2Pac - All Eyez On Me

Tupac gives the impression at almost all times that he is completely obsessed with death and violence, to the point where the only light at the end of the tunnel is dying and going to heaven. You could argue all day about how much this attitude contributed to the escalations and wars that eventually did him in. He's always making a big point of pointing out that he's one second away from death at all times. See "Only God Can Judge Me," "Life Goes On" and pretty much any other song. When he says "I'd be lyin if I said that I never thought of death," I pretty much want to say "no shit dude, how bout thinking about something else for once?" "I Ain't Mad At Cha" is the most well-known place where he departs from this attitude, letting a couple old friends know that he's okay with them having moved on and made a life for himself. The tragedy is that Pac himself never was able to move on. This is the most well-known 2Pac album, and it's no surprise because it is pretty much chock full of classics, especially on the jam-packed first disc. Apparently Pac got a deal to be released from jail if he would sign with Death Row, and there are all sorts of rumors around that, but even if he recorded this album with a gun to his head, I have to agree that shifting to the G-Funk sound and finding a MiniMoog in the basement was a good career move... well, sort of, since it probably played a part in leading to his death. Still, there's probably no better CD to have in your drop-top while you roll around sun-stained summer streets. It starts off dope with "Ambitionz as a Ridah" and then goes into a couple misogynist anthems, "All Bout U" and "Skandalouz". The intro to the latter is one of my favorite moments on any disc, not the talking but the bassline that unfortunately disappears once the beat drops. "How Do U Want It" is almost East Coast-styled hip hop with Method Man and Redman, and "2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted" is straight classic collabo with Snoop Dogg. "I Ain't Mad At Cha" is probably the best song on here. Even though its hook is pretty bland, the piano riff, beat and concept are memorable, and Pac gets heartfelt in a way that sounds honest for once. One big problem with this disc: somebody decided to put on the "California Love" remix instead of the original banger that was a massive hit. The second disc is good too, if not as inspired. It starts off strong with "Can't C Me", which sounds at first like a retread of "Dre Day" until you realize George Clinton is all over it and Pac is spitting the hardest lines of the whole album. It's the only time on the double-disc set where he really gets INTO his lyrics. The next few songs are good too. But the rest... eh.. "Thug Passion" just can't hold a candle to "California Love" despite Zapp & Roger being on it again, and most of the other songs sound like outtakes. Tupac's flow is consistently good, but its consistency is the type where every verse uses the same words, rhythms and concepts, and it really needs a strong song structure and hook to bring it to greatness. The first disc has all that in spades, and I would have to say that if this had been released as a single album, it would be an all-time classic. Wow, longest review yet.