Ghetto Gospel

"Ghetto Gospel"
Song

Ghetto Gospel is a posthumous song by rapper Tupac Shakur, on his 2004 album Loyal to the Game. The song features Elton John, as it samples his song Indian Sunset from his 1971 album Madman Across the Water. The track discusses the evil 2Pac perceived in society and his lyrics state a number of reasons why our lives are ruled by fear. He pays tribute to murdered black activists Malcolm X and Bobby Hutton. Some people think that 2Pac also paid tribute to Huey Newton

The released version is based off an alternate take of the original version, which contained four verses by 2Pac. Eminem removed part of 2Pac's first verse ("We never really went through that, 'cause we were born B.C., you and me before crack... And now-a-days things changed...".)

"Ghetto Gospel" was the only song on Loyal to the Game with an accompanying music video. Despite the track featuring Elton John, he did not appear in the video clip. It instead featured J.D. Williams. Towards the end of the video, 2Pac is shot but then appears at his own funeral, fueling rumors that the rapper's death was faked. At the very 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".

Popularity

On 26 June 2005, "Ghetto Gospel" knocked the Crazy Frog song "Axel F" off the number 1 chart spot in the UK, giving 2Pac his first UK number 1 single. His next-highest charting UK song is 1999's "Changes", which peaked at number 3. "Ghetto Gospel" was later knocked off the chart by James Blunt's "You're Beautiful". The song debuted at #1 in Australia.