The album will be in stores nationwide January 15th 2008. The project contains no music by Tupac (2Pac), but it does reveal artists who grew out of the shadow of the hip hop Icon. As Tupac did in his short life, Thug Life Army Records looked for hip hop and rap artists who could use a ‘hand up’ to get their talent noticed. The VP of Thug Life Army Records, RB says ‘We hope this project will do just that.

Our hope is this project will bring ‘light’ to those artists who have participated out of love for Tupac and what they learned from his lyrics. Hip Hop is not ‘Dead’ as many people believe; most people are just not looking in the right places’.

When asked about the artists on the CD RB explains ‘On the project there will be some artists names that you will recognize, while others may be new to you; but the artists represented on the CD ‘In the Shadow of an Icon’ are some of the best conscious hip hop and rap representatives from all over North America - ‘Coast’ to ‘Coast’ and Canada’.

When asked about the direction the music takes in the CD, RB explains ‘The various sides and teachings of the ‘man’, Tupac Amaru Shakur are represented on this CD - from his street side, to his political side, to his deep inner self. A total look is taken at the course Tupac had traveled in his short life. A picture of Tupac’s life is a picture of many of our lives. His up’s and down’s are roads many of us have shared along the way.