve the song's bassline. After adding new beats and synth pads/leads, Mo Bee decided to add a sample of the Redman and

song "Watch Yo Nuggets", which contributes to much of the song's

tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...

section with the repeated line of "Hey." The song's

hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...

samples "Overnight Sensation" by Avalanche, " Sing a Simple Song" by

Sly & the Family Stone Sly and the Family Stone was an American band from San Francisco. Active from 1966 to 1983, it was pivotal in the development of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelic music. Its core line-up was led by singer-songwriter, record producer, and multi-i ...

and the guitar from " In the Rain" by

The Dramatics The Dramatics are an American soul music vocal group, formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1964. They are best known for their 1970s hit songs " In the Rain" and "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get", both of which were Top 10 Pop hits, as well as their late ...

. The song also features Mo Bee and some of his friends singing harmonies. "Temptations" deals with a male-female relationship, where Shakur is—in Mo Bee's word's—basically saying to his significant other, "I like the time I'm spendin' with ou but baby, I'm busy." Other than the theme of the relationship issues, the song also focuses on the ability for anyone to feel lonely. The lines "'cause even thugs get lonely, understand. Even the hardest of my homies need attention; catch you blowin' up the telephone, reminiscing." from the third verse, are explained by William Buckholz in his 2011 book, ''Understand Rap: Explanations of Confusing Rap Lyrics You and Your Grandma Can Understand.'' He states that despite having a "tough" attitude and exterior, thugs are not emotionless. Buckholz goes on to say that there are times where everyone longs for the company of someone—be a friend or significant other—so they can share feelings and troubles with.

Music video

Despite being the only rapper to perform in the song's musical composition, the music video neglects an appearance by Shakur because of his incarceration for alleged

sexual abuse Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assa ...

. Set in

Hotel Alexandria The Hotel Alexandria is a historic building constructed as a luxury hotel at the beginning of the 20th century in what was then the heart of downtown Los Angeles. As the business center of the city moved gradually westward, the hotel decayed and g ...

and directed by David Nelson, the video features celebrity guest appearances by

Bill Bellamy William Bellamy (born April 7, 1965) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. Bellamy first gained national notoriety on HBO's Russell Simmons' ''Def Comedy Jam'', where he is credited for creating or coining the phrase "booty call", descri ...

Cheryl James Cheryl Renee James (born March 28, 1966), better known by her stage name Salt, is an American rapper. She is best known as a member of the female rap trio Salt-N-Pepa, which also includes Pepa ( Sandra Denton) and Spinderella ( Deidra "Dee Dee" ...

Crystal Waters Crystal Waters (born November 19, 1961) is an American house and dance music singer and songwriter, best known for her 1990s dance hits " Gypsy Woman", " 100% Pure Love", and 2007's " Destination Calabria" with Alex Gaudino. All three of her s ...

DJ Spinderella Deidra Muriel Roper (born August 3, 1970), known professionally as DJ Spinderella or simply Spinderella, is an American DJ, rapper and producer. She is best known as a member of the hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa. Roper occasionally appeared in '' T ...

, Ice-T,

Isaac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, actor, songwriter, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwri ...

Jada Pinkett Smith Jada Koren Pinkett Smith (; née Pinkett; born September 18, 1971) is an American actress and talk show host. She is co-host of the Facebook Watch talk show '' Red Table Talk'', for which she has received a Daytime Emmy Award. ''Time'' named ...

Jasmine Guy Jasmine Guy (born March 10, 1962) is an American actress, director, singer and dancer. She is known for her role as Dina in the 1988 film ''School Daze'' and as Whitley Gilbert-Wayne on the NBC ''The Cosby Show'' spin-off ''A Different World'', ...

Joe Torry Joe Torry is an American actor and comedian. Filmography Film Television References External links * *Joe Torry's Giving Back the Love Foundation Year of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people) Living ...

Taye Diggs Scott Leo "Taye" Diggs (born January 2, 1971) is an American stage and film actor. He is known for his roles in the Broadway musicals ''Rent'' and '' Hedwig and the Angry Inch'', the TV series ''Private Practice'' (2007-2013), ''Murder in the ...

, and

Yo-Yo A yo-yo (also spelled yoyo) is a toy consisting of an axle connected to two disks, and a string looped around the axle, similar to a spool. It is an ancient toy with proof of existence since 500 BCE. The yo-yo was also called a bandalore in ...

. Nelson said the video's production was ambitious, stating: "It's an incredible challenge to make a creative clip of a song without the artist." He goes onto say that Coolio helped enormously because he was the first to commit to his role as the

. Nelson says that Coolio's role "provides the thread that weaves together the entire concept of the video." Yvette Lang, who executive produced the clip for F.M. Rocks, described the filming to be like a "big party" to show their support for Shakur. Ice-T's role as the

was not originally intended. At first, there was a comedian set to play his role, but he ended up cancelling at the last minute. Since Ice-T was only available to shoot in the morning, Nelson decided to make him the concierge. The director called it a "strange blessing" since he is more memorable as a concierge, rather than his intended role. The music video opens with Ice-T, the concierge, and Coolio, the bellboy, in a hotel

lobby Lobby may refer to: * Lobby (room), an entranceway or foyer in a building * Lobbying, the action or the group used to influence a viewpoint to politicians :* Lobbying in the United States, specific to the United States * Lobby (food), a thick stew ...

. Ice-T is getting onto Coolio about how he does not put forth enough effort in his work and does not deserve the job. The song begins to play after this scene ends, and the plot follows Coolio who, while on the job, sees acts of

strip poker file:strip solitaire.jpg, alt= A man sits on a pillow facing away from the viewer, wearing only a belt and a bandanna. He holds a fanned hand of playing cards. An electric guitar and other objects frame the edges of the image., A man plays a strip ...

lesbian A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...

affairs, and several sexual scenarios. The bellboy eventually is invited into one of the rooms and the music comes to an end. The video ends with a scene of Ice-T continuing to complain about the bellboy's

work ethic Work ethic is a belief that work and diligence have a moral benefit and an inherent ability, virtue or value to strengthen character and individual abilities. It is a set of values centered on importance of work and manifested by determination o ...

Controversy

The ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

'' inquires that the video deals with acts which lead to Shakur's imprisonment, commenting: "The clip itself practically invites that kind of scrutiny. The hotel setting and explicit sex echo Shakur's own crimes, which involved sodomy occurring in a hotel." Nelson denies these claims, insisting that it is purely coincidental that Shakur was imprisoned for similar occurrences.

Critical reception

Steve Huey at

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

described the piece as a romance, and said that it gave a "new meaning as an escape from the hellish pressure of everyday life."

Cheo Hodari Coker Cheo Hodari Coker (born December 12, 1972) is an American former music journalist turned television writer and producer known for such television series as ''Luke Cage'', '' NCIS: Los Angeles'', '' Southland'' and '' Ray Donovan''. Coker also wro ...

of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' said the song is based on a slow beat and "avoids formulaic, radio-friendly material," and instead focuses on rhymes and confessions from the heart.

Jon Pareles Jon Pareles (born October 25, 1953) is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of ''The New York Times''.The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' wrote that Shakur is describing himself as a "touring rap star" with the song line: "Even though I'm known for my one-night stands, I want to be an honest man." Jordan Spak wrote in the ''

Sun-Sentinel The ''Sun Sentinel'' (also known as the ''South Florida Sun Sentinel'', known until 2008 as the ''Sun-Sentinel'', and stylized on its masthead as ''SunSentinel'') is the main daily newspaper of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as well as surrounding Br ...

Tribune Company Tribune Media Company, also known as Tribune Company, was an American multimedia conglomerate headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Through Tribune Broadcasting, Tribune Media was one of the largest television broadcasting companies, owning 39 ...

that Tupac is apologizing to his listeners and defining his stance on moral rights and wrongs.

Chart performance

"Temptations" did fairly well on United States charts. It spent six weeks on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at number sixty-eight. The song debuted at number thirteen on the US

Hot Rap Singles Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by '' Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stat ...

, and spent fourteen weeks on the

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...

, debuting at number thirty-five.

Charts

Weekly charts

Formats and track listings

; CD single ;

Cassette single A cassette single (CS), also known by the trademark cassingle, or capitalised as the trademark Cassette Single, is a music single supplied in the form of a Compact Cassette. The cassette single was first introduced in 1980. History The debu ...

; 12" LP promo ;Cassette promo ;CD promo ;Cassette

Maxi single A maxi single or maxi-single (sometimes abbreviated to MCD or CDM) is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an A-side song and a B-side song. The first maxi singles Mungo Jerry's first single, "In the Summertime" was the ...

References

;Literature * * * * ;Notes {{Authority control 1994 songs 1995 singles Tupac Shakur songs Interscope Records singles Song recordings produced by Easy Mo Bee Songs written by George Clinton (funk musician) Songs written by Larry Troutman Songs written by Roger Troutman Songs written by Tupac Shakur Songs written by Easy Mo Bee Songs written by Shirley Murdock Songs written by Garry Shider he:Temptations