Background · Live at the House of Blues
On July 4, 1996, almost the entire Death Row roster took the stage at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. Tupac performed with the Outlawz, joined by Snoop Doggy Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, Nate Dogg, as well as K-Ci & JoJo. Barely two months later, Tupac was dead. The recording is regarded as his final major concert; in 2005, it was released as an album and on DVD.
First Tupac and the Outlawz, then everyone together for the finale
The first half belonged to Tupac and the Outlawz. He opened with Ambitionz az a Ridah and played tracks from All Eyez on Me, along with So Many Tears and Hit 'Em Up. Three tracks were previously unreleased: Troublesome, Tattoo Tears, and Never Call U Bitch Again; their studio versions were not released until years later. K-Ci & JoJo joined in for Freek'n You and How Do U Want It.
In the second half, Snoop Doggy Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound with Daz Dillinger and Kurupt took over the stage, performing songs including Murder Was the Case, Gin and Juice, and Doggfather. For the finale, everyone finally took the stage together for 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted. In direct comparison with the album 2Pac Live, released in 2004, this concert is mixed significantly better.
Platinum for the DVD, only No. 159 for the album
The DVD and CD were released in September 2005 as a joint production between Death Row and Eagle Rock. The DVD additionally includes music videos, among them California Love (Remix), To Live & Die in L.A., and I Ain't Mad at Cha, as well as a booklet featuring a short biography by Kevin Powell.
The album only reached No. 159 on the Billboard 200. The DVD, by contrast, sold well and was certified platinum in the US in 2006, and gold in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. In 2022, a vinyl reissue was released under the title Death Row: Live at the House of Blues.
More on the film version can be found on the Live at the House of Blues page.
Release Date and Label
September 9, 2005, and the label Eagle Rock Entertainment are commonly given. The exact date varies depending on the country and format; the attribution to Eagle Rock is correct. Running times are not documented and are therefore omitted.
