Runnin' (Dying to Live)
{{for|the original version of the song|Runnin' from tha Police}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2008}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Runnin' (Dying to Live)
| cover = Runnin.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = 2Pac featuring The Notorious B.I.G.
| album = Tupac: Resurrection
| released = September 30, 2003
| recorded = 1993
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| length = 3:52
| label = {{hlist|Amaru|Interscope}}
| writer = {{flatlist|
}}
| producer = Eminem • Easy Mo Bee
| chronology = 2Pac
| prev_title = Still Ballin{{'-}}
| prev_year = 2002
| next_title = Thugs Get Lonely Too
| next_year = 2004
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = The Notorious B.I.G.
| type = singles
| prev_title = Notorious B.I.G.
| prev_year = 1999
| title = Runnin' (Dying to Live)
| year = 2003
| next_title = Nasty Girl
| next_year = 2005
}}
}}
"Runnin' (Dying to Live)", is a posthumous song by American rapper 2Pac, with an additional posthumous verse from The Notorious B.I.G. It was released as the first single from the soundtrack album Tupac: Resurrection on September 30, 2003.
Produced by Eminem, the song uses The Notorious B.I.G.'s vocals from a 1993 recording known as "Runnin' from tha Police", one of the few collaborations recorded by 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G. during their lifetimes. 2Pac's vocals are taken from a re-recorded version intended for Thug Life's only studio album Thug Life: Vol. 1 that was later scrapped due to the feud between both artists.
The song peaked at #19 for the week of December 20, 2003 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of 2Pac's highest charting songs and his second most successful posthumous release as a lead artist.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/2pac/chart-history/hsi/|title = 2Pac|magazine = Billboard}}
Overview
The song is a remake of an Easy Mo Bee-produced song called "Runnin' from tha Police", recorded by Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. in 1993. Easy Mo Bee subsequently received songwriting credits on "Runnin' (Dying To Live)".
The chorus is from Edgar Winter's song "Dying to Live" (from the album Edgar Winter's White Trash). "Dying to Live" was originally recorded in the key of A Major, but is pitched up to the key of C# Major. The interview of Notorious B.I.G. heard at the end of the track was recorded only a few weeks before his death.
Music video
The video contains interviews of both Tupac and Notorious B.I.G. It is the only song from the album to feature a music video. The video version mutes all language, violence and drug references, even Biggie's comment about two cops being shot (the radio version only censors all profanity except the word "bitches" in 2Pac's verse). In the video, it has past images and videos of 2Pac and Biggie, and once their verses end, the song fades out.{{cite web|url=http://www.ascap.com/home/eventsawards/awards/rsawards/2005/index.aspx|title=ASCAP 18th Annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards|work=American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225042343/https://www.ascap.com/home/eventsawards/awards/rsawards/2005/index.aspx|archive-date=December 25, 2013}}
Awards and nominations
{{see also|List of awards and nominations received by Tupac Shakur}}
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| Year
!Ceremony !Award !Result |
|---|
| 2005
| ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards | Top Soundtrack Song of the Year | {{won}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/rsawards/2005/|title=2005 Rhythm & Soul Awards| publisher=ASCAP|access-date=June 25, 2022}} |
Track listing
Credits adapted from the single's liner notes.
{{Track listing
| headline = UK CD single
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = Runnin' (Dying to Live)
| note1 = feat. The Notorious B.I.G.
| writer1 = {{flatlist|
}}
| extra1 = {{flatlist|
}}
| length1 = 3:51
| title2 = Still Ballin{{'-}}
| note2 = Nitty remix) (feat. Trick Daddy
| writer2 = {{flatlist|
}}
| extra2 = {{flatlist|
- Nitty{{ref|a|[a]}}
}}
| length2 = 2:49
| total_length = {{duration|m=6|s=40}}
}}
=Notes=
- {{sup|{{note|a|[a]}}}} signifies a remixer.
- "Runnin' (Dying to Live)" was originally produced by Easy Mo Bee. The song features members of the Outlawz Yaki Kadafi, E.D.I. Mean and Kastro, as well as rapper The Notorious B.I.G. and Live Squad rapper and producer Big Stretch
- ”Still Ballin’” was originally produced by Johnny “J”, and the song featured Kurupt from Tha Dogg Pound
Charts
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (2003–2004) !Peak |
| {{singlechart|Austria|19|song=Runnin' (Dying To Live)|artist=Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G.}} |
| {{singlechart|Flanders|30|song=Runnin' (Dying To Live)|artist=Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G.}} |
| {{singlechart|Wallonia|2|song=Runnin' (Dying To Live)|artist=Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G.}} |
| {{singlechart|France|28|song=Runnin' (Dying To Live)|artist=Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G.}} |
| {{singlechart|Germany|12|songid=5949|song=Runnin' (Dying To Live)|artist=Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G.}} |
| {{singlechart|Ireland2|15|song=Runnin' (Dying To Live)|artist=Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G.}} |
| {{singlechart|Dutch40|15|song=Runnin' (Dying To Live)|artist=Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G.|year=2004|week=6}} |
| {{singlechart|Dutch100|13|song=Runnin' (Dying To Live)|artist=Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G.}} |
| {{singlechart|New Zealand|8|song=Runnin' (Dying To Live)|artist=Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G.}} |
| {{singlechart|Scotland|19|date=20040131}} |
| {{singlechart|Sweden|37|song=Runnin' (Dying To Live)|artist=Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G.}} |
| {{singlechart|Switzerland|9|song=Runnin' (Dying To Live)|artist=Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G.}} |
| {{singlechart|UKrandb|4|date=20040131}} |
| {{singlechart|UK|17|date=2004-01-31|artist=2PAC}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|19|artist=2Pac|artistid=37157}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardrandbhiphop|11|artist=2Pac|artistid=37157}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardrapsongs|5|artist=2Pac|artistid=37157}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (2004) !Position |
| Germany (Media Control GfK){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-2004|title=Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2004|publisher=GfK Entertainment|language=de|access-date=February 17, 2020}}
|align="center"|64 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=2004&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 2004|publisher=MegaCharts|language=nl|access-date=February 17, 2020}}
|align="center"|97 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/2004|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2004|website=hitparade.ch|language=de|access-date=February 17, 2020}}
|align="center"|45 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2004/hot-r-and-and-b-hip-hop-songs|title=Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2004|magazine=Billboard|access-date=February 17, 2020}}
|align="center"|65 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=2Pac feat. Notorious BIG|title=Runnin' (Dying To Live)|award=Gold|certyear=2025|source=radioscope|access-date=January 7, 2025}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{2Pac}}
{{The Notorious B.I.G.}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:The Notorious B.I.G. songs
Category:Songs released posthumously
Category:Song recordings produced by Eminem
Category:Songs written by the Notorious B.I.G.
Category:Songs written by Tupac Shakur
Category:Songs written by Easy Mo Bee
Category:Songs written by Eminem