I Get Around (Tupac Shakur song)

"I Get Around" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his second studio album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... (1993). It was released on June 10, 1993 as the album's second single and features Shakur's mentor Shock G and Money-B of Digital Underground, Shakur's old group. It was produced by Shock G, who produced it under the alias, The D-Flow Production Squad. AllMusic notes that in the song Shakur "brags about his sexual conquests". Chart-wise, it was the album's most successful single reaching number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

Composition and writing
According to both Money-B and Shock G, the song originated as a sample and was originally intended to be used by Digital Underground. However, after six months the group could not compose lyrics that they felt were worthy of the sample. Shock-G initially offered the sample to bandmate Saafir when 2Pac began preparing his second studio album and needed material. Shock-G took the sample away from Saafir and gave it to Shakur, inflaming tensions between Shakur and Saafir, who had fallen out previously.

Shakur had asked his former bandmates to guest star on the track, but was concerned that neither of his bandmates would have time to write their own lyrics, so Shakur ghostwrote lyrics for Shock-G and Money-B. Shock-G's verse, as written by Shakur, would appear unaltered on the final version, but Money-B opted to write and perform his own lyrics, which Shock-G produced. The original third verse (as sung by Shakur) appears on the remix of the track featured on the original B-side and on the Death Row Greatest Hits album

Commercial success
"I Get Around" peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It spent 25 weeks on the charts and peaked number 5 on the US R&B charts. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and sold 700,000 copies.

Music video
The music video was directed by David Dobkin and it was filmed in Malibu, California on March 19, 1993.

Live performances
Shakur performed the song live on The Arsenio Hall Show on July 19, 1993. He performed it on MTV Jams on July 28, 1993. He also performed the song live on January 4, 1996 at Gund Arena in Cleveland during the Tribute to Eazy-E tour.

Track listing

12"
 "I Get Around" (LP version) – 4:19
 "I Get Around" (vocal version) – 6:07
 "Nothing but Love" – 5:04
 "I Get Around" (remix) – 6:06
 "I Get Around" (remix instrumental) – 6:04
 "I Get Around" (7" remix) – 3:36

12"
 "I Get Around" (remix) – 6:06
 "I Get Around" (7" remix) – 3:36
 "Holler If Ya Hear Me" (Broadway mix) – 4:31
 "Flex" (featuring: Dramacydal) – 4:19
12"
 "I Get Around" (LP version) – 4:19
 "Keep Ya Head Up" (radio version) – 4:25
 "Keep Ya Head Up" (LP version) – 4:25
 "I Get Around" (radio version) – 4:19

CD
 "I Get Around" (LP version) – 4:19
 "I Get Around" (7" remix) – 3:36
CD
 "I Get Around" (extra clean version) – 4:19

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

External links
Music video

1992 songs
1993 singles
Tupac Shakur songs
Dirty rap songs
G-funk songs
Interscope Records singles
Songs written by Tupac Shakur
Songs written by Larry Troutman
Songs about casual sex
Songs written by Shirley Murdock
Music videos directed by David Dobkin
Songs written by Shock G