2Pac "Cross The Line: Celebration Or Exploitation?"

[bigted]

2Pac

Cross That Line

Celebration or exploitation? YN pulls no punches as he tackles the key questions surrounding Tupac’s legacy and its place in the rap game.

Posted In: XXL Magazine, Features, Main

Words: Elliott Wilson Images: Reisig & Taylor

I know the question y’all asking yourselves: Why did XXL put Tupac on the cover again? Well, it’s the 10th year of the anniversary of his death, stupid. And our ’Pac covers have always done their numbers. I even sold one with his mom, Afeni, on the front a few years back. My bosses said it couldn’t be done, but y’all proved me right. You got to give the people what they want.

Truth be told, there’s just not enough true rap stars around these days—artists who have touched the world the way ’Pac has. I was shocked when my staff was so overwhelmingly supportive of doing this issue. They seemed to feel it would be almost disrespectful not to acknowledge the man who remains the most influential person in hip-hop culture a full decade after he left us. Plus, the past 10 years of his career achievements needed to be documented.

Now that you’ve enjoyed our tantalizing time line, it’s time for da boss man to face the music. So I’ll address 10 topics that have come up in discussions around the XXL offices while we’ve been slaving away trying to finish this thing. Thank God for granting me this moment of clarity. How long will YN mourn him? Until y’all tell me to stop.

1. HOW EXACTLY DID ’PAC BECOME THE HIP-HOP NATION’S CHOICE FOR G.O.A.T.?

Well, it starts with Makaveli. Though it was body-slammed by critics when it dropped two months after ’Pac’s death, the album is a classic that captures hip-hop’s most controversial star at his most volatile and engaging. From the fiery venom of “Bomb First (My Second Reply)” and “Against All Odds” to the playful bravado of “Toss It Up” and “Just Like Daddy” to the riveting religious overtones of “Hail Mary” and “Blasphemy,” ’Pac’s most potent platter is the album your favorite MC can’t live without. It’s the record that rapper is playing in the background while he’s chillin’ at the crib. The one he cops over and over and over again.

This album is even beloved by two artists who get dissed on it: Nas and Jay-Z. In fairness to the New York giants, it must be noted that ’Pac’s death (and that of his arch rival, the Notorious B.I.G., six months later) was a determining factor in allowing them to embrace the memory of their former antagonist—all is forgiven in death, and it should be. Ironically, five years later, it would be Nas and Jay-Z engaging in rap’s biggest battle since ’Pac and Big and all the East-West nonsense—complete with claims of swagger-jacking and sleeping with the enemy’s woman. And how twisted was it in 2002 when Jay-Z remade a song from an album that targeted him to announce his then-budding relationship with his real-life squeeze, Beyoncé Knowles? ’Pac’s original “Me and My Girlfriend” was just a metaphor for a gun—a concept that Nas himself mastered earlier in 1996’s “I Gave You Power.”

Speaking of power, it’s the rappers that emerged in the late ’90s and the new millennium that put ’Pac in the top position. His peers anointed him king, and the fans cosigned. Example: Go see Jay-Z live and watch the dope boys and girls go crazy when Jigga Man lets his DJ drop the needle on a ’Pac classic. That gets more cheers than the main attraction.

2. WITH ’PAC DEAD AND GONE, ARE WE ALLOWED TO QUESTION THE MOTIVES AND MOVES OF HIS DEAR MAMA?

It’s a fact proven in rap: Mothers become celebrities when their sons pass away. After a legal tussle with Suge Knight, Afeni is the official boss lady. Simply put, she’s in charge of the legacy. What projects will come out and which won’t? Who gets permission to use which vocals on what song? She’s got the answers, the one and only master of the masters. Kinda ironic, since ’Pac and ma dukes didn’t always have the best relationship. She wasn’t always there for him as a mother, but now she reaps the benefits of her son’s recording career—something that, before he died, she seemingly had little to do with. Where was she when her baby boy was signing his life away to Death Row Records? An ass-whuppin’ by the one who gave him that life in the first place might have been needed back then.

To give credit where it’s due, Afeni has put together a couple of quality projects and created a respectable foundation and arts center, all in her son’s name. Like all parents’, her intentions seem to be in the right place. Still, the decision to have wack rapper #2 produce an entire album of her son’s material? That’s a never-forgive action.

3. ISN’T THERE JUST WAY TOO MUCH POSTHUMOUS ’PAC MATERIAL?

Yup. And bet your bottom dollar, most of it ain’t worth your hard-earned cash. Only the most bored of rap fans or the most fanatical of ’Pac fanatics would really take the time to listen to double-disc debacles like 1997’s R U Still Down? (Remember Me) or ’01’s Until the End of Time in their entirety. And honestly, couldn’t someone have talked some sense into Afeni before she decided to drop a spoken-word album based on ’Pac’s poetry? Oy vay!

4. ARE THERE ANY POSTHUMOUS ’PAC SONGS WORTH LISTENING TO?

You gotta have a hole in your soul if the “The Realist Killaz” doesn’t get you amped. Producer Red Spyda’s sinister pairing of ’Pac and a then-emerging wack rapper #1 was a vicious volley in 50’s beef with Ja Rule—and packed an extra punch since so many rap fans felt that Ja had been biting ’Pac’s style for years. You know the late star would have been laughing watching Shady rumble with Murder Inc. throughout 2003, arguing over who would get to break bread with ’Pac if he were here on God’s green earth. (The real answer? The Boot Camp Clik. They actually knew the nigga.)

Then there’s Trick Daddy. While they never met (to the best of my knowledge), ’Pac’s “Still Ballin” (from 2002’s Better Dayz) featuring the Miami mack has enough sonic chemistry to make it feel like it could have been a real collaboration. Trick loves the kids. ’Pac loved the thugs. So it’s not hard to imagine these two raising hell down in the Sunshine State. The after party at Club Rolexx would have been off the chain.

Still, ’Pac’s most poignant cry from the grave might just be “Changes” (from 1998’s Greatest Hits). Despite the cheesy Bruce Hornsby sample, this previously unreleased gem proves that no amount of overproduced studio magic can match the quality of material that ’Pac actually saw to completion. That’s just the way it is.

5. IS IT WRONG FOR ’PAC’S FORMER ENEMIES TO RECORD SONGS WITH HIS VOCALS?

Yeah. But actually, Nas is the only culprit here. Don’t get me wrong, “Thugz Mansion” is a good song. But it’s hard to justify making amends (by way of making music that will surely make money) when the other person isn’t around. I know Nas insists that things between the two were copacetic in ’Pac’s last days, and I’m sure Afeni asked him really nicely to get down. But come on, Esco, just say no.

[J-o-e]

Thanks alot for this Ted, it was an intresting read, I saw mixtapes at a market the other day, and he had songs wit the fugees, mobb deep, jay z, and he wouldnt rap with them so it is unfair

[bigted]

This was a great read and brought up key points about 2Pac, it's ridiculous to see when rappers have been beefing over the past decade that they bring up points about how Pac would roll with them if he were alive, wtf does that have to do with their battle, they should let the man rest in peace and fight their own battles, it's not right but they figure maybe they'll attract some of Pac's fanbase since he had millions of fans, the way some of these rappers have pimped Pac's legacy for their careers, they should be writing checks to Pac's family, lol....

Pac was a great artist but it's been sorta unfair that he gets all this recognition when there's other great artists that're alive that deserve recognition, we shouldn't forget Pac but I don't think we should forget the great artists that're alive either, and the choosing artists that he never worked with/actually beefed with to be on his unreleased material is something that should have never happened, only those who produced with/worked with/or was friends with but never collabed with 'cause he passed on already should be on some of his unreleased material, that way it'd really have the feel of an authentic Pac album...

[bart5]

Good read dude. Thanks for sharing.

[Turntable]

I'm tirred of all this. I truely believe all of them, Biggie, Big L, Big Pun.. They All where better Mc's than Pac.

[bigted]

There's also many mcs that're living that came out before and after Pac that're also very talented but never get the full recognition they deserve like I said before, not knocking Pac at all 'cause I like a lot of his music

but he ain't the only legend of hip-hop like some people hype him up to be, we shouldn't wait till they're dead to celebrate them is all I'm saying...

I thought "R U Still Down"(Remember Me) was a proper release after his death, it's a lot of those albums after that where things went wrong in terms of the way the projects were handled where only bandwagon fans and fans of today's pop rap would feel, not his original fans...

[WesSyde]

I'm tirred of all this. I truely believe all of them, Biggie, Big L, Big Pun.. They All where better Mc's than Pac.

HAHAHAHA what a laugher. Big L is the only one that comes remotely close to Pac but he didnt have the legacy that Pac had. Pac was one of the best ever. his music covers such a broad range of topic from love songs to thug songs to serious songs and he was able to do them all well. not to mention his beats were classic 90's beats which are still pretty damn good today. Pac's music was ahead of its time and his topics are still relevant today. im not saying he's the best, but i dont see another rapper coming close to him in terms of style and talent.

[DevilsJim89]

Biggie is nothing compared to Pac. I have all 3 albums on my computer from Biggie and besides a few tracks from each, Biggie is garbage. I dont know why everyone raves about him. He isnt better than Pac and isnt one of the greatest of all-time. Just because he had one album that gained success then dies does not make him better than he really is.

The one who comes close to Pac, or who is up there with Pac is Big L. He was a true underground cat who was helping launching other cats careers like Jay-Z. Big L had it all, its just a shame his life ended early as well. He was suppose to sign to Roca-fella records a few days after his death.

Download the track "Deadly Combination" from Big L. It has Pac and Big L on a track they did together. I think I just read recently too this track was done on the night of the '94 shooting or in that same timeframe. I think I read that in XXL when I was in Borders, they had a huge Pac timeline. Real interesting.

[bigted]

Biggie didn't have half the talent and impact that Pac had really to me, Pac was much more creative, Biggie was more just another rapper who made most of his songs about drugs and guns, and since most rappers do that today I think that's why he's ranked so high right now, Big Pun was a great lyricist but not really that deep as Pac, Big L never really got a chance to blow up yet but he was dominating the underground scene for a while, the one dead rapper that never seems to get much love is Left Eye but female mcs are always underrated... And like that article said it's kind of ironic that the music critics slammed "Makaveli" but then after he dies all of a sudden they call it one of the best rap albums ever which makes me believe that if he was alive he probably wouldn't get the credit that he got since he passed on, especially these days since the best artists get slept on in the media with all these wack rappers selling, it seems that with a lot of great artists they ain't appreciated till they're gone...

Edited September 9, 2006 by bigted

[J-o-e]

Bigge wasnt as talented as Pac', but back in the day that's how they saw rap, the way that he rapped was amazing, he's a better freestyler than Pac', but he isnt a better songwriter, And Big L was amazing, I recently heard a track with Big L/Jay Z, 2 verses from each of them, I wanted to know what it was called but never found out,

And if Pac' was still alive today he wouldnt of got the props he is getting now, it's the same as biggie and Big L and Big Pun, none of them would of got the credability that they have got now, because most people don't know what talents they are listening to until they are gone.

[Turntable]

Pac was a great songwriter whne it cam on deep songs, but thats it to me. When it comes to the wordplay, no one touched Big Pun. When it cam on Punchlines no one tocuhed Big L. When it comes to the flow Pac didnt touch nether one of them.

By the way.. Pac had good Beats? I think 80% of his beats are terrible.

[bigted]

I don't really like that many songs that Biggie did but he definately had strong freestyle and flow abilities that a lot of mcs today lack

[J-o-e]

Bigges Flow and Wordplay was on point, If anybody nowadays can touch him on that part, it would be Jay z, he flows nearly the same as Big. Big Pun was dope and Big L, but whats the point in comparing completely different artists.

[WesSyde]

Pac was a great songwriter whne it cam on deep songs, but thats it to me. When it comes to the wordplay, no one touched Big Pun. When it cam on Punchlines no one tocuhed Big L. When it comes to the flow Pac didnt touch nether one of them.

By the way.. Pac had good Beats? I think 80% of his beats are terrible.

i dont know what you're listening to when you say Pac's flow wasbt as good as Big L or Big Pun. Pac's flow was one of the best ever. Big L did use punchlines more than Pac tho i will give you that, but Pac had some good punchlines too.

as far as the beats go, i guess you dont like late old school/90's beats then.

[Turntable]

Yes, I do. Infact, I absolutly love those Beats. I loved the Beats from Wutang, LL, Biggie, Fat Joe, Gangstarr and more. But I didnt like Pac's.

On Pun: Listen to "Twinz", "You Aint A Killer" and other tracks like that. Than listen to a a various Pac track. And then tell me again that Pun aint a better Mc when it comes to wordplay and delivery.

Edited September 9, 2006 by Turntable