Editing Loyal to the Game

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Loyal to the Game
| type       = studio album
| artist     = [[Tupac Shakur|2Pac]]
| cover      = Tupac Shakur - Loyal to the Game.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = {{start date|2004|12|14}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=2+Pac&ti=Loyal+to+the+Game#search_section|title=Gold & Platinum|website=[[Recording Industry Association of America]]}}</ref>
| recorded   = 1991–1994 (2Pac's vocals) 2003–2004 (Production, guest vocals and mixing)
| studio     =
| genre      = {{hlist|[[East Coast hip hop]]|[[West Coast hip hop]]|[[gangsta rap]]}}
| length     = 64:56
| label      = {{hlist|[[Amaru Entertainment|Amaru]]|[[Interscope Records|Interscope]]}}
| producer   = {{hlist|[[Eminem]] (also [[Executive producer#Music|exec.]])|[[DJ Quik]]|[[Luis Resto (musician)|Luis Resto]]|[[Raphael Saadiq]]|[[Red Spyda]]|[[Scott Storch]]}}
| prev_title = [[2Pac Live]]
| prev_year  = 2004
| next_title = [[Live at the House of Blues (Tupac Shakur album)|Live at the House of Blues]]
| next_year  = 2005
| misc       = {{Singles
 | name        = Loyal to the Game
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = [[Thugs Get Lonely Too]]
 | single1date = September 23, 2004
 | single2     = [[Ghetto Gospel]]
 | single2date = April 25, 2005<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/ghetto-gospel-mr0002242793|title = Ghetto Gospel - 2Pac &#124; Release Credits|website = [[AllMusic]]}}</ref>
}}
}}

'''''Loyal to the Game''''' is the ninth studio album and fifth [[:wikt:posthumous|posthumous]] studio album by American rapper [[Tupac Shakur]]. The album was produced by [[Eminem]] and consists of remixes of previously unreleased music recorded by Tupac before his death in 1996. Released in the United States on December 14, 2004, ''Loyal to the Game'' debuted at number one on the US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart.<ref name="BB200" /> It was later certified [[RIAA Certification|Platinum]] by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA).<ref name="RIAA" />

== Background ==
During an interview with [[MTV]], [[Eminem]] stated he was so moved by Tupac's life and work that he wrote a letter to Tupac's mother, [[Afeni Shakur]], asking her to consider letting him produce his next album. Shakur agreed, allowing Eminem to produce three new songs for the 2003 soundtrack album, ''[[Tupac: Resurrection (soundtrack)|Tupac: Resurrection]]'', and the entirety of ''Loyal to the Game'', bar bonus content.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0448,essay,58824,15.html|title=The Village Voice|first=Jon|last=Caramanica|website=Villagevoice.com|access-date=December 14, 2024}}</ref>

All songs on the album were recorded prior to Tupac's involvement in the controversial [[East Coast–West Coast hip-hop rivalry]], serving as the second posthumous album released consisting of material from this time period, the first being 1997's ''[[R U Still Down? (Remember Me)]]''. Although the songs are mostly unreleased, the title track, "Loyal to the Game", was previously released on the [[cassette tape|cassette]] edition of the 1994 soundtrack album ''[[Above the Rim (soundtrack)|Above the Rim]]'', and subsequently as the [[A-side and B-side|B-side]] to the album's lead single, "[[Regulate (song)|Regulate]]".

The album featured two singles:  "[[Thugs Get Lonely Too]]", which served as a [[promotional recording|promotional single]] for the album, and "[[Ghetto Gospel]]", which served as the lead single.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Loyal-Game-2Pac/dp/B0006IGGLS|title = Loyal to the Game|website = Amazon|year = 2004}}</ref> Originally, "Ghetto Gospel" was recorded for inclusion on the 1992 Christmas compilation ''[[A Very Special Christmas 2]]'', but due to Tupac's legal troubles, the song was dropped from the album.{{citation needed |date=February 2023}} This original version has a much faster tempo and features a third and fourth verse which didn't feature in Eminem's remix.<ref name="Deon Evans Interview">{{cite web |last1=Evans |first1=Deon |title=Deon Evans Interview Part 1: About How He Met 2Pac, Dope Fiends Diner & Breaking Down Ghetto Gospel |date=August 23, 2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvAh4PSA1Jo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/cvAh4PSA1Jo |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|publisher=2PacForumChannel |access-date=January 31, 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|w7OQgDrh-R0}}</ref>

== Production ==
''Loyal to the Game'' marks the only posthumous Tupac album not to feature any original production. When remixing these songs, Eminem used various unusual production techniques, namely, modifying the pace and pitch of Tupac's voice to better suit the instrumentals he produced. The style of the production on the album fitted more to the form of a [[Shady Records|Shady]]/[[Aftermath Entertainment|Aftermath]] release, of which Eminem partly created, than it did to any original or previous posthumous Tupac release.<ref name="aeom">{{Cite web|url=http://www.alleyezonme.com/lyrics/loyaltothegame.phtml|title=2Pac (Tupac Shakur) Loyal to the Game Lyrics Sounds and More|date=October 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016160021/http://www.alleyezonme.com/lyrics/loyaltothegame.phtml |access-date=December 14, 2024|archive-date=October 16, 2012 }}</ref> There were also various uses of cutting and pasting vocals to produce new words synonymous with rap culture at that time, such as making it sound as though Tupac is saying, "2005", "[[G-Unit]]", "[[Obie Trice]]" and "[[Eminem|Em]]".<ref name="aeom" />

Although ''Loyal to the Game'' was produced by Eminem, the album does feature four bonus remixes, with production coming from [[Scott Storch]], [[Red Spyda]], [[Raphael Saadiq]], and [[DJ Quik]], though, the bonus track produced by Scott Storch, "Po Nigga Blues", does not feature in Eminem form on the main album. It is unknown if Eminem did or did not produce a version of that song.

== Critical reception and commercial performance ==
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name=AllMusic>{{cite web|last1=Birchmeier|first1=Jason|title=Loyal to the Game – 2Pac|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/loyal-to-the-game-mw0000709658|website=AllMusic.com|access-date=December 11, 2015}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[AllHipHop]]''
| rev2score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://allhiphop.com/reviews-music/loyal-to-the-game/|title=Loyal To The Game|website=[[AllHipHop]]|last=Watkins|first=Grouchy Greg|date=1 January 2005|access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[The Independent]]''
| rev3score = {{rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent/136376443/|title=Article clipped from The Independent|website=[[The Independent]]|last=Gill|first=Andy|date=7 January 2005|access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''
| rev4Score = {{Rating|2|4}}<ref name=LaTimes>{{cite web|last1=Dreisinger|first1=Baz|title=Something gets lost in Em's mix|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-jan-02-ca-rack2-story.html|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=January 2, 2005 |access-date=December 11, 2015}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Now (newspaper)|Now]]''
| rev5score = {{rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050207094935/http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2004-12-16/music_discs2.php|title=LOYAL TO THE GAME|website=[[Now (newspaper)|Now]]|last=Richards|first=Jason|date=23 December 2004|access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[PopMatters]]''
| rev6score = 5/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/tupac-loyaltothegame-2496099149.html|title=2pac: Loyal to the Game|website=[[PopMatters]]|last=Hamilton|first=Pierre|date=14 March 2005|access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''RapReviews''
| rev7Score = 8/10<ref>{{cite web|last1=Juon|first1=Steve|title=2Pac: Loyal to the Game|url=http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2004_12F_loyalto.html|website=RapReviews|access-date=December 11, 2015}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| rev8Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sheffield|first1=Rob|title=Tupac Shakur Loyal To The Game|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/loyal-to-the-game-20050127|website=RollingStone.com|date=January 27, 2005|publisher=Wenner Media LLC|access-date=December 11, 2015}}</ref>
| rev9 = ''[[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]]''
| rev9Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Tupac – Loyal to the Game|url=http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=6807129&style=music&fulldesc=T|website=Cd Universe|access-date=December 11, 2015}}</ref>
}}

''Loyal to the Game'' debuted at number one on the US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart, with first-week-sales of over 330,000 copies in its first week.<ref name="BB200">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/65215/tupacs-game-haunts-album-chart-at-no-1#:~:text=Late%20rapper%20Tupac%20Shakur%20grabs%20his%20third%20posthumous%20Billboard%20200,1%20on%20the%20tally|title=Tupac's 'Game' Haunts Album Chart At No. 1|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=December 22, 2004|access-date=March 1, 2020}}</ref> On February 15, 2005, the album was certified [[RIAA Certification|platinum]] by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA) for sales of over a million copies in the US.<ref name="RIAA">{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=2+pac&ti=&lab=&genre=&format=&date_option=release&from=&to=&award=&type=&category=&adv=SEARCH#search_section|title=RIAA Certifications – 2Pac|website=[[Recording Industry Association of America]]|access-date=March 1, 2020}}</ref> As of September 2011, the album has sold 1,204,124 copies in the United States.<ref name=sales>{{cite news |url=http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2011/09/tupac-month-2pacs-discography/#2 |title=Tupac Month: 2Pac's Discography |access-date=May 27, 2013}}</ref>

== Track listing ==
{{tracklist
| extra_column    = Producer
| title1          = Soldier Like Me (Return of the Soulja)
| extra1         = [[Eminem]], [[Luis Resto (musician)|Luis Resto]] (Originally produced by Big D The Impossible and Randy "Stretch" Walker)
| length1         = 3:50
| note1           = featuring [[Eminem]]
| title2          = The Uppercut
| extra2         = Eminem, Luis Resto (Originally produced by 2Pac)
| length2         = 3:50
| note2           = featuring [[E.D.I. Mean]] and [[Young Noble]] of the [[Outlawz]]
| title3          = Out on Bail
| extra3         = Eminem, Luis Resto (Originally produced by LG)
| length3         = 3:54
| title4          = [[Ghetto Gospel]] 
| note4           = featuring [[Elton John]]
| extra4         = Eminem, Luis Resto (Originally produced by Big D The Impossible)
| length4         = 3:58
| title5          = Black Cotton
| extra5         = Eminem, Luis Resto (Originally produced by Big D The Impossible)
| length5         = 5:03
| note5           = featuring Eminem and [[Kastro (Outlawz)|Kastro]] and [[Young Noble]] of the Outlawz
| title6          = Loyal to the Game
| extra6         = Eminem, Luis Resto (Originally produced by Reginald Heard)
| length6         = 3:23
| note6           = featuring [[G-Unit]]
| title7          = [[Thugs Get Lonely Too]]
| extra7         = Eminem, Luis Resto (Originally produced by Randy "Stretch" Walker)
| length7         = 4:48
| note7           = featuring [[Nate Dogg]]
| title8          = N.I.G.G.A. (Never Ignorant, Getting Goals Accomplished)|
extra8         = Eminem, Luis Resto (Originally produced by Big D The Impossible)
| length8         = 3:02
| note8           = featuring [[Jadakiss]]
| title9          = Who Do You Love?
| extra9         = Eminem, Luis Resto (Originally produced by 2Pac and Randy "Stretch" Walker)
| length9         = 3:28
| title10         = Crooked Nigga Too
| extra10        = Eminem, Luis Resto (Originally produced by Big D The Impossible)
| length10        = 2:55
| title11         = Don't You Trust Me?
| extra11         = Eminem, Luis Resto (Originally produced by Big D The Impossible)
| length11        = 4:55
| title12         = Hennessey
| extra12         = Eminem, Luis Resto (Originally produced by Thug Music)
| length12        = 3:27
| note12          = featuring [[Obie Trice]]
| title13         = Thug 4 Life
| extra13         = Eminem, Luis Resto (Originally produced by [[Johnny "J"]])
| length13        = 2:54
}}
{{tracklist
| headline = Bonus tracks
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title14         = Po Nigga Blues (Scott Storch Remix)
| note14          = featuring [[Ron Isley]]
| extra14         = [[Scott Storch]] (Originally produced by Daryl L. Anderson (DJ Daryl))
| length14        = 3:38
| title15         = Hennessey (Red Spyda Remix)
| note15          = featuring E.D.I. Mean and [[Sleepy Brown]]
| extra15         = [[Red Spyda]]
| length15        = 3:18
| title16         = Crooked Nigga Too (Raphael Saadiq Remix)
| note16          = featuring [[Raphael Saadiq]]
| extra16         = [[Raphael Saadiq]] (Originally produced by Big D The Impossible)
| length16        = 4:02
| title17         = Loyal to the Game (DJ Quik Remix)
| note17          = featuring [[Big Syke]]
| extra17         = [[DJ Quik]] 
| length17        = 4:20
}}

;'''Sample credits'''
*"[[Ghetto Gospel]]" contains a sample of "[[Indian Sunset]]" performed by [[Elton John]].
*"Don't You Trust Me?" contains a sample of "Do You Have a Little Time" performed by [[Dido (singer)|Dido]].
*"N.I.G.G.A." contains a sample of "[[(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go]]" performed by [[Curtis Mayfield]].

;'''Notes'''
*Originally, "Out on Bail" was intended for an unreleased version of ''[[Thug Life: Volume 1]]'' but due to controversial reasons, the original version did not make the final cut and was remixed after Eminem went on board. The original version can be found on [[YouTube]].

== Charts ==
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}

=== Weekly charts ===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ Weekly chart performance for ''Loyal to the Game''
! Chart (2004–2005)
! Peak<br />position
|-
{{Album chart|Australia|21|artist=2Pac|album=Loyal to the Game|rowheader=true|access-date=December 11, 2015}}
|-
! scope="row"| Australian Urban Albums ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.aria.com.au/issue800.pdf|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080222222429/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20050720-0000/issue800.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-02-22|title=ARIA Urban Albums Chart – Week Commencing 27th June 2005 |journal=The ARIA Report|issue=800|date=June 27, 2003|access-date=April 15, 2023|via=National Library of Australia}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
|align="center"|3
|-
{{Album chart|Flanders|100|artist=2Pac|album=Loyal to the Game|rowheader=true|access-date=December 11, 2015}}
|-
{{Album chart|BillboardCanada|7|artist=2Pac|rowheader=true|access-date=December 11, 2015}}
|-
{{Album chart|Netherlands|44|artist=2Pac|album=Loyal to the Game|rowheader=true|access-date=December 11, 2015}}
|-
{{Album chart|France|55|artist=2Pac|album=Loyal to the Game|rowheader=true|access-date=December 11, 2015}}
|-
{{Album chart|Germany4|50|id=5305|artist=2Pac|album=Loyal to the Game|rowheader=true|access-date=August 10, 2019}}
|-
{{Album chart|Ireland2|20|artist=2Pac|rowheader=true|access-date=December 11, 2015}}
|-
! scope="row"| Italian Albums ([[FIMI]])<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fimi.it/ricerca#/type:artists/show:charts/keyword:Tupac/page:0|title = History - FIMI}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|68
|-
{{Album chart|New Zealand|31|artist=2Pac|album=Loyal to the Game|rowheader=true|access-date=December 11, 2015}}
|-
{{Album chart|Scotland|75|date=20050102|rowheader=true|access-date=February 14, 2022}}
|-
! scope="row"| Swiss Albums ([[Schweizer Hitparade]])<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://swisscharts.com/album/2Pac/Loyal-To-The-Game-5305|title = 2Pac - Loyal to the Game - hitparade.ch}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|21
|-
{{Album chart|UK|20|artist=2Pac|album=Loyal to the Game|rowheader=true|access-date=December 11, 2015}}
|-
{{Album chart|UKR&B|5|date=20041219|rowheader=true|access-date=April 15, 2023}}
|-
{{Album chart|Billboard200|1|artist=2Pac|rowheader=true|access-date=December 11, 2015}}
|-
{{Album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|1|artist=2Pac|rowheader=true|access-date=December 11, 2015}}
|-
{{Album chart|BillboardRap|1|artist=2Pac|rowheader=true|access-date=December 11, 2015}}
|}
{{col-2}}

=== Year-end charts ===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Year-end chart performance for ''Loyal to the Game''
! scope="col"| Chart (2005)
! scope="col"| Position
|-
! scope="row"| UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2005.pdf|title=ChartsPlusYE2005|work=UKchartsplus.co.uk |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
| 143
|-
! scope="row"| US ''Billboard'' 200<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2005/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2005|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 5, 2018}}</ref>
| 51
|-
! scope="row"| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2005/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums|title=YEAR-END CHARTS RAP ALBUMS 2005|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 30, 2019}}</ref>
| 21
|}
{{col-end}}

== Certifications ==
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|artist=2Pac|title=Loyal to the Game|award=Gold|relyear=2004|certyear=2005|access-date=November 25, 2020|id=4086-1284-2}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=2 Pac|title=Loyal to the Game|award=Platinum|relyear=2004|certyear=2011}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}

== Release history ==
{|class="wikitable"
!Region
!Date
<!-- !Format -->
|-
|[[United States]]
|December 14, 2004
|-
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{2Pac}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:2004 albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Raphael Saadiq]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Eminem]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Scott Storch]]
[[Category:Albums published posthumously]]
[[Category:Tupac Shakur albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by DJ Quik]]
[[Category:Amaru Entertainment albums]]