2Pac — I Get Around

JUL 01 1993 · 12:00

2Pac — I Get Around (1993) Director: David Dobkin Era: Golden Age West Coast Hip-Hop (1993) - Pre-gangsta crossover era; 2Pac bridging Digital Underground's funk-rap legacy with solo mainstream ascendance on Interscope Records High curatorial value as one of 2Pac's earliest breakout music videos, documenting his transition from Digital Underground affiliate to solo mainstream artist. The video preserves an authentic snapshot of early-90s West Coast hip-hop visual culture, party aesthetics, and fashion. Its confirmed directorial provenance (David Dobkin, verified across Wikipedia, IMDb, IMVDb, and Songfacts), precise production date (March 19, 1993), and documented chart performance (#11 Billboard Hot 100, platinum certification) make it a well-sourced primary artifact for hip-hop cultural research. The rapid editing pace (1.84s avg shot length) and warm Malibu palette are quantitatively distinctive markers of the era's production conventions. Context: Released June 10, 1993, 'I Get Around' appeared at a pivotal moment in 2Pac's career — following his debut 2Pacalypse Now and coinciding with his rising film profile (Poetic Justice with Janet Jackson). The video visually consolidates his ties to Digital Underground, the Bay Area collective that incubated his career, while projecting a new aspirational West Coast solo identity. Filmed in Malibu on March 19, 1993, the sun-saturated Californian mansion setting was a deliberate contrast to the grittier urban aesthetics dominating East Coast hip-hop of the period, positioning 2Pac within a hedonistic, crossover-friendly visual vocabulary. The track itself sampled Zapp's 'Computer Love' (1985), anchoring it within a continuum of West Coast funk-rap that defined the pre-Death Row Interscope sound. Director notes: The music video for 'I Get Around' was filmed on location in Malibu, California on March 19, 1993, and released alongside the single on June 10, 1993 via Interscope Records. It was among David Dobkin's debut music video directing credits and helped launch his career in the format. The video features a mansion party setting with poolside and interior scenes. Per IMDb credits, the director of photography was Jeff Venditti. The video was produced for 2Pac's second studio album Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. (1993). The single became the album's most commercially successful release, charting at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending 25 weeks on the chart.