1001 Albums Summary

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.