Me Against The World
2Pac
1995
Album Summary
Me Against the World is the third studio album by American rapper 2Pac, released on March 14, 1995, by Interscope Records and Jive Records. 2Pac draws lyrical inspiration from his impending prison sentence, troubles with the police and poverty, the album is described as being Tupac's most introspective album. According to him, Me Against the World was made to show the hip hop audience his respect for the art form. Lyrically, he intentionally tried to make the album more personal and reflective than his previous efforts. Considered by several music critics to be the best of any of his albums up to that point in his career, the album's musical production was handled by his mentor Shock G, Easy Mo Bee, Tony Pizarro, Johnny "J" and the Danish hip-hop duo Soulshock and Karlin, among others. Me Against the World features guest appearances from rap group Dramacydal and rapper Richie Rich. Released while Tupac was imprisoned, Me Against the World made an immediate impact on the charts, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200, holding the top spot for four consecutive weeks, and also topping the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. "Dear Mama" was released as the album's first single in February 1995 and would be the album's most successful single, topping the Hot Rap Singles chart, and peaking at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. While he was in prison, the album overtook Bruce Springsteen's Greatest Hits as the best-selling album of the year in the United States at the time. Me Against the World was eventually certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). At the 38th Grammy Awards, the album was nominated for Best Rap Album and "Dear Mama" was nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance. The album received acclaimed reviews by critics, being ranked among the best albums of the 1990s. It has been ranked by many critics as one of the greatest hip hop albums, as well as one of the greatest albums of all time. In 2008, the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM), in conjunction with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, included Me Against the World in its list of the Definitive 200 Albums of All Time.
WikipediaI might be biased because I am a huge Kanye West fan, but most indicative is the difference between Late Registration's "Hey Mama" and "Dear Mama" from this record. The lyrics on 2Pac's version made me wince, the rest of the album is devoid of creative samples and clever wordplay and I am having a hard time remembering the differences between most tracks. This might be due to the generic and repetitive style in most songs, which gives more reason to the fact that this type of rap has aged terribly to my ears. Only song memorable to me is Death Around The Corner, and that is mostly because of the hard-hitting instrumentals. Overall score is a 2(Pac) out of 10.
This is not the first album I think of when I think of 2pac, but it is perhaps his most personal and reflective album. Arriving between a shooting incident (to which the opening track makes reference in a skit) and an impending prison sentence, this album deals with feelings of paranoia, gangster violence, and the state of not only being an artist but also a black man in America. He reflects on the cycle of gangster life, the prison system, and the hopelessness of the situation when one is simply trying to survive with the cards they've been dealt. 2pac asks the listener to be sympathetic towards those who live this lifestyle as it is born of economic insecurity and paranoia. Paper keeps you alive and out of trouble, but it's a lot of trouble to get that paper. The standout tracks are "If I Die Tonight" seriously some of 2pac's best rapping, the alliteration is insane, "Dear Momma", "So Many Tears"
This is peak 2Pac and the pinnacle of introspective/conscientious hip hop in the heyday of gangsta and dance hip hop. Lyrics are poetic throughout and I love the contrast of the vividly painted stories of urban struggles against generally calm and chill beats and bass lines. Really not any misses here despite a somewhat long album. Dear Mama and the title track are classics but temptations, death around the corner, and others are underrated. I'm really not even the biggest 2Pac fan but it's hard to not respect and appreciate this album in it's context. Probably a 4.5 because of a bit of a lack of replay value overall, but gets a bump up for historical and cultural significance, and that it's still enjoyable and a classic work, even outside of it's narrowly targeted demographic.
You know about 2Pac's mom, right? If not, look her up. Pretty fascinating family. Anywho, I found this really incredibly easy to listen to, which seems like an odd thing to say considering the image that followed this dude back in the day. Not gonna lie, "Old School" completely worked for me and also made me feel like there was a millennial right behind me with their arms crossed thinking, "Of course it did, DAD." Whatever. I would listen to this again and I don't have that reaction a ton with the stuff on this list.
Some of the smoothest sounds and engaging, emotional, and aggressive lyricism I've heard in a while! 2Pac was truly one of the greats.
Legendary. His storytelling, emotion, and fearlessness about his content is why he is unanimously considered one of the greatest rappers ever. In my opinion this is his best work. I knew i loved it going in, but it’s always nice to revisit a classic. Must listen for everyone in my opinion, but especially fans of hip hop.
This was the album that convinced me that Tupac truly desires the praise/status he’s achieved in his legacy. As a youth, his rapping and style wasn’t immediately clear to me, but as soon as you hear “They say pussy and paper is poetry, power, and pistols,” followed by an assault of lyrical alliteration, I was sold. I don’t love his beat selection 100% of the time. His G-Funk/West Coast beats are typically the most bland, watered-down version of the style, his soft songs are really grating, especially if he’s not doing the hook. There are exceptions (“Hey Mama”) but I think Pac is at his best when he’s doing gangsta rap, if only because his tone fits it so well, and he’s really not the greatest at it until this record, when his own game is undeniable. But all his albums are a mix of styles and tonal shifts. Some people love that, and even argue it’s why he’s so great. I disagree; to me, it means he doesn’t have a flawless album. But of his 5 albums, I’d have to say this is the closest he has to a legitimate classic. I’d say all his other albums have higher highs (my favorite track here, “Old School,” is my least favorite of my favorite Tupac songs), *but* this record also has quantitatively the most highs in his discography. Maybe if 7 Day Theory wasn’t posthumous, or if All Eyez on Me was one disc, I’d prefer it, but Me Against the World is the tightest of all Tupac records imo, so therefore my favorite, and the one I’d say is his definite classic. Honestly, though, while the first half is all gold, I don’t think Side B gets good until “Old School,” and even then, all those final tracks are notably weaker. High water marks for sure, but not on the same caliber as Side A/any of his best tracks that released after this album. I don’t know - I’ve always felt odd about Pac. On the one hand, when I like him, I love him. But when I don’t, I really don’t. Maybe that dichotomy is why people love him. Idk - I was always a Biggie fan first. But my distaste for Pac still isn’t distain - bad 90s hip-hop is still an A- for me, so while this isn’t like my favorite album ever, it’s still my favorite Tupac record, and therefore 5 stars.
2pac is easily the most popular 90s rapper that tragically lost their life due to violence, and the only one that can even have the same title in the conversation is his rival, The Notorious B.I.G So, I hadn't really heard many 2pac tracks before listening to this album. The only 2pac track that I had heard was "California Love", plus that interview that Kendrick Lamar sampled on "Mortal Man". I was super excited to listen to this album, and the reason was because of the main artist. A lot of Rap fans and rappers have stated that 2pac is one of the best rappers ever, this being an album from the 90s also made me look more forward listening to it. Holy fuck, this album is amazing. I'm not gonna lie, I did also think that this was gonna be the same situation as the N.W.A. album, where it's an album that many love that I disliked, but it was the exact opposite for this one. The first thing that I'll speak about is the production, it's so good. Boombap is easily one of my favourite styles of productions ever, but that being mixed with the quiet background vocals on tracks like "Might Die 2nite" was even fucking better. It might be kinda simple for today's standards, but 2pac's writing was just perfect for it. 2pac is a lot like someone like J. Cole, where the rhymes are super impressive and shit while not having the tracks be super complex. Now I'm not saying if I think that 2pac is worse than J. Cole since I haven't really listened to many 2pac tracks, but I was just using him as an example. The intro and the title for this album perfectly describe the situation that 2pac was in. He was basically getting blamed for shit that he didn't even have a part in, which must've felt horrible. It was basically a me against the world situation, and 2pac made sure that he would prove the press wrong. Album art is so fucking good, with 2pac leaning at the wall with he black, white and yellow blending together. Maybe people think that it’s basic, I think that it’s dope. FAV TRACK would have to be "Dear Mama". Tracks about loving your mother is always positive, and the stuff 2pac says in this track is super interesting. LEAST FAV TRACK: N/A 10/10
Great old school hip hop album, melodic, poignant lyrics and some beautiful soul moments
Pretty damn introspective, thematically strong. Very confessional and raw, probably was a bit uncommon to show vulnerability in hip hop at this time. I probably wouldn't listen to a lot of it, but I can respect it.
Man, time has a weird way of changing the way thinks look. I mean, as far as mid-90s rap goes, this is probably as good as it gets if your name isn't De La Soul. I didn't listen to this back then, but I knew it was a big assed deal. But today, listening to this and reading about Tupac... I mean... I feel like I would hate this dude automatically if he was a bearded white guy. 1992 he dropped his gun, it discharged and killed a 6-year-old. He beat another rapper with a baseball bat. He raped a 19-year-old and went to prison for it. So I mean... sure, it's you against the world, I guess. You sound like an asshole.
dated and simplistic 90s, but this hit me in the feels. genuine emotions packaged within old school beats
you can hear how personal this one seems. I don't listen to Tupac, nor do I know much about him but you can hear how raw he tried to make this one.
One of the most fun hip-hop albums I've ever heard. Fantastic beats, lyrics and no filler make this one of the best in the genre.
Achei legal demais o título. Tudo a ver com a proposta do rap. Gostei das canções e da maneira envolvente das letras. Não domino o inglês, mas quero ler as músicas para entender o que foi dito. E ouvir, é claro, mais 2Pac.
Super enjoyable with some classic tracks. Final verse of Me Against the World is incredible. Falls into the 90s album trap of being just a bit too long. 9/10
Listened Before? N This is one I've been wanting to listen to, and putting off since literally the 90's. I've always been a fan of 2pac's style but never listened to a full album. Pros: This is an amazing record. The subject matter ranges from typical gangsta faire to personal therapy sessions. 2pac was a special talent. He makes the unrelatable relatable. Cons: Nothing much. Some terminology didn't hold its relevance, but this is a great snapshot of the mid-90s. Added to Library? Y Songs added to Library: Me Against the World, Dear Mama
Well. That was a surprise. Everyone knows 2Pac is a legend but I've personally never just sat down and listened to a whole album. I was utterly blown away by the lyricism, creativity, and delivery that he brought to the table. But the real surprise was the depth of the content. I expected the same ol' shallow gangsta rhymes that you get from 2Pac's contemporaries in the genre. What I experienced, however, was incredibly self-aware social commentary. 2Pac comes off more like a really cool older brother dispensing heavy wisdom than a hard-ass, bragging gangster. This album was just great. 2Pac really was one the greats. R.I.P.
Klassiker. Kannte ich zwar schon, hatte aber die Gelegenheit noch einmal ein paar Lieder einzuspeichern.
This album sees Tupac expand his lyrical content to the philosophical. This is not to say that Tupac leaves behind the g-funk, but to say that he looks at the violence with a sense of maturity that seems to conclude that the lifestyle is part of him, and is glorified, but that he can look at it critically and understand how desensitized to it he has become. He muses on the devastating consequences of poverty and being exposed to so much death and chillingly discusses his own death. There's a tension here between the lure and necessity of life on the streets and the desire for things to be better. In the closing track, Tupac seems to recognize that something is wrong here, and the death is too much.
Love that we are finally getting a Tupac album. This is one of his records that I didn't listen to too extensively but he's so prolific that I know I can go into it with high expectations. It's got everything you want from a rap hip hop album and everything you would expect from one of the greatest if not the greatest to ever do it. Lyrics are on point and touch upon many varied and interesting themes as Tupac introspects his life, music, relationships. This album is so good to just put on and enjoy track to track. It's so EASY to listen to. Love Tupac. Love Tupac as not only a rapper and artist but also an actor.
2Pac has such a great, distinct voice and his bouncing flow is so much fun to listen to. I love these funky beats too. Occasionally, the musical style pushes toward G-funk but I wouldn’t call most of this gangsta rap. 2Pac generally avoids glamorizing violence. He’s more soulful and introspective. He describes the awfulness he sees around him and tries to promote positivity at every turn. “Old School” is a personal favorite. I used to love putting that one on party playlists. This is one of those albums that’s talked about as a classic and I think it holds up really well. It’s over an hour long but there’s no filler, which is rare for a 90’s rap album. Even some of the classics will have a dud track here or there. This is solid. (Side note: I always love finding connections between albums on this list. On “It Ain’t Easy,” 2Pac raps about not wanting to get locked up in San Quentin, the prison Johnny Cash sings at for his second live prison album.)
WOW! Rap perfected. The lyrics just keep rolling so smooth. Beats you can bob your head to.
I didn’t expect to see this album on the list, but overjoyed to have gotten to listen in full. It’s crazy how many lines 2Pac seems to predict misfortune for himself, still calling out men for trying to be hypermasculine, still criticizing his own choices on his rise to stardom. I wish I could’ve seen what rap would’ve been like if he’d been able to stick around.
The ballads get a lot of attention, and for good reason, but for me the angry braggadocio is where Tupac shines. Best track: Death Around The Corner
Obvious genius within it's genre but I find it difficult to look past the sadness of his pointless violent young end, so confidently predicted in these lyrics.
A strong badass rap album. I'm better with his use of colorful language than Sly & the family stone. It has gut, authenticity and Dear Mama is a great song.
always enjoyed 2-pac, but never went beyond radio/MTV hits. Darker than I expected. Lots of talk of suicide and depression. Good listen from start to finish.
Tuesday Haiku: The rhythm is there ### Flowing prescient proven words ### Many will follow ###
Incredible how relevant the lyrical work still is today. This 2Pac album is impeccably written by one of raps greatest writers. It's solid production is the only thing holding it back from being a 5 for me. It's fine production, but nothing jumped out to me to really elevate that part of the album. The writing and 2Pac's flows though almost get it there on their own. That's how great of a writer he was.
Standard Tupac - lovely beats, often heartfelt lyrics with the odd bit of rubbish thrown in.
This exercise may just yet turn me into a rap/hip hop fan. Another fine album that I very much enjoyed. Not white the quality and menace and diversity of Eminem Marshakk Mathers but pretty f'ing good. 4 🌟
Really good rap music, some really cool instrumental hooks in the background. The album stayed interesting throughout. I don't usually listen to rap music but this is by far the best rap I've ever listened to!
This is a solid hip hop album…. Extremely prophetic and close to home for 2pac. Gone too soon!
Weirdly never given 2pac much of a chance, never gone out of my way to listen to his stuff. Initial thoughts after a few tracks aren't that great! 😭 It's easy a 3 cos I love hiphop but it's not bowled me over yet. Lord Knows is a tune, decent sample. Think this is worth a 4 actually. Classics. Still, didn't love it quite as much as I was hoping to 🙏
2pac is so ubiquitous but listening to this makes me realize how little I know his music. "Lord Knows" really caught my attention and I was fully invested from that point on. As an aside, he and Pop Smoke sound eerily similar.
Nobody comes close to Shakur when it comes to verses and prose. But his hooks need work. The choruses felt almost disposable for the most part. Some of his later stuff (California Love & All About You) had better choruses. But with verses this good, and lyrics this honest you can’t complain Fave Tracks: “If I Die 2Nite” “Dear Mama”
2Pac on aina ollu yks lemppareista. Eniten tuli penskana popitettua kokoelmaa mutta tämä toimii varsin hyvin omana levynäkin.
Don’t know how to feel bout this one it’s got a few that I like but non worth saving not boring exactly but for me not really anything special. 3.6/5
Really enjoyed this, only knew a couple of songs beforehand. If I die tonight, fuck the world and, of course, dear mama are standouts.
I'd left this for when I could listen through & read up on 2Pac's life. You can sense the real introspection in this - talent shines through in every track. But now i've done that, i'll probably never listen again, so that says everything.
Wie super, dies hier wiederzufinden. Soundtrack endloser Abende auf den Freiplätzen um Bochum. Duftbaum-geschwängerter Golf 1. Sonnenuntergänge wie Tequila Sunrise. Und auch wenn‘s nur Streetball war, sollte es doch eines befeuern: das Gefühl, Teil einer Gang zu sein. Doch ist diese Bande lang zerfleddert, Geschichte, ausbleichende Erinnerung, ganz schön angelaufen wie auch dieser G-Funk. Beats oft oll. Mit Ausnahmen: „Dear Mama“, „Oldschool“,„Fuck the World“ & „Death Around the Corner“ ragen da nämlich so monumental heraus, dass der Sitz in der Bahn genauso hart wirkt, wie im Golf. Shakurs Stimme so unnachahmlich, Rough-Smooth. Unsterblich 3.5
Probably my favorite 2pac album. I think this is his most reflective and poetic album. Even though it doesn't have the hits he released later, it's probably his best work. 4.5/5
Picked up steam as it progressed. Enjoyed it. Didn't add but glad I listened. Old school rap is always great.
While I'm more of the Biggie camp, totally respect 2Pac and his impact upon the genre. Missed out on a lot of great music with the death of those 2 icons. And 'Fuck All Y'All is one of my all time favorite songs, not just from 2 Pac. A lot of solid tunes on this album; the title track, So Many Tears, Temptation, Lord Knows, Dear Mama, Old School, Death Around the Corner...heck, I guess most of the album! Glad a revisited, been a while since I listened to is and has been added to my library
This is the most emo rap album I have ever heard. So much self-loathing, anger, and hopelessness. The bleakness was actually kind of refreshing in a way. He definitely has an opinion on the nature vs. nurture debate.
Always keep my eyes on the prize, watch the police Seen so much murder, neighborhoods gettin no sleep But still, I get my money on major, continuously Great Album, not Pacs best, Dear Mama is an alltime song good to listen with the lyrics 4/5
It's kind of crazy that it's taken me this long to sit down and listen to a Tupac album. His lyrical style really makes this album. The beats are good, but very subdued. His charisma is what makes this album a classic
I won't claim to know much about rap, but I know 2Pac is good. I enjoyed the gangsta hip hop sound. It's clearly an album from a dark place - some of the lyrics were pretty hard hitting. My top pick is 'So Many Tears', an almost prophetic track sadly (And fuck the world 'cause I'm cursed/I'm havin' visions of leavin' here in a hearse)
This is 2Pac's best album. The musical production is very good, the choice of samples and the list of colaborators are great. The beats are well crafted and songs like "Me Against the World", "Dear Mama" and "It Ain't Easy" are among the biggest classics of the West Coast hip hop subgenre.
Tupac was always a solid lyricist, definitely shines through on this album. If I Die 2Nite was pretty powerful, as was Lord Knows. The latter showed some different perspective too, which he really took to new heights on Dear Mama. That was a hell of a song. Breadth and depth of ability right there. Death Around the Corner was prophetic (though not as much as Changes a few years later). I thought some of his samples were tired, that was maybe one thing holding this album back. The mixes and beats were just alright.
The lyrics to this album (for the most part) are so... hopeless. 2Pac knows he is "born to die." Songs like "Death 'Around The Corner" are just so... nihilistic. It really got depressing after a while, I mean it seemed like there was no point. Although "Old School" made me smile, to know that he honors those that came before him. 2Pac's rhyming skills are definitely there for all to hear, no doubt. Although listening to "Can U Get Away" he sounds a little... cartoony. I didn't take it as seriously as he wanted it to be. All in all, I thought it was a good album, really reflected the hopelessness of the streets. I don't know if I would listen to something so bleak, but I'm glad to have done so.
I am not familiar with 2PAC or his third album ME AGAINST THE WORLD at all. I’m not into Hip Hop, except for PUBLIC ENEMY. 1001 Albums introduced me to ICE CUBE’s AMERIKKKA’s MOST WANTED which I liked a lot. After listening to ME AGAINST THE WORLD, this album is decent, but it is lyrically very repetitive and musically becomes uninteresting. It started out strong, then dipped. In 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, 2PAC - ME AGAINST THE WORLD, is one only album listed. Rate Artist: 2PAC (4.0) Rate Album (Year): ME AGAINST THE WORLD (US 1995 Original) (4.0) Ranking of 2PAC - ME AGAINST THE WORLD songs No. Title Length Ranking 01. "Intro" 1:40 10.0/10 02. "If I Die 2Nite" 4:02 10.0/10 03. "Me Against the World" (featuring Dramacydal) 4:41 10.0/10 04. "So Many Tears" 3:59 10.0/10 05. "Temptations" 5:01 08.0/10 06. "Young Niggaz" 4:53 07.0/10 07. "Heavy in the Game" (featuring Richie Rich) 4:24 08.0/10 08. "Lord Knows" 4:32 08.0/10 09. "Dear Mama" 4:40 08.0/10 10. "It Ain't Easy" 4:54 07.0/10 11. "Can U Get Away" 5:46 07.0/10 12. "Old School" 4:41 09.0/10 13. "Fuck the World" 4:14 08.0/10 14. "Death Around the Corner" 4:07 09.0/10 15. "Outlaw" (featuring Dramacydal) 4:33 07.0/10 US 1995 Original Release 126.0/150 = 8.40 / 2 = 4.20
Definitely a great album to dive into the genre with. Fantastic lyrics and beats without being over the top.
A pretty important album for me during my exploration of rap music. Dear mama will forever stand out to me as an important song for the genre, and to me personally. Add in If i die 2nite, it ain't easy, and heavy in the game and it's a really solid piece of work.
2Pac is obviously one of the most influential rappers of all time. I think because of this, I've always though 2Pac is too good for me. Now saying that it sounds completely ridiculous, I just always felt he was too serious and above me haha. As a result, this may be my first time listening to an entire album purposefully. I'm actually surprised by the huge bluesy-jazz influence in there but it really makes sense when I read what this album was all about. He artfully expresses how he was feeling after everything he had been through at this point in life and I think it's a bit of a journey to correct the thinking that he was wealthy and doing extremely well. I have no idea if the allegations were true or not, but I can appreciate this album as a separate story. Mostly, listening to this album makes me grieve for all of the reams of people that society has completely let down... That's pretty powerful.
First full listen-through of this album for me. Really interesting stuff here. Some very cool instrumentation -- I'm not skilled enough to know what was created digitally and what parts were played by people on musical instruments (I see a ton of "composer" credits under the Personnel section of the Wikipedia entry, with only one non-vocal instrument, a guitar, so it's reasonable to assume most everything on the album is digital). I like the sound a lot, and there are some great grooves. I also am struck by 2Pac's sense of melody. Works so well here. My next task is to re-listen whilst reading along with the lyrics. I'd like to get to know that element as well. Impressive album.
2pac’s position as a rapper, cultural icon, myth, legend are undeniable. A wordsmith who can rap about anything on any track. The G-Funk sound and R&B vibes aren’t my taste generally, but this is a good album and his talent is the major selling point.
Eén van de weinige artiesten en tijdperken van de hiphop/rap die ik goed kan waarderen
Seamless transitions. Some vulgar language tbh. So Many Tears is really good. I like the intro to Temptations. They all sound pretty similar though. Very good lyrical flow. Death around the corner is really good
I hardly ever listen to rap or hip hop, but I was pleasantly surprised by this album. It was easy to listen to and had a nice flow. The lyrics are interesting, because he sounds very honest and open about his struggles. Lots of clever lines as well.
Really enjoyed this, only knew a couple of songs beforehand. If I die tonight, fuck the world and, of course, dear mama are standouts. 4 🌟
Classic 90s rap. Always a favorite. I always hate when these guys die young, but at least it counts for one less comeback tour.
This may not be the best rap album I've listened to on the list so far, but it's probably my favorite. But I mainly want to know more about the friendship Tupac had with Alanis Morissette. Especially the alleged restaurant they were going to own together.
2Pac molting a watershed moment, changing the game. Sounds like he knew his shooting death was only a matter of time. That synth sound gets a flogging, and it’s great
Well produced and softer than it's follow-up, this is very listenable album that showcases what was best about Tupac; his lyrics and handling of melody.
The title track is a huge hit. Too Many Tears is also really introspective and fresh sounding. Heavy In The Game and Lord Knows are both songs I enjoy. This album is a no holds bared look into Tupac, similar in vision to Biggie's Ready To Die. Outlaw I am not too enthused about.
Added If I Die 2Nite, Me against the world, dear mama, old school. first full 2pac album I listened to, just knew other single songs before
He's the most authentic rapper that ever was. It's not posturing or braggadocios. He's just laying out things as he sees them, for better or worse. I don't know that I can compare one of his albums to another. To me, they're all pretty great. Solid all the way through.
I've listened to very little 2Pac and really enjoyed this. Loved the feel and groove of it.
I was a little skeptical with the beginning being all about how tough he was for not staying in the hospital and etc, but I actually thought this was kind of haunting and sad, his brush with death clearly shows through and I liked this more than I expected
Again, not really into this genre but I liked this better than the previous album from here (Dr. Dre debut album). The beats were very 90s hip hop and the lyrics were well performed. The song about his mother was touching. Pretty good album.
2pac was one talented person and it is horrible that his life was cut so short. How can something be so smooth and so angry at the same time?
Intro-good set up If I die 2nite- this music is definitely not my vibe. But I like background, found outro a bit strange Me against the world- slick production, powerful lyrics, all around great song👍 So many tears- another powerful personal song, with great sample. Don’t think the hook is as good as me against the world. Temptations-swerve into song about potentially settling down. Just alright for me Young n*****- WOW 👍 Heavy in the game- like chorus Lord knows-such an alien song to me. Another powerful song with great hook.👍 Dear mama-so heartfelt👍 It ain’t easy- bit of a self pity song lol but still very enjoyable to listen to. Can U get away- catchy chorus, slow in parts Old school-nostalgia foreign to me Fuck the world- just okay Death around the corner- I like this song except for the hook Outlaw- closing song, just okay for me This album is very much the opposite of what I listen to. Pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable it was, but I know nothing about this type of music. 4
2Pac bears all. This turns out to be a deeply vulnerable album without 2Pac coming across as weak. He speaks about personal struggles and the struggles of those around him. Incredibly deep album from a guy who was made to rap. He's a natural, no doubt.
I enjoyed this album, although I started to feel as if it got a bit samey towards the end. 4/5
Despite not being a rap fan, this is definitely one of the better albums I've heard so far here. 2Pac's vocal style his smooth, and the emotional delivery and the raw lyrics are touching. The beats as well are great. I didn't fall in love with the album, but I do like it indeed. It might grow on me in the future, or it could fall away from it's first impression.
Agréablement surprise. Je devais avoir un préjugé contre Tupac. Ça s'écoute vraiment bien. Je devrai réécouter pour prêter encore plus attention aux paroles
Best te pruimen eigenlijk. Beter dan ik dacht. Sommige teksten zijn een beetje pretentieus, zoals 'If I die tonight' maar toch minder pretentieus als je bedenkt dat hij daadwerkelijk het loodje heeft gelegd. Wel veel van hetzelfde.
One of hip hop's most influential album and the best of the best from the 90's. Tupac was one of the first rappers that brought social issues into his lyrics and he was a genius with his rhymes. This album might be his most famous / best one.
hmm, wish I could give it a 3.5, but it's a 3 for me. The cultural significance is important and while I haven't looked at the global, I have a feeling that it's not a great global since it's rap. I almost want to give it a 4 for those meta reasons.
This is one I will need to listen to a couple more times. There's a lot to unpack from 2Pac in this record, as it is his most personal and self-reflective, and I just was not in the right headspace when I first listened to it. The production of the album, while mudding some lines from time to time, gives a heavy bass tone that pairs well with Shakur's voice. This is the kind of sound I really dig in hip-hop records, as it doesn't overstep and accompanies the raps very nicely. However, a lot the songs started to blur together for me, as there were a few that weren't sonically unique or had lackluster moments. This could have been 100% due to my lack of focus, so again, I'm going to give this another shot one day to give it it's fair due. I know this is one of the most celebrated albums in hip-hop, so it demands better attention while listening.
7/10 It’s all about the hooks, otherwise kind of monotone - will have to look into lyrics
This is nice, he's got a great flow, too bad it led to the rise of a million poor imitators
There are well-captured transitional movements here, between the braggadocious gangster style to the more chill if still focused politics of later conscious rap. Lyrically, there are clear themes, and 2Pac balances machismo with hope for something better. Musically, there's the high synth tone I think of as something between the string sections of soul and the richer electronics of 2000's music. The skit-lightness accentuates the framing of Intro. It's dated, I don't love it, but it's important listening. I prefer All Eyez On Me, but both albums are big and merit closer examination and comparison.
This is fine. It's a little too dated for me. I don't think this album aged very well, and the background singers get very old, repetitive, and annoying. The songs without the background vocals are pretty decent, however.
Finally got back around to listening to this record after my initial listen in August. I certainly wasn't in the right mood or mindset during that first go, and since then I've listened to it multiple times in chunks, but this is my first full re-listen. Just like I said in my first review, there's STILL a lot to unpack from 2Pac in this record, as it is his most personal and self-reflective record. He talks about his upbringing, criminal history, violent skirmishes, and the relationship he has with those most important to him such as his mother. However, this isn't a record that he's making for himself, it's like multiple letters going out to his fans, family and friends. The production of the album is mostly warm and cozy, each track has soul-esque instrument lines accompanied by a heavy bass tone that pairs well with Shakur's voice. The beats are pretty intuitive with the tone that 2Pac approaches in his voice. This is the kind of sound I really dig in hip-hop records, as it doesn't overstep and accompanies the bars very nicely. I still think the record has the tendency to get lost in itself due to its runtime. It keeps a pretty hot streak for the first three tracks and then it gets a little lost with its identity, trying to recede back into hardcore hip-hop and keep with the formula of the time instead of sticking with the personal direction. I personally would get rid of the last two tracks and "Temptations" and be satisfied. Favorite Tracks: Me Against The World Least Favorite: Death Around the Corner
Going into this album, I had never been a big fan of old school hip hop but this album made me appreciate it slightly more. Tupac’s lyricism is excellent and the production is pretty good even though it’s what I don’t like about older rap. Fav songs: dear mama, temptations
I absolutely respect his effort to get more reflective and even somewhat sensitive in-between the swagger, but the beats are so weak! It's like a movie with a good story but terrible cinematography. So much heart but no atmosphere. Never been a huge fan of the west coast g-funk sound with all the glissando on the synths. I really respect "Dear Mama" though, and I think it's a standout, perhaps because the track is a little more stripped down and seems to foreground his voice in a way that the other tracks don't.
First ever listen. Surprised at how lyrical it is. Not as hard and dark as I thought it would be.
An album I know well Surprised I listened to this so much when it came out, it's all a bit smooth.
Ok, here’s something odd. Even though the Tupac lost cuts cottage industry continued to roll out albums for donkey’s years after his death (or, if you haunt some seriously unserious corners of the internet, after he removed himself from the fame game and relocated to Peckham) I have never sat and listened to an album of his from start to end. First time for everything… (Afterwards). Great delivery, shame about the production
Rap isn’t my genre & I’ll probably never listen to this again, but I’m really glad I did. The reason for 2Pac’s appeal is clear; introspective and thoughtful lyrics that are still relevant today, slickly produced.
Gefälliger Gangsta-Rap, läuft gut durch. Hat Hits, hat Höhepunkte, reisst mich aber nicht aus meiner bürgerlichen Existenz.
There are other Hip Hop albums that have been recommended as part of the list that have inspired me more. But this had some good stuff on it.
I have avoided listening to Tupac, not for ideological or snobbish reasons, but because I didn't like his big hits. Hit Em Up is genuinely unpleasant to listen to; it just sounds ugly to brag about sleeping with another man's wife, and Tupac makes it as childish as possible. And Changes features the worst sample in the history of music. Why sample such an obviously bad song? Don't talk about the lyrics, as you don't care. You hate the song for such a hateful piano shittening. That said, RZA merging James Brown and Tupac for Django Unchained was masterful, and my only criticism was that he never managed to stick in Robert Johnson at the same time. But how do I feel about a Tupac album with more thought applied? Well, initially rather warmly. He evinces a desire to explore serious, occasionally dark, occasionally bleak themes. Thinking further, this album is often fascinating, yet often unengaging. To compare it to a later album that this influenced, to the extent that it featured a fictional interview between Kendrick Lamar and Tupac, Me Against The World is a more coherent album than To Pimp A Butterfly. I don't doubt the sincerity of Tupac's concerns with thug life, as it were. But Lamar displays far more linguistic fireworks than Tupac, and one problem with Me Against The World is that Tupac sounds so straightforward. Yes, he has flow, but you want more developed imagery, more ambitious rhetoric. I'm trying to recall a metaphor from the album, but I can't. You get the impression of an artist capable of more depth, an artist of promise, but not quite fulfilling it yet. A second listening may bump this up to four stars, and a compilation of Tupac's best songs (not most successful) may well be a 5-starrer, but this sits at a comfortable 3 right now.
Surprised by this. Very very good indeed. Definitely worth a listen, some blistering bass and drum lines carrying the lyrics along with a sizzle
3.7 - Deadly serious, unapologetically macho. Old school R&B beats that give Tupac a canvas to describe the pressures of gangsta life. Some moments of levity with "Can U Get Away" and "Old School."
Nothing special. He relies on the quality of his voice more than the quality of his lyrics and music.
It’s fine I guess. Not a lot of variation with the backing tracks, and I couldn’t really focus on the lyrics to connect with them.
Slick and R&B-ish productions, highly masculine rap delivery, chorus composed of a single phrase followed by a hook, over an hour long... This is the most stereotypically '90s rap album that I have heard so far. Not that surprising, considering the fact that 2pac is one of the most popular figures of the genre. And it's not that bad either, just predictable and loooong. The theme of this album is apparently 2pac's reflection on his bad experiences, which is better than the usual look-I-am-rich-I-am-misogynist theme of gangsta rap. Overall, not bad, just forgettable.
A high lyrical quality on this album, like NAS on Illmatic, from deeper like So Many Tears to straight up Gangsta. Tupacs technique might not be the best, but his delivery is amazing. And I can now see why he's regarded as one of the greatest. The beats on the other hand are relaxed but simple. Some would say effective, but they don't do anything for me.
6/10. Maybe even a seven. I liked how it sounded, my main issue is that it sounded pretty darn similar for the entire run time.
No sitting on the fence lyrically with purpose and reflection in them. A few stand out tracks, a bit long with a few tracks very similar.
Wow this guy loves his mum.... I'm really glad I've heard this, the legendary 2Pac who is still with us apparently? V confusing. I won't listen again probs but enjoyed the story telling
3/4/22 I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I really appreciated his lyrics and how emotional the album was. Also got wrapped up in the story of his life. That being said, I don’t see myself ever listening to this again. For that reason I rate a 3. Favorite song: So Many Tears/Temptations