Before Tupac Shakur was about "California Love" he was all about Thug Life, and the rapper's early recording contract with the hip-hip group can be yours ... if you're str8 ballin'.

The 58-page contract from July 24, 1994 is signed by 2Pac and fellow Thug Life members Big Syke (Tyruss Himes), Mopreme Shakur (Maurice Harding), Macadoshis (Diron Rivers) and The Rated R (Walter Burns) ... inking their deal for a collab album with Interscope Records -- "Thug Life: Volume 1."

The contract spells out the recording, marketing and financial details of the group's LP, which went gold and sold 500,000 copies in '94 ... but ended up being their only studio album.