Reviews (page 5 of 7)
Didn't really like the rap (I rarely do). But the backing and the beats were pretty soulful and chill in places.
Kinda boring, not much variety
90s rap just isn't my favorite type of rap.
Decent but no real ear-grabbers
There are groovy moments on this album, but maybe over an hour of it was bit too much. I enjoyed this more than the Outkast album few days ago, so i guess i have to give it better review, that's why 3 stars...
I get the feeling 2Pac kinda sucked as a dude, but no doubt he’s a talented rapper. So… split the difference, I guess?
Tupac er en bedre skuespiller end rapper change my mind. Lang og monoton men der er nogle bangers på. Jeg kan godt lide Dear Mama fordi jeg er en corny type
Classic album but not for me.
This was fine. Nothing stuck out to me as amazing and it turned into background music pretty quickly!
At first I didn’t want to listen, gangsta rap is not my thing. I didn’t find the lyrics particularly moving or as amazing as 2pac is made out to be, but the production felt like going back to my high school years playing GTA
Not often I sit down and listen to 2Pac. Seems more like a figure than an actual guy who made some records. Very good album here. Wish this guy would have lived longer, I think he had a lot to say that would have been easier to say when he wasn’t a cool young man anymore.
Listenable
This certainly increased my respect for 2pac and his lyricism and nesssging . Never that high on him before the lyricism here was for the most part outstanding . Unfortunately the features on the album are underwhelming and there’s quite a few skip specially considering run time
Mange bra melodia/beats på albumet, men jeg hører sjelden mer enn 5-6 sanger etter hverandre innen denne sjangeren. Dear mama er glimrende, 2pac er ordsmed der. 2pac har egen stil, man kan kjenne igjen hans flow. Hadde jeg vært stor fan av hip hop hadde det nok blitt 5, men det blir en sterk 3’er.
Yederidoodoo
I'm glad this collection gave the opportunity to listen to Tupac Shakur, as I really only knew of his repeated problems with fellow rappers, police, media, prison, etc. and of course his very public death. I've never sought out his music, in large part because it seemed like his music and musical abilities weren't ever really part of his notoriety, and all the rivalry/gangsta crap turned me off, and continues to. (In that vein, I really struggled to listen to the entirety of the final track, "Outlaw", especially with it starting off glamorizing an 11-year-old's desire to join the ranks of thugs and pushers.) I can see why his fans enjoyed this album, and there are a few strong songs in the hour+ album--mainly his single "Dear mama" as well as "Temptations", "It ain't easy" and "Old school". But I was also struck by how...generic-sounding...this album is, at least in the context of the other rap/hip-hop albums in this collection. There's very few musical flourishes on the album (although it gets a bit better as the album wears on), and the lyrics don't seem very creative or particularly interesting, although he definitely has a good ear for cadence and rhymes. Ultimately, I just find his life story sad, in a very unsympathetic way, and it's hard to ignore that listening to this album. (3)
First two tracks get off to a sober start, and I like the Minnie Riperton sample elsewhere. I wish the rhythms and music were as interesting as the lyrics.
Some good songs on this and the rapping is poetic and melodic. But it is far too long and no real songs stand out to push it past a 3
Really enjoyed some songs, wouldn’t rush to listen again. But it’s like Taylor swift for gangsters lol
I’m an old white woman so I am not the target audience for this one. But I can hear that he is speaking the truth of his experience. Hard to rate, because I don’t necessarily want to listen to it again, but I know it is quality.
I just don't care for 2pac that much. I tried but it's too long and the beats aren't there for me. 2.5/5
2Pac may not have been my cup of tea, but he had some yummy hooks. Kind of wish he was still around today - I'd be curious to hear what he'd have to say.
There are some very good songs on this album; Me Against The World and Dear Mama, but also so many filler and poorly aged songs 3/5
Good Album 3/5
Biorąc pod uwagę jaką legendą jest 2Pac spodziewałam się czegoś lepszego. Z przytupem i zrywającego czapki z głów i buty ze stóp. A tu po prostu trochę porządnego rapu. Nic mnie nie zaskoczyło. Nic mnie nie poruszyło. Nawet niespecjalnie bujało. 6/10
2pac is always the one I wished I’d listened to more. Lyrical but also maybe this doesn’t quite hit musically Handsome as fuck tho.
I only know the hits. Most of these were deep cuts for me.
я постаралась внимательно послушать и что-то многовато простоты, ожидала помудрёнее
While I wasn't able to properly connect with it on an emotional level, as a whole this album is well crafted and contains thoughtful lyricism and sharp prose. Damn shame the man died when he did, and wasn't able to continue refining his craft.
thought this was good, very solid, high 3
Rap is not my thing, I thought this was just boring same old...
Kann man machen
I was thinking between a 3 or 4 stars, but the album starts falling off by the end, so 3 stars it is. Still, a lot of good songs here, but a bit too long. ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
Didn't dislike this as much as I thought I would, not being the biggest fan of rap music. But this veered into the kind I'm quite happy to listen to, the music had more a melody and vibe to it which helps, and 2Pac's rap style is much more listenable than this genre tends to be. The additional vocals here and there were also a nice touch
nöd gwüsst dass de dude schomol fast gstorbe wär. wiso hend die sich gegesiitig verschosse?? gad chli meh glese über ihn als glost aber s isch no coole scheiss und sini stimm isch super er het e liechtigkeit und e ernsthaftigkeit glichzitig. scho crazy die gwalt bi rapper ide 90er. soany tears geeile beat. young ngz au siiicke beat sochli socially conscious cool. d hook findi chli schmalzig. biitzli bootstraps weisch musch nur wölle denn chunsch us de armuet use aber eig cool. bi heavy in the game checki de patois shit null. aber de beat slappt wiedermol. hui lord knows isch heaaavy suizid gedanke und so hobla. dear mama isch meeeega cute. can u get away willer e frau usere schlechte beziehig "rette"? aso au afoch horndawg aber au bitz cute aber au chli misogyn? old school mega hymne a 80er hiphop au cute. fuck the world okaay faire punkt pac. bin bi death around the corner (het er gwüsst???) und glaaaub s git e 3.
2pac!!! hahah super, so ziemlich s erste wort woner rappt isch pussy toll if I die 2nite hani easy gfunde? ich han halt sini aggressivi stimm scho gern hahahah hmm so many tears findi recht goofy finds bis jz voll ok, d beats flowed, sini stimm isch halt ebe ikonisch aber d lieder selber mached weniger mit mier oh de beat vo heavy in the game isch nöd fuet galteret iwie hahaha, es schreeit 90er ganz ehrlich allgemein die r'n'b mässige rapsongs fühli eifach nödso oldschool findi na hard! und iwie cute fuck the world het sich so lang ahgfühlt, obwohls nur 4 min gange isch? funny okay outlaw findi richtig sickkkkk knaaapps 3. bin e ziit lang ufem 2 gsi aber für das findis trz z guet. schlussendlich aber doch z lang und blibt wenig hange
2.9 First time properly listening to Pac. Pretty disappointing to be honest, given how lauded he is. Beats were way simpler than I was expecting. Lyrics kind of got me down, shows just how much the system failed. Hearing how paranoid he is of getting shot and then he got shot. Don't really get why this guy is a role model, but I guess you could say that about anyone in gangster rap.
Man, this takes me back. I remember hearing this in a field with red Solo cupped keg beer in both hands and dust in the air. It was surreal in a way - this gritty, raw gangsta world blasting from a shitty car stereo with 2x12" subwoofers being pumped with 1200 watts in the middle of a cornfield. We thought we were so HARD. Now? It’s a little too heavy on the ego for me. Some real lyrical talent, for sure, but the martyr complex is wearing. Odd how often God gets name-dropped by someone rapping about murder and mistrust. Like it's trying to be scripture and street law at the same time. That religious undertone sneaks up on you - like, how did we get from gunplay to Jesus again? Glad I gave it a spin, though. Two times was plenty. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Me Against The World - Dear Mama
-I finally get to listen to Tupac after my mom stopped me from doing so in elementary school -this is good! one of the more enjoyable West Coast hip hop albums I’ve heard so far. def like him more than Dre and NWA. cool use of backing vocals -the tracks and album itself felt a little overlong but still no major complaints.. rip Tupac -Favorites are So Many Tears and Dear Mama
An icon in hip hop for many, but 2Pac never had that large of an impact on me compared with other hip hop artists that I think are much more talented than he is. This record was adored by so many fans, which is likely why it's on this project's list, but there's nothing that really resonates with this one that sets it apart as something truly unique. The samples selected for production is great, but their incorporation into songs is left to be desired. It's got that typical west coast feel to the beats, which is good, but nothing really outstanding on this record. Pac's lyrics are relatable for many, his cadence is uncanny, and his voice is perfect for story-telling. I respect what he did for the culture, but this album in particular didn't move me much.
I think 2Pac has better albums
As embarrassing as this is, I've never listened to an entire Tupac album, so I was very excited to listen to this. I'm also glad to see something on the list that isn't rock or pop and especially glad to see it be rap. The album was really enjoyable. I like his musicality, and the lyrics show that he clearly has something to say. He's one of the greats for a reason, and I completely agree that he should be on this list. That being said, it's not my personal taste. It's a true 3.5 because it's slightly better than the middle of the road albums, but I don't like it enough to purchase it or listen to it on my own. So I'm giving it a 3.
Great flow and solid beats.
i like this abulmn because the backstoryis meaning ful it sound a little better then others
I thought the cover looked cool. I liked "Dear mama" because it was cool. The lyrics were really good and I like the voice. "Outlaw" was good. I didn't like the swearing in it. But the beat was really good. "So many tears" was really good. I liked the lyrics. I would recommend this album.
the first song is good I like the instruments and the way they sound Its kinda long. the next song is the same the pace he says the words is faster everything else is kinda the same though. the last song is the same as the other two.
great flow, strong beats, but by the end of the album I was tired of the relentlessness. plenty braggadocio, but no chiaroscuro.
This was actually rather nice, but can go on a bit too long.
Well I never - Pac was affiliated with Digital Underground, who I discovered on the generator yesterday! I would've assumed he was the antithesis of their type of goofball-rap tbh. It's also my first 2Pac album. So what did I make of it? Well, I was engaged at the start and again at the end, when the energy picked back up, but there was a big dip in the middle. The toned down, self-reflective rhymes might've been new for 2Pac but I feel I've heard plenty do it better. And musically it's that very samey, pedestrian G-funk or R&B, which I find pretty dull. The word that sprung to mind most of the time was 'competent', which is surely damning with faint praise, but there were decent moments. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that this album doesn't show him at his best.
Don’t do much for me.
Classic rap just runs together for me. I have a hard time picking anything out in particular that piques my interest. Tupac’s influence is undeniable, and his flow is impressive, his voice is also commanding and powerful. The production value is that of a 90s hip hop album, sampled bass and drum machines. Perhaps this is where hip hop has evolved the most and what has dated records such as this. I like this, but I cannot accurately weigh its impact on the culture of rap. I have to take context clues and rate this as it appeals to me, which is a solid album with nuances that have been buried in the quickly changing styles of modern rap.
Starting an album with news reports of your shooting is iconic
Not too bad. I appreciate what he was doing with this album im just not really a hip hop person but I can respect his craft and it seemed like a very personal album.
No doubt 2Pac is one of the greatest to ever do it, but Me Against the World didn’t hit as hard for me as some of his other work. There’s a lot of introspection and emotional depth here, which I respect, but the overall vibe just didn’t stick with me like All Eyez on Me or Makaveli. Still, tracks like “Dear Mama” are classics, and the album has its moments. It’s a solid record, just not my favorite in his discography. Favorite song: Death Around The Corner
Pretty good, surprisingly smooth to listen to (?) Although none of the songs here really spoke to me, they all just sort of smooshed together. Maybe I'll relisten when I'm more in the mood for mister pac. Fav song: Dear Mama
3/4
It feels wrong to give a legend like Pac only 3 stars, but I didn't enjoy this one as much as I expected to. I think a lot of the ideas, both musical and lyrical, on Me Against the World are more deeply explored and fleshed out on All Eyez on Me. The latter just feels like a more intense and focused effort, though it's undoubtedly bloated. It also has the undeniable bangers that this album is missing (how is All Eyez on Me not on this list?!?)
It's not in my wheelhouse but it ain't bad. High twos.
I wish to like this more than I do, because I do enjoy rap, but I'm afraid that I wasn't really feeling it. The beats are great and the delivery is good, but there's something missing for me, even though I don't know what
Surprised at how much I enjoyed this considering it is not a genre I would look for. He definitely told a great story and you could hear his fight in the lyrics.
The gangsta rap subgenre has always been one I've struggled to find an appreciation for, and this album is no exception. There are a handful of songs here that aren't completely mired in braggadocio and posturing, and while I can appreciate 2Pac reflecting on the life he lives, it's a world I've never fully been able to connect with. Not that I'd ever expect to. That handful of songs does make this worth sitting through, even if it's not for me. The stream of similar sounding tracks glorifying violence? Not so much. So yeah, I appreciate the opportunity to sit down with an album I ignored back when it came out, but I don't expect to revisit it. Give me De La, Tribe, Public Enemy, The Roots, or OutKast over this any day of the week.
I have tried many times to get into 2pac. I like a lot of hip hop, but for some reason, I just don't really like 2Pac. Listening to this a few times, I think what it comes down to is that in both old school and gangster rap, I prefer the more dynamic and musical flows of rappers like Biggie, and in lyrical conscious rap I prefer the deeper and more consistent messaging of artists like Common. I listened to this album and many of the most popular tracks repeatedly over the weekend and still don't have any particular lines stuck in my head, no hooks in the bars grabbed me and made me pay attention like many songs from other rappers can. To my ears, on this album, 2pac delivers a more predictable and repetitive old school flow combined with content that I know was honest to him in the '90s but now comes across as surface level posturing toward cultural commentary. He also doesn't benefit on this album from any standout beats.
There is a lot of Rap on this list. I dont mind it, but it is not something that i would seek out for listening enjoyment. If i was going to listen to rap it would public Enemy or Run DMC. Gangsta rap is not my cup of tea. Nothing stands out for me on this album, but it was also ok. the album ends well.
Good at what he did I guess, the hype and the legend don’t weigh up though would be 2.5 but no half points
This is maybe isn’t the 2Pac album to get me to understand his genius, I don’t feel the immediacy that I feel while listening to someone like Nas or Kendrick.
not impressive except for a few songs
He was no Maya Angelou. He had some derivative tunes and some ability to rap. He rose above mediocrity by dying young. I have dropped a point for the use of gunfire as music, but more unacceptable is the glorification of the thug life and warping minds (intro to Outlaw). The backing music sounds so dated, which never is the case with great music. It could have been worse, if the Fresh Prince had been killed in a drive by shooting we would have idolised Jazzy Jeff.
Rap's not really my thing, and for sheer enjoyment of the album I was ready to give this a 2*. But I have to admit, the lyrics grabbed me. The guy had a way with words that's mesmerizing. So, although I won't necessarily be listening to this again, I'm still giving it 3*.
Not my cup of tea but enjoyable enough
Never bought into the cult of 2pac, I enjoyed a song here or there but it never caught my attention enough to dig deep and see what the hype was about. I've tried before and tried again with this and I guess I'll never get it, this is fine.
I liked but its a for one time its nice one
Experience shapes our tastes, and this was not about the world I know. I'm trying to be understanding. But I don't like rap. I just don't. But I understand this is culturally significant, so my rating isn't going to reflect my actual taste.
Soul’et og lettere funky Hip Hop. Det bliver let kedeligt og ensformigt. Ligeledes bliver det trivielt at høre på hvor hårdt livet på gaden er.
This was an alright album. I am not a huge fan of the rap songs where they just talk and there isn't really enough melody, but compared to a Beastie Boys album that I got yesterday, this is a lot better. I would say that it is a bit mid, although I know that 2Pac was massive during that time but I was a fan of the things back then.
My biggest failing as a hip-hop fan is probably that I’ve never really clicked with a 2Pac album. This is a pretty interesting addition to his catalogue with the large G-funk influence and a few more sensitive songs standing out against the harder beats of his earlier work. There are a few great tracks on here such as If I Die 2Nite, Dear Mama and Old School, and the lyrics are generally very strong and insightful, but a lot of the songs just blend into one another and don’t do that much for me
I've just had a conversation about whether this was good or world-historically good ... this was good and very *consistent*, but i think 3 is right here
Not my favorite 2pac album but still a good one.
Good album, highlights are Me Against the World and Dear Mama. 1001 album worthy: Yes - 6/10
listened to again it's great, but not his best
Solid pac record
3.5/5 Wanted to enjoy this even more than I did as the album opens with a bang and has some real high points, but I hesitate to admit that I slumped in between those peaks. Might be something to do with the choice to listen to this while running. I'll choose a different listening context for the next album.
overall very enjoyable, some tracks more than others
Hasn't aged as well as expected. Couple real amazing songs, but a majority just doesn't hit the mark anymore. 3/5
Enjoyed it, but found it a bit samey. The beats blur a bit into each other but they're generally pretty good. Heavy in the Game and Dear Mama are stand outs. Might need to revisit. 3.5 for now
I've always found 2Pac to be overrated. This album and his music in general is completely listenable but lacks the ability to grab you. You know the albums mid when you repeatedly think to yourself about how long you've been listening to this, and the first song that comes on shuffle after the album finishes is better than any song on the album 6/10 Fav tracks - Heavy in the game Least Fav - none
Old School is my highlight
Lyrically this is great. Tupac is a good rapper, no denying it. However musically is where this falls apart for me. A lot of the backing tracks sound like they could be used by a corporate made, generic all girl group. I can't take the gangster thing seriously when it sounds like that.
De geschiedenis heeft bewezen dat de teksten geen aanstellerij waren. Toch vind ik het moeilijk naar de teksten te luisteren. Een compliment wellicht. Het is ondanks stevige klemtonen behoorlijk smooth. Het zakt makkelijk weg naar de achtergrond. In die zin heeft het wat weg van de relaxte rappers rond de wisseling van de decennia. De muzikale begeleiding is juist typisch voor de medio 90's. Of heeft hij daar juist voor dat stereotype gezorgd?
Aight
6/10 - I liked the backing track for a lot of the songs quite a bit. I still do not really like the actual rap part of the song but it was more manageable and enjoyable.
ok
Melhor vocal de rap, o disco inteiro fluiu sem incomodar. Só que não tem "Changes", um dos primeiros mp3 que baixei e escutei bastante.
Good ol'
Good melody overall. High 3
First time really listening to Tupac and it’s fine, I guess. I’m not his target audience, but he has been essentially deified as a musical god and this not live up to his rep. It’s still pretty good for its era, but it has not aged well nor is it particularly mind blowing.
dude is good I just don’t really like 90s westcoast!
Production is nice but the beats are boring. The lyricism is supposedly the selling point but it feels a bit basic. Overly long, but there are definitely some standout tracks that I enjoyed.
Rap that’s pretty good but is not musically distinctive.
A lot of n-words etc. Struggled with enjoying it a lot even though I probably should tbh? Some of it was really good for running though!
remarkably chill and funky
Intro n/a If I Die 2Nite 3 Me Against the World 3.1 So Many Tears 2.9 Temptations 3.2 Young Niggaz 2.8 Heavy in the Game 2.4 Lord Knows 3.1 Dear Mama 3.3 It Ain't Easy 3 Can U Get Away 2.7 Old School 2.5 Fuck the World 2.8 Death Around the Corner 3.4 Outlaw 3 Score: 2.942857143
Not very many strong opinions about this, I did however enjoy reading 2Pac's wikipedia page so there's that
Not my style but it was ok
Of 2Pac's first four albums, this is the only one that I have not listened to. So Many Tears is a quintessential 2Pac song -- great flow, soulful instrumental (with some wonky 90's harmonica), speaking to his paranoid mindset, imminent doom, and tormented past. Young Niggaz is another standout for its distinct West Coast g-funk styling and his open calls for black youth to aspire to more -- urging them to become accountants. Dear Mamma is a great homage. Old School was the other standout to me. Fine enough album, but doesn't capture the same lightning in the bottle feeling of Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.S or reach the highs of All Eyez On Me. With that, this is a pretty middling 3 for me.
This would be a 4 stars if it was just the songs that 2pac is solo in. All the featured and random people kind of suck. Put it down to a 3.5 stars for me.
Good beats, good flow. Never been a huge rap fan and this doesn't really change much for me. The wikipedia page is definitely interesting with all the events surrounding the release of this album.
Enjoyable, but about halfway through it was just sounding very same-y. Wouldn’t skip a song on shuffle, but won’t listen to the whole album again.
A couple of bangers, some filler, plenty of gangsta musings. All in all it's OK but there's something about 2Pac that always bothered me.
Much prefer Hit Em' Up Tupac rather than R&B Tupac. 3.06
Prefer this to others of the era, but still not feeling it
This was nice to have on while doing some morning chores on a gray day. Probably comes closest to "would relisten" out of all the hip hop/rap albums I've had through 1001 Albums so far.
It’s fine. Not really my thing.
like it.
pretty good album overall and I love the west coast sound. I wonder what 2Pac could have been if gangsta rap wasn't the popular thing at the time.
2Pac is an interesting one for me. I feel like I SHOULD like him more than I do. Coming off of Thelonius, it is a weirdly similar feeling in the sense that I know I should appreciate him more. Still pumped on listening to this one today.
he's alright. I wasn't really into hip hop at the time but even as I got older and realized how much I enjoyed a lot of the hip hop I'd missed in the 90s like Snoop, Wu Tang, all the Native Tongue crew, 2Pac never really blew me away. I think his getting killed made him some kind of martyr to be worshipped. 2.5 rounding up
Interesting to hear. Mostly what I thought it would be. Don’t feel like I missed much. But didn’t hate it.
I remember this. It’s nice but I wouldn’t choose to listen again.
Is fine
i like 2pac a lot but i was not in the mood yesterday
Solid all around, no bangers I hadn't heard before
One of the better rappers. Good use of samples and singers. I felt it fell off a bit at the end of the album though (last few songs).
I remember when this was new - pretty huge hit. I'm a fan of this era of hip hop, but 2Pac just isn't really my flavor.
01) Intro - 5,0 02) If I Die 2Nite - 6,5 03) Me Against the World - 6,0 04) So Many Tears - 7,5 05) Temptations - 6,5 06) Young Niggaz - 6,0 07) Heavy in the Game - 6,5 08) Lord Knows - 6,5 09) Dear Mama - 9,0 10) It Ain't Easy - 6,5 11) Can U Get Away - 7,0 12) Old School - 7,5 13) Fuck the World - 7,0 14) Death Around the Corner - 6,5 15) Outlaw - 6,0 TOTAL: 6,67 (67/100) Current ranking: 161/211 "Dear Mama" is the best song on the album, I also like "So Many Tears" and "Old School". The album is nothing special, but I have heard worse.
I can see the talent on display here, but I don't quite get this in the way I get some of his contemporaries.
was interesting initially and the storytelling was good, but further into the album and really felt it didn't change up much on the stories and became less interesting to me
More tender and vulnerable than emo music.
There's a first time to everything, and well... It's good, but I fail to see how this is supposed to be legendary. A 40 minutes album would have been enough also.
3.5
Very good
Gangster rap, but at least he's not glorifying it like a lot of his contemporaries. So his message is better. I don't like his flow very much or the music. Most of the guest rappers have better flow IMHO. The album is, like a lot of CD era albums, too long. It didn't age very well. Favorite song: death around the corner
Tenho ultimamente pesquisado sobre histórias de rappers e os seus diversos conflitos. Este álbum surge em uma boa altura. Não gosto de Rap, é um género que não compreendo e até tenho algum desgosto sempre que ouço. Tendo em conta esta descrição devo dizer, este álbum foi uma agradável surpresa. Tupac é notoriamente mais competente no rap em comparação a tudo que já havia ouvido. musicalmente mesmo que as "batidas" sejam repetitivas elas normalmente têm alguns elementos interessantes, é possivel identificar os sons subtis de guitarras e outros instrumentos acompanhados por um bateria e sons mais eletrónicos. Algumas canções têm "flows" melhores que outras e algumas que quase parecem cantadas. No geral este álbum é notoriamente melhor do que tudo o que ouvi deste género, mesmo não sendo do meu agrado, terei de dar um 6 mas possivelmente é melhor do que este número mas o estilo é completamente fora do que gosto. A minha canção favorita foi o So Many Tears. Nota: 6/10 18/05/2024
I have mixed feelings while exploring such an important part of hip hop. You see waves of 2Pac fans wearing t-shirts, streaming his music, and generally just sharing the word of 2Pac at least once a week, and even if you manage to escape that, chances are your mind jumps to him when discussing almost anything 90s related. He and his brand are together a cultural phenomenon, one that you wouldn't expect to still last nearly thirty years after his death, but that very death probably only heightened his notoriety. I understand the success to some extent too. Conscious rap and gangster rap were at the top of their game in this decade, and to combine them could only lead to success. There had been crossover success stories like that in the past, you could argue it's Public Enemy's very brand, but something about 2Pac's take on the genre seems so... commercial, and that is both a blessing and a curse. The beats are repetitive, the lyrics predictable, and just the overall tone reeks of a bygone era, but it also makes the lyrics extremely digestible and relatable. Sure, you probably weren't slinging drugs in the hood, but you probably have felt bad for silly altercations with your mom that you only wish to apologize for. That at its core makes 2Pac unique, as there is very obviously something for everyone. There's some hardcore stuff, some softer stuff, some gangster shit, and some introspective meditations, and while it doesn't do any of these things remarkably well, it's that influence that drives so many of today's rappers to who they are today. There most likely wouldn't be acts all the way from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, to more cheesy pop stuff like acts like Alicia Keys and even Ed Sheeran. His reach was insane, and when you then think of all the new artists inspired by those acts, it shows how big of a web 2Pac created. Maybe that is a negative to you, maybe it isn't, but it is certainly something to look upon with a certain fondness and appreciation. I don't find myself loving most of the songs here, and, of course, it is far too long to be enjoyable as an album, but there is certainly stuff here to like, and I can't look down upon that, even if the album isn't for me.
Not really my kinda music but didn't mind it so much.
There were times I thought this would be a 4. Solid album.
Dear Mama is still amazing. Some of the others not so much.
2pac was brutally honest in me against the world. i may have been reading into it, but i noticed a recurring theme of death. the album had such a strong start, especially with the intro creating a newscast of an injured and hospitalized 2pac, and going straight into "if i die 2nite." the songs' main songwriter was indeed 2pac, and the lyrics are extremely strong. he allowed himself to be vulnerable in many songs, but especially in "dear mama." there were also literary references, some of which i probably didn't catch or appreciate properly.
As far as rap goes, 2Pac is incredibly easy to listen to on this album. The lyrics are still as topical as what someone might expect from 90s rap and hip hop, but the delivery is as smooth as butter. 2Pac is another artist who was often an incredibly troubled and problematic individual, but his musical talent in his space is undeniable. It would have been interesting to see him live longer and develop his career. But in the time that he was alive and active, he left quite the impression.
classic west coast hip hop
Criminal Rapper, facing his sentence. Beside that rap from the 90-ies.
I think 2pac is rather overrated. I’m mostly ambivalent to this album, not many stinkers, but barely anything that caught my attention. RIP. Fave Tracks: Old School 2.8/5
More rap…however, this tells a very dark story and i give it credit for being interesting. There were some songs I enjoyed listening to and I can’t about all rap. So 3 stars it is.
Very solid gangster rap, but I'm not sure I understand the huge cultural influence. Taking off a star for the rampant misogyny.
I didn’t expect to like this, but it went down pretty smooth. That said, I wouldn’t count it among my favorite hip-hop albums; the tracks blurred together and started to feel boring. It’s not one I’m likely to listen to in full again.
hygge oldschool hiphop :) 3/5 eller 4/5 :D
Meh. Tight, well produced. Bland.
liked the back half better and added some to my library!
I was always Biggie>Tupac, this album reinforces all the reasons why. Too R and B sounding, West Coast vibe.
High 3. Tupac’s a legend
Not his hits but a good album nonetheless
I feel like I'm gonna lose all my "teenager in the 90s" cred by saying this is fine. Better than a lot of rap, more variety in the lyrics, but... it's fine.
It's smooth rollin' and laid back musically, but firm, confident and strong lyrically. That west coast hip-hop sound that is one of the few styles I really like of that genre. Has it really been almost 30 years now? Damn.
It was okay.
Solid flows, laid-back beats, but nothing truly stands out for me. The songs tend to be excessively long and a bit too repetitive. Nevertheless, it's a classic and clearly influential on much of my favorite hip-hop.
Liked this more than I expected to
Gehört zur Musikgeschichte. Sound noch typisch 80er, Drumcomputer in den Anfängen.
I really liked a couple songs here, but overall this kinda feels like it's missing something to me. Not bad, but yeah. 3.5
2PAC is a legend. I do not listen to much hip hop or rap but I appreciate it. This album feels like it has a heavy Dr Dre influence.
I have a really strange relationship with the hip hop albums I’ve been listening to via this project. I hated NWA with a passion and I really didn’t care for Notorious BIG, so I went into 2Pac thinking he’d receive a similar low rating. But I was surprised. The songs here had a certain maturity which I haven’t recognized elsewhere. Dear Mama was the standout track for me, this is the kind of storytelling song I love; probably the first time I’ve connected with such a song in this genre.
Good lyrics but delivered identically in every track
Pidän taustoista ja flowsta. Vähän liiankin smooth, en meinaa jäädä kuuntelemaan sanoja. Voimaa on, mutta kaipaisin vähän raakuutta vielä (ehkä sitä on sanoituksissa enemmän kuin ensikuulemalta kuulen. Tai sitten raa’at sanat sanotaan liian matter of fact -tyyliin).
Artisti ei pelkää heittää hommaa popiksi, minkä ansiosta levy pysyy kiinnostavana loppuun saakka - eikä jokaista sanaakaan nyt tarvitse niin tarkasti kuunnella. Jotain arveluttavaa tässä tyypissä kuitenkin on: uskookohan hän omaan fantasiaansa? Entä onko hänen tosiaan niin paljon vaikeampaa elää omissa nahoissaan kuin meidän muiden?
I didn’t get into this back in the day. He was smooth, but a lot of it is very repetitive. It gets stronger towards the end. It’s not bad overall, but the era has better hip hop too.
pretty solid, although most songs seem to go a minute longer than necessary.
Feiere ich nicht ab, aber höre ich auch mal ganz gerne.
I liked this album musically. Tupac certainly had a compelling cadence, and the beats were smooth and fun. I appreciate the introspection expressed on the album, and there’s no denying the influence he had on subsequent rappers, like Kendrick Lamar. But… I have trouble squaring the context around the album—the sexual violence and gun violence that led him to prison during the album’s released, referenced on the first track. “Me Against The World” as a phrase loses some meaning when you have been the perpetrator of violence, even if societal pressures led to some of those actions. It taints the album in a way that makes it ultimately distasteful when there isn’t a lot of owning up to his own mistakes on the album.
duplicate
Great album, shame about Jada though
Me Against The World is 2Pac's words with Dre's sound. Pac's Interscope are not some of my favorites, but his lyrics are some of his most poignant - I wish we could have had this Pac without the SoCal sound. 3.5/5
Eih Hyi 0.5/5 VITTU MITÄ BÄNGERIÄ!! 😛😛 5/5
Blind album, know the artist. I think im a sucker for G Funk after hearing more of these kinds of albums. It's so catchy at parts. The album as a whole is okay but some tracks are really catchy.
As with most hiphop albums it is too long. However this album is at least not filled with obnoxious skits
2pac, 2pac, gute rap 3.75
Habe wenig Erfahrung mit diesem Genre. Hat mir gefallen! 5.3/10
2Pac is infuriating, because he’s so close to getting it. More than any rapper before him, he takes life in the projects as his topic and details the misery, the loss, and the spiritual emptiness of the gangster experience. Because of the strength of the feeling 2Pac exhibits, and because of the sheer variety of experiences he manages to document, Me Against The World deserves a spot in the great representations of underclass despair, up there with Dostoevsky, Hubert Selby Jr, Henry Mayhew. And then he turns around and says some shit like ‘You just need to apply yourself’ as advice to the young people he’s talking to. I’m sure that he meant well, but exhorting the benefits of the protestant work ethic while also making some fantastically salient points about the facts of social inequality within the American system gives me such bad whiplash. Rather than advocating for true justice through either incremental reform within the society that we have, or a radical upending of the entire system, 2Pac ends up propping up the system and suggesting that the reason so many of the people that he loves that didn’t make it is not because of a system that is designed to keep black people as a necessary underclass, and is instead because they aren’t working hard enough to be accepted by the Capitalist system.
Cool
Uncontroversially, this is a very good album. Not my genre of expertise but it strikes me as much sparser, samples-wise, than the most prominent work of even five years before. 2pac has an easy flow and a steady rhythm, making the tracks much easier to relax into than their subject matter might lead you to believe. I think the spare arrangements led later artists to mistake that for the central quality of Shakur's work; his writing and his delivery are stellar. On top of it, the rhythms and hooks that he does use are infectious and extremely effective -- 2pac only needs a simple beat because it's a great one and because he's plenty to hold your attention on his own. Influential and rightfully so. Probably won't convert any skeptics of rap, but if you're at all curious you should give this a spin.
Me Against The World is a solid example of rap in the mid-90s. At the time Tupac was a phenomenon. He was on MTV constantly in his own videos and featuring in other artists videos. His movies were crazy popular, too. Media loved to talk about his life and he relished the attention. On this album I find his flow to be monotonous but unique. Other rappers bit his style at the end of the 90s. His rhymes are his signature: the sensitive side of a thug. I like the beats on the album. It's G-Funk but not as bumpin as other albums from the time.
Not my style or era of hip hop, but I have a ton of respect for Tupac’s lyricism and activism. He knew he wasn’t long for this world when writing this album. I’m glad I listened to it, but I doubt I’ll listen to it again in one sitting.
To my surprise there's actually more songs on this album that I liked than I thought I would. The problem is a while album it's a bit much for me in one sitting.
Well, I expected to hate this but surprised that I didn’t. I liked the groove and the tempo of the rap.
Didn't hate it, I guess. But didn't like it much, either. A little haunting that so much of the album is about dying young because of his lifestyle and then he died young, because of his lifestyle. I can't imagine listening to it again anytime soon, but it wasn't bad.
Listening to this album led me to the conclusion that 2Pac is overrated. This album is just ok and Hip Hop should have more energy than this. Old School was cool, I don’t know I wanted more. 3 stars
Bro died
Embarrassingly enough, this is actually the first time I've listened to 2Pac's music. He was definitely a strong rapper, and I like how the lyrics have some nuance behind them. It seems like 2Pac had a pretty good idea of how he was going to go out and either wouldn't or couldn't do anything about it. Sad!
Typically not my cup of tea, but I enjoyed a few tracks on this album, especially "Dear Mama."
Better than expected. Overall good listen
Cat: classic. He flows so well. I can’t relate to what he says but it’s storytelling nonetheless
Prima albumpie, 3.5
Chill album, but no good texts.
préfère AEOM. Flow un peu trop répétitif. Lyrics seems great 7/10
An album like this makes you wander what could have been. I've never listened to 2Pac before but would happily listen to this again. Still it's nothing special, just cruisy hard life hip hop? Faves: Me Against The World, Old School, Dear Mama
I haven't really listened to much Tupac but obviously I'm aware of his reputation. This is way blander than I was expecting? Dude's flows sound extremely Coolio to my ear, and I see "Gangsta's Paradise" came out the same year as this. I dunno, maybe Coolio was biting Tupac's style? And the production sound extremely Will Smith! This feels like he was shooting for feelgood summertime pop rap rather than anything gritty or subversive. Pretty underwhelming all in all. I guess it didn't actively piss me off, so it's spared a 2, but this is a low 3 - like a 2.7 or something. Fave track - eh, "Me Against The World" maybe? Or "Old School". Nothing really stood out in a good way.
Highlight: So Many Tears. Be right back, crying. Overall: 5/10
A little boring musically but great rapping, good lyrics and generally vibey and enjoyable. I get why people could be super into this.
Like the others around this time, it’s too long. Trim the fat and it would be a solid 4. Good stuff, 3-3.5 all day, but come some of the extra at the end of each song.
Another long hip hop album. I liked some of it a lot but it’s just too long and I got bored. Also hearing the same rhymes over and over again got annoying. He sounds like Bender from Futurama when he says “it’s just me against the world bebeh”
This was fine I guess. Didn't really hear anything that interesting or compelling though.
I didn't hate it, its probably some of the better hip hop I've listened to (mostly from this project actually). Not sure I'd listen again.
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa.
Done
What's equally fascinating and unsettling with rivals Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur is how much aware they were if their upcoming, early violent deaths. A lot of rappers brag about that--even though there's no *valuable* reason to brag about such a thing. But the way 2PAC and B.I.G.'s lyrics keep on returning to their own deaths can give you so many cold shudders, retrospectively. About 2PAC's magnum opus now: the rapper's flow and voice are very often as neat as his lyrics are well-crafted, generally speaking. There's even a close-to-stifling aspect to that tight flow that perfectly conveys Tupac's paranoid persona. Listening to the album, you can sense why a young Kendrick Lamar would be so impressed by this master lyricist. When it comes to the music and production values, the album is much more of a mixed bag, however. It starts strong, there's no arguing about that, between the effective boom bap of "If I Die Tonight" and "Temptations" to those samples of a wailing blues harmonica on "So Many Tears". Yet after the first four tracks, productions revert to an excess of cliché-laden P-funk gangster rap arrangements and R'n'B background vocals that were already aging very fast by 1995. And if even if you consider those sorts of shenanigans still had clear artistic values at that time, there's nothing in those filler cuts that Dre's productions didn't do better during the nineties, just to take a very famous reference point in that specific subgenre. One notable exception is "Dear Mama", the platonic ideal of a track where a rapper pays tribute to his mother going through so many hardships to raise her children alone, with an electric guitar sample that's nothing short of iconic. It's the sort of track that other rappers who did the same sort of tribute to their mum--going from Kanye West to Jay-Z--had no choice but to take into account before doing their own spin on it. Another notable exception is "Old School". another cool boom bap banger with a quite laidback atmosphere to its beats, enhanced by mesmerizing flute samples. There's also a live energy to "Fuck The World" (are those drums *real drums*?--I think they are!), which easily redeems the P-funk clichés in that admittedly second-tier track. And finally, "Outlaw"'s electric piano loops also give an ominous mood to the album closer. To put it in a nutshell, musically there's a batch of underwhelming cuts in the middle of this LP, but if you have to include *one* 2PAC album in the list, it's probably the one (*All Eyez On Me*'s length makes it a far more difficult entry point to Tupac's oeuvre, but I guess that's a story for another time, kiddies). In all fairness, it would be a shame not to include at least one album by a rap legend such as 2PAC in such a list. 3/5 for the purposes of this list, translating to a 8/5 for more general purposes (5+3). Number of albums left to review: 416 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 270 (including this one) Albums from the list might* include in mine later on: 142 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 178.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah, very classic feel to this one as you’d expect, effortless flows Favourite song: Track 2 - If I Die 2Nite
J'ai étonnamment aimé cet album et vais pouvoir m'en vanter à la récré de 10h demain matin.
Nul à chier, j'ai passé une journée de merde, et le summum de la merde m'a été offert par 2pac, un grand merci Robert pour tout ce que tu fais.
good
Upon first listen this was a big meh for me. There were a couple of songs that stood out but largely felt like a 'safe' album. Half a zoot and a moody sunset later and wowzers - still not a forever favourite but I can appreciate it much more now
- Great lyrics and great beats - Vibey 90s rap, not my genre of choice but I respect it - Solid 3.5
- definitely a 90s rap classic - more reflective and deep than I expected - 3.5
This was good. Not my type of music, but I could see its strengths.
Didn't really enjoy the listen. Most of the samples just didn't feel like they fit to me. Feel like there are better Tupac albums.
A pretty typical 2Pac experience. Repetitive themes, overly long, bad features, but great production and flow.
Yep, definitely sounds like he has some stuff to work through. I liked a lot of it.
Hard-hitting
Not my favourite album of his, but still awesome nonetheless. I appreciate the real life poetry he’s rippin on this album, but I prefer the harder stuff. Listen again: yes Purchase for my collection: own it Favourite Song: Old School or Death Around The Corner
It’s pretty decent, I’ve just discovered that I am not a 90’s rap guy.
good album, but despite tupac being considered the greatest of all time by many, none of the tracks really stood out to me.
i mean similar to the other old school rap albums i’ve heard on here, good but nothing super special. i guess i’d never actually heard 2Pac before but i wasn’t expecting his voice to be that low?
Alright.
The music is good but I also find that the songs tell much about the singer which I find interesting
I really liked the title track and if I die tonight. I really appreciated the intro context growing up. I knew there was some thing that went on with 2Pac and biggie but I didn’t really know much other than that intro truck coverage talking about 2Pac checking him self out of the hospital a day after getting shot really helps at the tone for the rest of the album, I like the beats a lot seems like it’s more of an inside album. The B-side is not as good. I was closing out strong with outlaw, fast track on the album the against the world first track on the album. Can you get away overall three out of five. Well I was going to this album again no. I might listen to a couple of the tracks again.
Hippetihopp. Säkert ok för genren.
Decent hip hop, from the heart. Not usually my bag but enjoyed it. A bit too long.
I appreciate 2pac’s influence on hip hop, but his flow feels repetitive to me.
What a shame, this guy was an artist
Very very good album! It’s no All Eyez on Me but it’s still pretty solid! Self titled song has a real good flow. Nothing really caught me that much more on this album but still not a bad listen
Some cool beat making here, and good guest vocal spots. I like the sound of Tupac's rapping but I didn't really take in the lyrical content and I'm not sure I'd want to? Maybe this is a 4 but I'm unsure enough to leave it at 3.
Not a huge 2Pac fan, but this is one of his best, and a plus it’s a lot shorter than all eyes on me. Which is a plus in my eyes. Deserves to be on the list.
I used to like this record, but now that I'm a bit more knowledgable about rap, I don't feel that Tupac is within the caliber he's often hailed to
Solid beats and lyrics that make you think about what 2Pac is going through/wants us to think about what he’s going through. Lot of negative thoughts and somber themes.
Tää on kuuntelemista 2pac levyistä ehkä ehein. Tyylipuhdas aikakauden esimerkki keskivertoa paremmalla tulokulmalla 3/5
En tiedä olinko koskaan kuunnellut kokonaista levyä 2Pacia. Ihan jees, ja ymmärrän legendaarisen statuksen mut en vielä ihan päässy sisään.
Not a hiphop guy. My standard answer: it was fine. Since this is not a genre for me I didn't hate it nor did I really love it. I did like the olldish school vibes but beyond that didn't mean much to me.
2Pac's murder, given his obsession with death on Me Against the World, gave this album added poignancy. Swathes of rappers focused on such themes, of course; a grim reflection of America's shameful statistics on the life expectancy of black males and high rates of homicide. 2Pac meant so much to so many - a charismatic, inspirational, flawed individual - and undoubtedly burnished his legacy. Me Against the World has a few stand out tracks, a lot of which are deeply personal, but there is a lot of filler as 2Pac flits from theme to theme. It never entirely lands and I secretly prefer the ambition and scope of All Eyez on Me.
I've never listened to Tupac but I feel like this album was pretty good. I'm still not the biggest fan of hip hop but I can appreciate the artists nonetheless.
Sure, I like this as much as I ever like any gangsta rap...
Solid.
I think I can hide behind the fact that I'm more of a Biggie fan to explain my rating. Pac has always been more of a singles artist to me, I think a full album might be a little much. Still, he has charisma, and these g-funk beats don't really get old. Favorite tracks: "Me Against The World", "Old School"
Decent but on a first listen there's so much filler. I can see it getting better on repeat listens but for now its a strong 3
3,5
defo bigger cos he did a ded.
Dead as fuck
My main criticism with a lot of the big mid 90's gangsta rap albums is that they are so self indulgent that, coupled with the super in your face 90's beat production, it ends up leaving me bored and my ears fatigued after an hour. This is no different, technically very proficient and Tupac was obviously an absolute master of his craft but this is 2 albums. Theres so much material here and most of it isn't distinct enough to stop this hour long behemoth from starting to sound samey before it even gets halfway. The main takeaway I ended up having from most of the songs was unfortunately how grating that very mid 90's layered vocal sound gets, especially when threes multiple overlapping vocal samples doing different things. It ends fantastically though, the last four songs from Old School through to Outlaw are are brilliant songs. I cant bring myself to give this a high score though despite Tupac himself being great throughout, its just too long and to dense and has far too much going on in order to be a pleasant listen.
I would like to listen to this one again. I enjoyed the first half of the album but got a bit tired of it by the end.
2.5 - 3 stars
2pac flotando entre beats de cadencia difusa, como un baquiano avanzando entre la neblina. Es cierto que le sobran algunos temas.
2Pac siempre me pareció de los raperos más divertidos, y este disco no es excepcion 6/10
es un disco que me gusta mas alla de para mi no ser de lo mas pulido de 2pac la seleccion de beats es perfecta y esta dentro de los mejores discos de west coast sin dudarlo mi unica critica es que hay temas que siento que solo estan para rellenar
J'aime Tupac et j'ai beaucoup écouté cela. Cependant, cet album est 1h05 et certaines chansons s'étirent sur plus de 5 minutes. C'est un peu trop pour mon gout et ca bouge pas assez. Il y a vraiment des classique sur cet ablum et et le flow / lyrics sont vraiment à points, seulment, ce n'Est pas dans mes cordes trop pour un album complet. 3
I just can’t get into 2Pac
A lot of anger but I suppose it comes from some complex trauma. This is just about as 90s gangsta rap as you get.
full einhæft. tupac var myrtur af agpac fyrir utan hróa hött í rimunum. 3,5.
old-school hip hop i see.
Really like the start of this album - the first three tracks - but after that it slowly descends into much slower, easy listening rap/hip hop that doesn't really work very well. That said, it's not an unpleasant listen, but it lacks the bite that the first section of the album has. Disappointing, but scrapes a 3.
I enjoyed beats, and rap style. But there's a bit too much R&B vibes for my liking.
Not my most favorite 2pac
rip biggie *Huron house trip
- Never listened to a 2Pac album in full before - Pretty good, prefer a lot of other 90s rap albums I've heard - Fav songs: Me Against the World, If I Die 2Nite, Fuck the World
No le tenía fe, pero me sorprendió.
Interesting and engaging, if a bit repetitive (caskets are referenced how many times?). Introspective, reflective, almost a plea for empathy. I appreciated the coherence and clear arc of the album. Some neat instrumentals in there.
Album sounded dated but it took me to 90s west coast. Enjoyable listen but most of the songs sounded the same.
It was ok but I feel that not being American or black made it so I couldn’t really connect with this album. I wanted to but I couldn’t. So good beats and some decent songs
I enjoy 2pac's big hits but this album was a huge let down and is not my favorite of his. I was disappointed that I didn't enjoy it more. Also I'm more of a Biggie fan. Dear Mama is the best song on here.
I'm not too into 90's rap, to be honest. I missed that scene, and it's no longer as groundbreaking from today's vantage point as it may have been then. That said, I see what this album did for those who were influenced by 2Pac. Kendrick, my favorite rapper, regularly references him, and it's clear that Kendrick's earlier works owe a lot to albums such as these. So while I have respect for Pac, this album doesn't do much for me. Lyrically, it's strong, but nothing that hasn't been said before or after. Musically, it's pretty abysmal. An alright listen, but not something I'm personally interested in revisiting any time soon.
Not my favorite 2Pac album but some solid tracks.
Enjoyed listening to the album. Will come back to this later
Didn't like it that much on the first listen, now I love it.
2Pac - the 90s gansta rap epitome. It’s amazing how a voice can have such confidence and be so Intimidating; indeed it was him against the world.
Pimpin’ ain’t easy.
Decent, but got a little bored of it
Enjoyed more than expected
Quite nice really
Interesting how many of these songs see 2Pac discussing his own death, given that he would later famously die
More enjoyable than I expected and far more enjoyable than the Notorious B.I.G. album I had to listen to a few weeks ago. Best song, Dear Mama
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa.
"Me Against the World" is the third studio album from American rapper 2Pac (Tupac Shakur). 2Pac wanted to show respect for rap as an art form; the lyrics are more personal and deal with his troubled past. Yeah, I'd say almost all songs went back somewhat to his past growing up in a gang environment. He apparently took inspiration from an impending prison sentence for sexual abuse for unwanted touching (he contested), growing up in poverty and trouble with the police. In fact, this album was released while 2Pac was in prison. It went to No. 1 on both the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop and Pop charts. This is the first time an artist had a No. 1 album while serving a prison sentence. Recording took place in ten different studios with 12 to 13 people credited as producers. I think that help create some variety in the music. An eerie beginning with "Intro," a spoken word description of 2Pac being shot (true story) while going to the studio and his shooting at police officers (another true story). 2Pac then starts his rap voice hard on "If I Die 2Nite." He describes his gansta life and lack of fear of dying. The music sounds a lot like Dr. Dre's "The Chronic" and there actually is a Dre sample. The music becomes a little more soulful on "Me Against the World" with female backing singers and a more laid-back beat. More hopeful as he feels he's got nothing to lose. The second single "So Many Tears" does a nice job of juxtaposing a sample of the happy "That Girl" by Stevie Wonder with the lyrics of the cruel world in which he grew up in. The third single "Temptations" adds a funky groove and more soulful rapping by 2Pac. He wants to be an honest man but the temptations. "Dear Mama" was the big single of the album and an ode to his Mom. Strings. Female backing vocals. Great production. The best lyrics on the album which appear to be brutally honest. His Mom had it tough referencing her doing crack and other things but she did everything for him. Hey, we have a fun song with "Old School" as 2Pac raps about and mentions a ton of old school rappers. This album was very consistent staying with the theme of growing up in a tough and gang-infested environment. Very personal it appears for 2Pac. No remorse. Unfortunately, it also appears like it foreshadowed what happened to him a few years later in Vegas. The music did have some soul to it which I appreciated.
22nd November 2022 Listened mainly on the drive there and back to F45 in Cheltenham. Talks a lot about issues you wouldn’t have associated with him like mental health, his mum etc. liked it.
Not the biggest Tupac fan to be honest
Probably some of the better gangsta rap I've heard, some great tracks coated in those 90s hip-hop beats I really like. Another album that suffers due to length, could be cut down a bit, but no skits thankfully. For me, this is an album for driving round a big American city in the 90s, probably around the evening turning to night. 11/11/22
Monday busy and unproductive, annoying meeting, team tired?, hang out bc 6 interviews, none bad none impressive? change bad how do you predict fit, hang and talk too late
Couple bangers. Shout out 2pacs mom
Decent rap, but not my thing.
Not my favorite Tupac but it is a good 90’s hip hop album. The production is nothing special and sounds dated nowadays, nevertheless Pac really is ground breaking on each of his records
Listened to half
Enjoyed this more than expected.
Mi piace, ma non riuscendo a seguire i testi probabilmente perdo molto.
Good however not for me.
won a videogame listening to this
3Pac out of 5Pac It's alright, a bit samey.
some good tracks in the middle but most meh
Had some okay stuff but requires a kinda mood
Best Song: Young Niggaz. I prefer Pac on these higher tempo tracks. Feels politically charged, simultaneously realistic and aspirational, all with a little bit of funk and soul. Worst Song: Dear Mama. This level of intense (forced?) sincerity ends up feeling a bit awkward. The content of the song is clearly intensely personal, but it isn't produced or performed that way. Overall: I've never really listened to Tupac before this (Changes notwithstanding), and it's definitely real solid. His lyrics are always interesting, more storytelling than Biggie, and the production is decent. It feels a bit dated now though, more than Biggie does, although I can't quite put my finger on why.
HL: “Dear Mama”, “Old School”, “Young Niggaz” September 11, 2022
Going into this, I knew it was hyped as 2pac's best and one of the most influental albums of Hip Hop. And in all honesty, I was underwhelmed. While the production is well-done and some songs stay in your head for a little while, none of it is truly the deep "pouring his soul out" that you would hope. Lyrics often fall flat apart from a few wellcrafted moments, and I do not think I'd be listening to it again any time soon.
Fuerte y suave a la vez, excelente disco de rap de los '90. De lo que hablan las letras no puedo decir nada, porque lamentablemente no entiendo un pito.
incomplete experience unless you went for background on "dear mama" and ended up reading about afeni being arrested and charged with felony distribution of breakfast to poor school children, and later about that time in the eighties when philly cops dropped bombs on a whole neighbourhood
Is it a good album? Yes, but I found the whole east coast / west coast thing depressing, and it robbed us of a lot of talent.
Nice to not have (if I recall) a lot of skits on this. Some good sound but nothing that jumped out to me.
A genre that's just not for me but 2Pac has a cool voice
The first half of the album was so angry and hard to listen to for me. It got a lot better in the second act with Lord Knows and Dear Mama.