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 samples the 1971 Elton John song, "Indian Sunset". The single topped the charts in the United Kingdom, Australia, Czech Republic, and the Republic of Ireland. In New Zealand it peaked at number 3.
The song was written by Tupac Shakur 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.

Original version

Tupac recorded the song for inclusion on the 1992 Christmas-themed compilation album A Very Special Christmas 2, however, due to Tupac's 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. 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.

Music video

"Ghetto Gospel" was the only song on Loyal to the Game with an accompanying. Neither 2Pac nor Elton John appeared in the video. Towards the end of the music video, the actor 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
;UK CD single

Official versions

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications