All Eyez on Me

I note that an earlier review said that 2Pac pales in comparison to the likes of Nas and Biggie.
Anyone who mentions these guys in the same context as this great man is no Rap fan especially the former.
This is a truly great album and one which I have owned since buying the import in the UK back in the days.
Forget that he is no longer with us this was amazing from its first release.
Dre always knows what tracks to pull and Tupacs lyrics are always upfront and to the point delivered with power and meaning.
Theres a mixture of deep meaningful tracks like "Only god can judge me" to the free flowing in your car tracks like "Picture me rolling"
This is a landmark album like "Follow the Leader" Eric B and Rakim's classic.
He was no angel but it cannot be disputed that he was one of the finest artist's in his field.
HipHop has lost a legend.

This album was released in mid 1996, shortly after 2Pac was bailed out of prison by Death Row Records, a record label that agreed to pay a $1.4 million bail release for 2Pac, and in exchange, Pac would have to make 3 albums with Death-Row. That proves how important 2Pac was to rap and hip-hop, that a record label company would pay $1.4 million just to get him to release a few albums for them.

I have all of 2Pac's albums, and although all of them are worth buying (the only album which i did not think was above 4 stars was 'R U Still Down?'), i'd say that this one would need to be bought first. This album generates how many styles 2Pac did have. On these CDs, you get really versitile stuff, and one song goes from being a party-sounding track, to the next song being a slow song about the black community or what 2Pac feels inside. People have said that after pac was released from prison in early 1996, that up unitl then and to his death, that he was in war mode all the time, meaning that his lifestyle was more dangerous due to him being more violent and having no fear of anything, and because of that, in this album (and his last album released when he was alive, 'The 7 Day Theory') you as the listener feel how 2Pac was feeling, and that was anger. Although tracks like 'Dear Mama' and 'Keep Ya Head Up' are classics, and are considered to be some of Pac's best songs, this album is a complete classic, which pretty much every song being a hit classic.

In this album, you get the 2 sides of 2pac. The first side is his genius and thinking side. Pac was a clever human-being, and no one in the music industry has ever worked as hard as Pac did when it came to making and producing albums (the album 'The 7 Day Theory' which features 12 songs, was fully completed in 7 days, hence the name. Pac recored 12 songs in 3 days, and it was finalized in 7 days, that is insane. Can you name anyone else that has ever done that? I can't). The other side is his more aggressive and in-your-face side. As a person, Pac was either a great and kind human-being, who thought before he spoke or, as he was towards the end of his life, a gangsta, a thug, and this is showed through this album, and thats what makes this album unique and fantastic.

The stand-out tracks, just to name a few are:

- Ambitionz az a Ridah - The first song from disc 1. A cutting-edge beat with some well written lyrics as always from 2pac. The verses are spaced out perfectly. Easily a Tupac Shakur classic. 4.5/10

- Got My Mind Made Up - One of my favorite songs of all time. This song has 5 verses, all of which are each performed by a different rapper. 2pacs verse is legendary, as its short but sweet. Both Pac and Method Man (a great MC) killed there verses. The beat is sharp and fits in perfectly with the style of the song. 5/5

- 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted - This song is a rapping version of a duet as the song is one big verse, but it goes back and forth between the rhyming and rapping skills of both Pac and Snoop Dogg. With Pac's raw voice and Snoop's chilled out 'always high' sounding voice, they make the perfect team, and therefore, the near perfect rap song. A stand-out song in both mens careers. 4.5/5

- No More Pain - 2Pacs most hardcore and aggressive song that he ever did. With such lyrics in this song as "Put your mouth on the pistol n*****" and "Me and my homeboys are coming to get ya" truly represent the lifestyle Pac lived after he got out of jail in 1996. The piano beat really fits in with the meaning of this song. One of my favorites by Makaveli, 2pac. 5/5

- Life Goes On - This song takes a different approach. This is a very moving song for those who have lost friends over the years due to simply losing touch with them. 2Pac is basically implying that even though they do not hang out anymore, that he still cares for them and that they hepled him out when no one else was there for him and when he needed it the most. I can relate to the song in more than one way, maybe thats why I love this song so much. This is one of those songs which Pac did where you just know that he's not rapping for the sake of rapping, and that what he is telling us, is in fact true. This is not the case with many rappers nowadays, and thats why the 90s rap is all us real rap fans have. 5/5

- Can't C Me - This beat is such a Dr. Dre beat. The beat is fasted pace, and is the type of tune that you can play when your out clubbing or at a house party. The song is simply about how Pac and death-row rule the rap world, which they certantly did at that point, and that now, because Pac was alligned himself his Dre, that no one can stop him from getting to the top. 4.25/5

- Wonda Why They Call U B**** - This song makes alot of sence to the lifestyle that SOME young girls are living even to this day. A very truthful song and shows that Pac said things like they were, even if people didn't want to hear it. The ryhming is done to perfection in this song, and shows of how versitile Pac is. 4.75/5

- Picture Me Rollin' - A heavily popular song by 2Pac. This song was not released as a single from the album, but the song ended up getting into the charts anyway at the time. A funky old school rap beat with the typical great Pac lyrics make this everyones favorite from this album (well, one of anyway). 5/5

- All Eyez On Me - Simply put, this is a classic. The beat was sampled from the great 'Street Dreams' song by my other favorite rapper Nas. Big Syke performs the second verse, with Pac doing the first and last, along with also doing the chorus. A great song. 4.5/10

All the other tracks are pretty much great. The only track that i wasn't big on was 'Whats Ya Phone #', but out of 27 songs, only having one bad song is really impressive. This album is consistant and sums up 2Pacs actual real life. A MUST BUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

p.s. i have no idea why anyone would not give this CD 5 stars. Others that have reviewed this need to do some homework and learn what rap is truly all about.

Thanks for reading

His rhymes, how he carries his words with his powerful voice easily makes this album one of the greatest