But flowing underbeath his concrete exterior was the soul of a softspoken poet who hoped for redemption and understanding in a society that often left his talent and true intentions unrecognized. Gaining fame and stardom following his first Death Row Record, "All Eyes On Me", 2Pac quickly earned the reputation as a ruthless hardcore thug who answered to no authority a trait many angry young kids like him related to. 2Pac has always sparked much controversy and public interest being that much of the last chaotic years of his life was overwhelmingly covered by the media during a time when gang violence ran rampant through the streets of L.A. Regardless, the response above is not uncommon. And now his mental problems are marketed to teens who essentially believe all his miserable bullcrud and end up ruining their lives themselves." -a music fan (amazon review)Īs tempted as I am to retort and turn this review section into a battle of wits, I'll forgive and harbor no ill feelings against a man who'll neither remove his anonymity for the sake of feedback nor explain his reasons for such a harsh review that had nothing whatsoever to do with the actual content of the CD. "More exaltation for a dead guy who not only created his own problems, but blamed society for most of them. This is probably Pac's most progressive issues-oriented release before he signed to Death Row and became a full-blown thug. On "Dear Mama"-a fitting tribute to his mother recorded in the "Keep Ya Head Up" vein-Pac takes listeners into the loving recesses of his heart, while on "Can U Get Away," he echoes similar respectful sentiments to black womynkind. The perpetually thugged-out wonder reveals a more benevolent side when it comes to gender and family issues. "So Many Tears," "Death Around the Corner," and "If I Die 2Nite" are all dark, eerily prophetic tunes that lend credence to widespread theories which suggest that Pac anticipated his impending death. The heavy-hearted album opens up with a radio commentary describing the circumstances surrounding his shooting, and then plunges headfirst into Pac's infatuation with death. Released when Tupac was in jail serving time for a rape conviction and just after his recovery from being shot-up gangland-style at a recording studio, this was his most introspective piece of work to date. The gruesome details surrounding Tupac's third solo offering are enough to give any music fan the willies.