The Mystery

You ever see that photo of Tupac Shakur gripping a bass guitar on stage, bathed in spotlight? It’s not just a dope image—it’s from the 1997 film Gridlock’d, where Pac plays a character named Spoon, a jazz musician and recovering addict navigating the chaos of urban life.

Now here’s where things get interesting.

In the final scene of the movie, Tupac and Tim Roth perform a track called “Life Is a Traffic Jam.” Tupac’s got a Fender in his hands. The band is locked in. And the bassline? It slaps.

So naturally… the internet did what it does.

“Was that really Tupac playing bass?”
“Is he holding it for the vibe?”
“Who played that groove?!”

For over 20 years, no one’s had a straight answer. No bass player has ever been credited. And that scene has been reposted, misquoted, and turned into a minor urban legend in musician circles.

🎧 The Scene, the Sound, and the Real Question

The scene itself is powerful—part live performance, part spoken word sermon. Pac’s character lays out the reality of inner-city life. No romanticism. No polish. Just grit and groove.

Meanwhile, the bassline drives everything forward. It's in C# minor pentatonic, and from a technical standpoint, it’s a killer warm-up:

• Focused left-hand pinky work

• Cross-string groove control

• Economical movement with real-world tone

Whether you’re an intermediate bassist or just picking the instrument back up, this groove is practical gold.

🧠 Groove Lesson: What You’ll Learn

In the breakdown video, I walk through:

• The exact note pattern and fingering for the main groove

• Tips for tone (how I approached recreating it)

• Why I’m confident Tupac wasn’t actually playing—and what tells gave it away

• Possible bassists behind the groove (Darryl Jones? A Stewart Copeland session player?)

• How to use the groove as a technical and musical exercise

📺 Watch the full breakdown on YouTube →

🛠 Tools I Used to Break It Down

Want to slow the track down, loop that lick, or isolate the bass?
I used Song Master Pro—it’s like a microscope for music learning.

🎯 Check it out here →

🎁 Free PDF: Groove Confidence Checklist

Struggling with consistency, feel, or finger placement?
You’re not alone—and it’s not a mystery.

I made this PDF to help returning bass players diagnose their weak spots in 5 minutes, and start building their pocket back up the right way.

📥 Download the checklist here →

🎸 Want to Groove With Me Weekly?

If you’re done with random YouTube riffs and want a system that actually builds confidence, chops, and musicality week by week—Groove School is open.

Structured lessons. Real songs. No fluff. Just pocket.

🧠 Start your 7-day free trial →

🧩 So Who Did Play the Bass?

We still don’t know for sure.

But whoever it was—they laid down one of the tightest, most slept-on grooves in 90s film. A groove that lives on because of feel, not flash.

And if you ask me, that’s the kind of legacy worth learning.

#tedtalksbass #grooveschool #gridlockd #funkbass #csharpgroove #pocketscience