2Pac 1996
Introduction
On February 13, 1996, 2Pac released the very first hip-hop double album. At the time, I bought All Eyez On Me at the Amsterdam Sloterdijk train station in The Netherlands, not so much because I thought 2Pac was that great, but because I was curious. I had already read a lot about him. The album then spent a lot of time in my CD player.
2Pac / Tupac Shakur / Makaveli
On June 16, 1971, Tupac Amaru Shakur was born as the son of Afeni Shakur and Billy Garland, two active members of the Black Panther Party. Politics and revolution played a role in Tupac’s life from birth. His name refers to Túpac Amaru II, a direct descendant of the last Inca leader, who was murdered after his uprising against the Spanish authorities.
From an early age, Tupac had a great love for acting, poetry, and ballet. He enjoyed a wide variety of music genres, including rock, indie, and jazz. He performed in stage plays and wrote poems for girlfriends. At the Baltimore School for the Arts, he frequently won the title of best rapper at the school. He was also politically conscious and, as a boy, was a member of the Baltimore Young Communist League USA.
In 1988, Tupac began to rap seriously and, through connections, came into contact with Digital Underground, who helped him and his group Strictly Dope with recordings that were not released at the time (when the recordings were accidentally found after his death, they were eventually released in 2000). Around 1990/1991, Tupac decided to use the name 2Pac as his stage name. As 2Pac, he could be heard on Digital Underground’s Same Song single.
2Pac Promo
The first album by 2Pac was released in November 1991. 2Pacalypse Now was a strong debut; the album was certified gold and produced several minor hits. The album stood out for addressing social issues such as racism, police and gang violence, poverty, teenage pregnancy, and drugs. In February 1993, album number two followed: Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z…, which was a major success, both artistically and commercially. With guests such as Ice Cube, Ice-T, and (Digital Underground’s) Shock G, the music and the message became harsher and, above all, more direct. The album spawned no less than four singles, helping it achieve platinum status.
In addition to rapping, 2Pac also acted in films, such as Poetic Justice (1994), in which he starred alongside Janet Jackson. Meanwhile, 2Pac had built a friendship with another great talent, Biggie Smalls (The Notorious B.I.G.), and they occasionally performed together. The friendship did not last long; after 2Pac was shot in a studio on November 30, 1994, he suspected Smalls and Sean Combs (Diddy) of being behind the attack, or at least of knowing about it.
2Pac – Me Against The World
The third 2Pac album, Me Against The World, was released in March 1995. An album that is now regarded as one of the most influential rap albums of all time, it won a Grammy in 1996. Within four months, the album had already been certified platinum. At the time, 2Pac was in prison due to a conviction for sexual assault (2Pac was the first artist to reach a number one position while incarcerated), a verdict he had appealed. Bail was set at $3 million, so 2Pac remained imprisoned for some time. Through intermediaries, he had people contact the notorious Death Row Records founder Suge Knight. In October 1995, Knight paid $1.4 million, and 2Pac was released from prison.
Of course, Knight did not do this for free; it meant that 2Pac would release three albums for the Death Row Records label. It also meant that 2Pac became deeply entangled in the East Coast/West Coast hip-hop rivalry. This rivalry had reached a boiling point during the 1995 Source Awards, held on August 3, 1995 (when 2Pac was still in prison). The atmosphere in the venue was hostile and downright tense, as rappers from the East Coast and the West Coast publicly attacked one another. The only moment both camps came together was during the presentation of the New Group of the Year award, won by OutKast. The group was met with boos from the audience, an extremely childish and immature spectacle. André 3000 famously said, “The South got somethin’ to say!” (the group was based in the southern United States and was not part of the rivalry). These confrontations are widely seen as a prelude to the murders of 2Pac and Biggie Smalls.
2Pac – All Eyez On Me
All Eyez On Me
After 2Pac was released from prison, he went straight into the studio to record his next album. The result was the first ever hip-hop double album. All Eyez On Me debuted at number one on the U.S. charts. The album produced five singles. 2Pac’s career exploded; just two months later, the album was already certified 5× platinum. In 2014, it was even certified diamond (more than 10 million copies sold in the U.S., with each disc counting as one copy).
But something had changed. The album presents a 2Pac who distances himself from the political and social mindset that characterized his earlier work. “Thug life” and the lifestyle associated with it are celebrated. As a result, the lyrics focus more on macho behavior, status, money, and women. This shift in 2Pac’s stance was a point of criticism and was seen as a reaction to his experiences in prison and his association with Suge Knight.
2Pac – All Eyez On Me – Ad
Review
All Eyez On Me was the first 2Pac album I bought at the time. In the summer of 1996, 2Pac was the leading man in hip-hop and was still regarded as the great talent. Biggie Smalls, who had by then turned into his archrival, was living in the shadow of 2Pac’s popularity, appeal, and success.
I thought the double album was fantastic and I played it regularly. The production in particular was (and still is) crystal clear. Everything sounds fresh, even after all these years; the music is infectious, and 2Pac’s raps have a wonderful flow. With a number of well-chosen guest appearances (Snoop!), several tracks are elevated to even greater heights.
Whether All Eyez On Me or Me Against The World is the better 2Pac album, is hard for me to judge. To me, both are essential. Despite the fact that All Eyez On Me contains no less than 27 tracks, and therefore a small number of fillers, it is certainly no chore to listen to the album in its entirety.
2Pac – All Eyez On Me – Singles
Singles
The album produced four singles.
- California Love
(released on December 3, 1995) - 2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted
(released on May 7, 1996) - How Do U Want It
(released on June 4, 1996) - I Ain’t Mad At Cha
(released on September 15, 1996)
2Pac – All Eyez On Me – Back cover
Songs
All songs written by Tupac Shakur, with co-composers listed in parentheses.
Disc 1 (Book 1)
- Ambitionz Az A Ridah (Delmar Arnaud)
- All About U (featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, Nate Dogg, Yaki Kadafi, Hussein Fatal, Dru Down) (Johnny Jackson)
- Skandalouz (featuring Nate Dogg) (Delmar Arnaud)
- Got My Mind Made Up (featuring Tha Dogg Pound, Method Man & Redman) (Delmar Arnaud, Ricardo Brown, Reginald Noble, Clifford Smith)
- How Do U Want It (featuring K-Ci & JoJo) (Johnny Jackson)
- 2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted (featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) (Calvin Broadus, Delmar Arnaud)
- No More Pain (DeVante Swing)
- Heartz Of Men (David Blake)
- Life Goes On (Johnny Jackson)
- Only God Can Judge Me (featuring Rappin’ 4-Tay) (Doug Rasheed)
- Tradin’ War Stories (featuring Dramacydal, C-Bo, Storm) (Mike Mosley)
- California Love (Remix) (featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman) (James Anderson, Roger Troutman, Larry Troutman, Norman Durham, Woody Cunningham)
- I Ain’t Mad At Cha (featuring Danny Boy) (Delmar Arnaud)
- What’z Ya Phone # (featuring Danny Boy) (Johnny Jackson)
Disc 2 (Book 2)
- Can’t C Me (featuring George Clinton) (Andre Romell Young)
- Shorty Wanna Be A Thug (Johnny Jackson)
- Holla At Me (Bobby Ervin)
- Wonda Why They Call U Bytch (Johnny Jackson)
- When We Ride (featuring Outlaw Immortalz) (DJ Pooh)
- Thug Passion (featuring Dramacydal, Jewell, Storm) (Johnny Jackson)
- Picture Me Rollin’ (featuring Danny Boy, Syke, and CPO) (Johnny Jackson, Tiruss Himes)
- Check Out Time (featuring Kurupt, Syke) (Johnny Jackson, Tiruss Himes, Ricardo Brown)
- Ratha Be Ya Nigga (featuring Richie Rich) (Doug Rasheed)
- All Eyez On Me (featuring Syke) (Johnny Jackson, James Pennington)
- Run Tha Streetz (featuring Michel’le, Mutah, Storm) (Johnny Jackson)
- Ain’t Hard 2 Find (featuring E-40, B-Legit, C-Bo, Richie Rich)
- Heaven Ain’t Hard 2 Find (Quincy Jones III)
Death Row Records
Samples
Musicians
- 2Pac, Big Syke, B-Legit, C-BO, George Clinton, Nanci Fletcher, CPO, Danny Boy, Dat Nigga Daz, Dr. Dre, Tha Dogg Pound, Nate Dogg, Dramacydal, Dru Down, E-40, Fatal, Yaki Kadafi, Jewell, Jojo the Elf, Kurupt, Method Man, Michel’le, Nanci Fletcher, Outlawz, Rappin’ 4-Tay, Redman, Richie Rich, Snoop Doggy Dogg, The Storm, Roger Troutman – rap/vocals
- Carl “Butch” Small – percussion
- Sean “Barney” Thomas – keyboards
- David Blake, Roger Troutman – talk box
- Ebony, Puff Johnson, Danny Ray, Stacey Smallie, Dorothy Coleman, Natasha Walker, Danette Williams, Barbara Wilson, Nanci Fletcher – background vocals
2Pac – Last photos – 20 minutes apart
After All Eyez On Me
In the summer of 1996, 2Pac recorded a new album, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, which would be released under the name Makaveli. On September 7, 1996, 2Pac was in Nevada attending a Mike Tyson boxing match. While stopped at a traffic light, 2Pac was shot four times. He was taken to the hospital and died six days later from his injuries. He was only 25 years old. His great rival, Biggie Smalls, was shot dead six months later, on March 9, 1997, in Los Angeles. Neither murder has ever been solved.
After 2Pac’s death, the Makaveli album was released on November 5, 1996. 2Pac had recorded so much music during his short life that new material continued to be released regularly after his passing:
- R U Still Down? (Remember Me) (1997)
- Until The End Of Time (2001)
- Better Dayz (2002)
- Loyal To The Game (2004)
- Pac’s Life (2006)
In closing
2Pac was one of the most original and innovative rappers of his time, and All Eyez On Me is one of many examples of that. What do you think of 2Pac? Let us know!
Video/Spotify
This story contains an accompanying video. Click on the following link to see it: Video: 2Pac – All Eyez On Me. The A Pop Life playlist on Spotify has been updated as well.
