Published on Jun 6, 1998
It’s kind of weird that after giving such a glowing review to
Tupac Shakur’s last album released before his 1996 murder,
All Eyez On Me, it’s taken me this long to pick up anything
else from his discography. Although I do enjoy rap, I’d be
hard-pressed to say that there are certain tapes I must run out and
purchase the day they come out, like some rock groups I like.
Like my last 2Pac purchase,
Me Against The World was an impulse buy, and turned out to
be an incredible album. Where
All Eyez On Me occasionally seemed bloated because of a
couple of filler cuts,
Me Against The World is solid throughout, with maybe one
slip through the album’s 15 tracks.
Shakur gained some positive press for this album thanks to the
track “Dear Mama,” which could very well be the best rap song I
have ever listened to. A song which breaks away from the vulgarity
and violence that is often found in gangsta rap, Shakur takes the
time to thank the person who gave him life, even admitting his own
faults as he grew up. It is a touching, surprising moment on this
album.
For that matter, I counted a total of two or three tracks that
could have gotten airplay with either minimal or no bleeping at
all. “Can U Get Away” shows the rapper’s concern for a female
friend (lover?) who is trapped in an abusive relationship, while
“Temptations” is simply an enjoyable track. Could this have
symbolized a change of style for Shakur following the shooting
which almost took his life?
One word: Nope. Tracks like “Outlaw,” “F*** The World” (not my
censoring of the name) and “Death Around The Corner” show that
Shakur hadn’t renounced the thug life. Of these tracks, only
“Outlaw,” the album’s ending track, is a minor disappointment.
One thing I especially liked on
Me Against The World was the limited use of guest rappers on
the tracks. Only two guests are listed: Dramacydal (who guests on
two tracks) and Richie Rich (on one). This is a refreshing change;
as I’ve said before, if I pay money for a 2Pac album, that’s who I
want to hear most of the time. (The only thing which grated on my
ears was the Jamaican rants on “Heavy In The Game,” though I’m not
sure who provided those.)
Hearing albums like
Me Against The World make me feel all the worse that Shakur
died so violently and so young. One wonders had he not lived the
thug life he proclaimed so boldly in his music if he would be the
most influential rapper. The fact that his two posthumous albums
have sold so well is a sign to his longevity. Plus, there were
rumors that Shakur was tiring of the thug life; had he done an
album completely in the style of “Dear Mama” and “Can U Get Away,”
he would have been a definite crossover superstar.
Me Against The World is another album in the rap genre that
one could call a “must-own,” and serves as yet another sad reminder
of how big a talent the genre lost when Shakur was gunned down in
Las Vegas two years ago. This arguably is his best album – and it
makes me all the more committed to checking out the other titles in
his catalog.