Ghetto Gospel

"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 1971‘s "Indian Sunset".

For the Rod Wave album, see Ghetto Gospel (album).
"Ghetto Gospel"
Single by 2Pac featuring Elton John
from the album Loyal to the Game
B-side"Thugs Get Lonely Too"
ReleasedApril 25, 2005[1]
Recorded1992
Genre
Length3:58
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Eminem
2Pac singles chronology
"Thugs Get Lonely Too"
(2004)		 "Ghetto Gospel"
(2005)		 "Untouchable"
(2006)

The single topped the charts in the United Kingdom (for 3 weeks),[2] 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."[3]

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.[4] 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.[5]

Music video

"Ghetto Gospel" was the only song on Loyal to the Game with an accompanying music video on YouTube. 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
No.TitleWriter(s)Sample(s)Length
1."Ghetto Gospel"
*Contains elements from "Indian Sunset" by Elton John3:58
UK CD single
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Ghetto Gospel"
Eminem3:58
2."Thugs Get Lonely Too" (feat. Nate Dogg)
Eminem4:48

Official versions
  • Ghetto Gospel (Album Version Explicit)

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[29] Platinum 70,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[30] Gold 45,000
Germany (BVMI)[31] Gold 150,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[32] Gold 5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[33] Platinum 600,000

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Ghetto Gospel - 2Pac | Release Credits".
  2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London. pp. 713–4. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. Petridis, Alexis (February 4, 2005). "Mylo: Would you ever play Glastonbury? Elton: Oh no - I'm too like the Queen Mother". The Guardian. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  4. Video on YouTube
  5. "2Pac's 'Ghetto Gospel (Original Version)' - Discover the Sample Source". WhoSampled.
  6. "2 Pac – Ghetto Gospel". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  7. "Issue 832" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  8. "2Pac – Ghetto Gospel" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  9. "2Pac – Ghetto Gospel" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  10. "2Pac – Ghetto Gospel" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  11. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 20061 into search. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  12. "2Pac – Ghetto Gospel". Tracklisten. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  13. Archived April 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  14. "2Pac – Ghetto Gospel" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  15. "2pac and Elton John - Ghetto Gospel - Music Charts". Acharts.us. Retrieved 2012-04-09.
  16. "2 Pac – Ghetto Gospel". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  17. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  18. "2 Pac – Ghetto Gospel". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  19. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  20. "ARIA End of Year Singles Chart 2005". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  21. "Jahreshitparade Singles 2005". austriancharts.at. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  22. "Year End European Hot 100 Singles Chart 2005 01 – 2005 52" (PDF). Billboard. VNU Media. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 18, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  23. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  24. "2005 Irish Singles Chart". IRMA. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  25. "End of Year Charts 2005". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  26. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2005 – hitparade.ch". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  27. "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2005". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  28. "2006 UK Singles Chart" (PDF). ChartsPlus. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  29. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2005 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  30. "Danish single certifications – 2Pac feat. Elton John – Ghetto Gospel". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  31. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (2 Pac; 'Ghetto Gospel')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  32. "Latest Gold / Platinum Singles". Radioscope. 21 August 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-08-31. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  33. "British single certifications – 2Pac – Ghetto Gospel". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
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