THE BEST OF 2PAC

[JumpinJack AJ]

The Best of 2Pac Volume 1 and Volume 2 came out 2day. I had no idea these albums were in the works, but they dropped 2day. I've been a fan of 2Pac's since the very beginning (since Digital Underground at least). Being a "Best of..." collection, they feature half hit singles and half other stuff. Volume 1 is called "Thug"...Volume 2 being "Life"....however, the music on each album doesn't actually fit the title when it comes 2 subject matter.

Anyways, between the 2 albums, u'll find the hits "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted, California Love , So Many Tears, I Ain't Mad At Cha, How Do U Want It, Trapped, Chanes, Hail Mary, Until The End of Time, Keep Ya Head Up, and Brenda's Got A Baby. The other tracks u'll find are Unconditional Love (one of my all time favz), Definition of A Thug N!**@, Still Ballin' (who put this doctored garbage on here?), Never Call U B!+ch Again (another personal fav), They Don't Give A F*** About Us, Ghetto Gospel (another personal fav), and the doctored version of When I Get Free. Sadly, they don't fill up all 80 minutes of the CD's (why don't compilations and Best of... albums do that?!?)

The real attraction for 2Pac fans will be the 4 "new" tracks. Volume 1 features a new remix of "Dear Mama" featuring Anthony Hamilton. The warm soulful production is great and stays true 2 the vibe of the original. Anthony Hamilton's vocals add flava 2 the song rather than mess it up like most doctored collabos done with 2Pac's music. The other track is the unreleased song "Resist The Temptation." The original version is definitely from 1991ish. 2Pac's flow very 2Pacalypse Now. The new production for the song is great...timeless and something 2Pac would have flown over. Amel's apparance also enhances the song rather than stealing the spotlight. Volume 2 features the "2Pac Original" Acoustic version of "Thugz Mansion." I like Nas and all, but i never really wanted him on "Thugz Mansion." There wazn't really a reason 4 him 2 be on the track. This version offers the song the way it should have been...2Pac alone just dropping his thought provoking lyrics. The acoustic production and the vocals on the hook from Better Dayz are still here. The unreleased song on Volume 2 is "Dopefiend's Diner." 2Pac is actually singing on this song but it's dope. I'm guessing this one was done 1991-1993 and has since been doctored. Infact, Ivan and Carvin (formally of A Touch of Jazz) produced the remix. The profanity-free lyrics tell a story that will keep u hooked 2 the song until it's over.

While i've heard many of these songs 100's of time, i gotta give them props 4 the new releases. After all, it's been 9 years since "Greatest Hits" came out. In the liner notes, Afenie says that she promises 2 keep 2Pac's released and unreleased music available 2 the people (even tho' 'Pac Life was said to be the last album). One thing that i'm really happy 2 see with these releases i that they support mostly stuff that 2Pac released while alive or at least is undoctored. Most of us will agree that the doctored and remixed stuff simply isn't on 2Pac's level or even worth listening 2 compared 2 his original stuff Another thing i like is that the stuff that is newly doctored is GOOD. The production is good, supports the subject matter as well as 2Pac's flow, AND it doesn't sound fake like most of the stuff on Pac's Life, Loyal To The Game, and some of the stuff on Until The End of Time and Better Dayz. The newly released songs don't feature unnatural and attention-stealing cameos from other artists either. They fit the songs. And lastely, the songs themselves are not rushed stuff from the Deathrow era where he waz just recording like CrAzY 2 get off the label...they are songs that have a meaning or a story instead of random hate and violence. Hopefully this is a sign of where future projects will go 2 clean up 2Pac's legacy a bit.