Runnin' (Dying to Live)

For the original version of the song, see Runnin' from tha Police.

"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.

"Runnin' (Dying to Live)"
Single by Tupac featuring The Notorious B.I.G.
from the album Tupac: Resurrection
Released	September 30, 2003
Recorded	1994
Genre	Hardcore hip hop
Length	3:52
Label	Amaru Interscope
Songwriter(s)	Tupac Shakur Christopher Wallace Osten Harvey Marshall Mathers Edgar Winter
Producer(s)	Eminem
2Pac singles chronology
"Still Ballin'" (2002) "Runnin' (Dying to Live)" (2003) "Thugs Get Lonely Too" (2004)
The Notorious B.I.G. singles chronology
"Notorious B.I.G." (1999) "Runnin' (Dying to Live)" (2003) "Nasty Girl" (2005)

Produced by Eminem, the song uses The Notorious B.I.G.'s vocals from a 1994 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.^[1]

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 1994. 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.^[2]

Awards and nominations

See also: List of awards and nominations received by Tupac Shakur

Year	Ceremony	Award	Result
2005	ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards	Top Soundtrack Song of the Year	Won[3]

Track listing

Credits adapted from the single's liner notes.

UK CD single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Runnin' (Dying to Live)" (feat. The Notorious B.I.G.)	Tupac Shakur Christopher Wallace Osten Harvey Marshall Mathers Edgar Winter	Eminem	3:51
2.	"Still Ballin'" (Nitty remix) (feat. Trick Daddy)	Shakur Johnny Jackson Francisco Pimentel Maurice Young	Nitty[a]	2:49
Total length:				6:40

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies a remixer.
• "Runnin' (Dying to Live)" and "Still Ballin'" were originally produced by Easy Mo Bee and Johnny "J", respectively.

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2003–2004) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[4] 12 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[5] 19 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 30 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[7] 2 France (SNEP)[8] 28 Germany (Official German Charts)[9] 12 Ireland (IRMA)[10] 15 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11] 15 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] 13 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 8 Scotland (OCC)[14] 19 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15] 37 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] 9 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[17] 4 UK Singles (OCC)[18] 17 US Billboard Hot 100[19] 19 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[20] 11 US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[21] 5

Year-end charts Chart (2004) Position Germany (Official German Charts)[22] 64 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[23] 97 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[24] 45 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[25] 65

References

1. "2Pac". Billboard.
2. "ASCAP 18th Annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Archived from the original on December 25, 2013.
3. "2005 Rhythm & Soul Awards". ASCAP. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
4. "Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G. – Runnin' (Dying To Live)". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
5. "Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G. – Runnin' (Dying To Live)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
6. "Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G. – Runnin' (Dying To Live)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
7. "Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G. – Runnin' (Dying To Live)" (in French). Ultratop 50.
8. "Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G. – Runnin' (Dying To Live)" (in French). Les classement single.
9. "Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G. – Runnin' (Dying To Live)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
10. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Runnin' (Dying To Live)". Irish Singles Chart.
11. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 6, 2004" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
12. "Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G. – Runnin' (Dying To Live)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
13. "Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G. – Runnin' (Dying To Live)". Top 40 Singles.
14. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
15. "Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G. – Runnin' (Dying To Live)". Singles Top 100.
16. "Tupac feat. The Notorious B.I.G. – Runnin' (Dying To Live)". Swiss Singles Chart.
17. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
18. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
19. "2Pac Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
20. "2Pac Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
21. "2Pac Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
22. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
23. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2004" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
24. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2004 – hitparade.ch". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
25. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2004". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.