The Outlawz

When Tupac Shakur recorded ‘Hit ‘Em Up,’ a diss song towards his former friend and rival The Notorious B.I.G. he recruited three members from the former group Dramacydal with whom he had worked previously and was eager to do so again. Together with the three New Jersey rappers and other associates, they formed the original lineup of The Outlawz. When 2Pac signed to Death Row upon his release from prison, he recruited his step brother Mopreme Shakur and Big Syke from Thug Life. Hussein Fatal, Napoleon, E.D.I. Mean, Kastro, Yaki Kadafi, and Storm (the only female Outlaw) were also added, and together they formed the original lineup of the Outlaw Immortalz that debuted on 2Pac’s multi-platinum smash ‘All Eyez on Me.’ They later dropped the Immortal part of their name after the untimely deaths of 2Pac and Yaki Kadafi and moved on as The Outlawz without the members of Thug Life. Young Noble was later added and appeared on 2Pac’s second Death Row release The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory. It was on 2Pac’s Makaveli album that Outlawz first came to the greater rap community’s notice, appearing on a few songs. Now, nearly 20 years since 2Pac’s death, The Outlawz are back with a European Tour.