Still the best Gangsta Rap album (All Eyez On Me - 2Pac)

Member Name: sala4uk

Product:	All Eyez On Me - 2Pac
Date:	17/09/09 (52 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great beats, great delivery, great production

Disadvantages: some of the tracks on CD 2 were a little weak

When this album released in 1996 I was in my last year of school and I wasn't a big fan of rap. In those days rap stars rarely made it across the pond and I couldn't remember any rappers after MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice! When my friends and I got our hands on an All Eyez on Me cassette we were blown away. At first the swearing and the street language gets a little getting used to and once we had gotten over that novelty we got hooked.

If you're a novice to rap like I was back then, the tracks that appeal to you are the catchy numbers like California Love, 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted and Skandalouz. But a few more listens and you realise that the real gems on this album are the likes of I Ain't Mad Atcha, Life Goes On, Heartz of Men and Got My Mind Made Up.

Tupac, who had released critically acclaimed albums Me Against The World, 2pacalypse Now, Thug Life Vol 1 was incarcerated on charges of sexual assault. The CEO of Death Row Records, Marion 'Suge' Knight posted the bail in return for a 3 album deal. Within hours of his release Tupac was in the studio laying down tracks. Within 2 weeks the album was complete and released shortly after breaking several records and making rap history.

The style of this new album departed from Tupac's previous style of social politics and portrayal of life in the hood, here he embraced the thug life mentality and released an album of raw, unapologetic tunes about money, drink and bitches. Having said that, the tracks were crisper in sounds and beats and the production was first class. The involvement of some of the biggest stars in rap namely Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg added to the credibility of the album.

Shortly after the release of this album 2pac was shot and killed in September 1996 making this his last official album. Although 100's of hours of Tupac unused material was available, all post death albums failed to pack the same kind of pack All Eyez on Me delivered. This was Tupac at his best, raw, brash and he didn't give a damn about who got in his way.

All Eyez on Me is 2pac's best work in the sense that he had the best production, the best equipment and access to the biggest stars in rap at his disposal.

A highly recommended album especially if you want to know where the likes of Eminem and 50 Cent got their style from.

Summary: The album that took Gangsta Rap to a new level