Runnin' (Dying to Live)

the original version of the song

"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 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.

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.

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.

Credits adapted from the single's liner notes.