But this all fits in with the efforts of Tupac's estate to immortalize the rapper. "I believe," said Afeni Shakur, "[that The Best of 2Pac] represents the many sides to my son as an artist and human being," a tough task indeed for a 22-song effort.
Thug features songs embodying the 'gangsta' persona that made 2Pac a hero to so many youth with whom his anger resonated. Life, features 2Pac in a role most familiar: speaking sense to the black community, encouraging us to lead better lives, be better fathers, and support each other. Tupac's ability to float between those roles so freely gave black men a defiant, don't-box-me-in confidence that's been hard to recover.
One of the necessary conditions of any "best hits" venture is that it spans the artist's entire career; Tupac's estate would like us to believe his career spanned from 1991 to 2007, and not that 1992-1996 period during which he gained most of his fan base.
The problem with previously unreleased music is that, while we may not have heard it yet and for that reason consider it new, it was still recorded over a decade ago. Rap music and music in general have changed so much in that intervening decade that a listener may prefer hearing the classics, the hits, the songs we knew and loved once as above tracks that didn't even make the cut ten years ago.
Music has come a long way in the short decade since Tupac's passing, and any songs recorded back then…well, haven't. And, tempting as it is to piece together parts of the puzzle lost in Tupac's premature death, some things are better left as they were. When a 25-year old man perishes from the scene, we should feel as though something is missing. And releasing CDs filled with every word he ever recorded won't change that fact.
For my money, if I want to listen to The Best of 2Pac, I head over to my local record store and pick up anything from his Death Row years.
Article comments
1 - Adrian
I will be brief in my responce. At the very end you mentioned that you would pick anything up from 2pac's "Deathrow years". One thing I would like to point out is, he wasn't with deathrow but for a year or so. He was released from prison and went straight to the studio and recorded 25 tracks in 2 weeks. For his all eyes on me album. The only other record he put out on deathrow was makaveli. Which was released after his premature death. So, I feel it's wrong to advice anyway to just buy from those years, which really don't exist. 2pac's Me aganist the world was truly legendary, for he was still a humble man at this time in his life. This was before prison, and him being shot 5 times. Songs like Dear mama, So many tears, and Lord knows, were amazing songs. One cannot neglect his Thug Life album, released in 1994 through interscope records. Classics like, Ain't got time for bitches, and pour out a lil liquor.. Where I'm goign with this is, I total disagree to say to people to only buy from his deathrow years. 2pac has put out great music from the start. Like Brenda's got a baby. Come on now, don't try to advise, nor disect the work, and living lengend like 2pac when you obviously didn't do your full research. I wont deny his last 2 albums with deathrow were concurring that he was beginning to step onto a whole new platform as an artist, not to mention his acting ability, but his death only glorified everything about him. He may have lived a short life, but he did more than most people do their entire life
2 - Alex (Lesotho)
Peace be with you. On this day Oct 2008 was written by a man inspired by another man.
I am from Lesotho within South Africa but was moved by the lyrics of Tupac Shakur.
I wonder how he did it. He died like a hero (Abraham Linc, JF Kennedy, Martin Luther Jnr,MalcomX, Chris Hani, Che Guevera,and all world war I & II Soldiers)-Being shot!. He deserves a great award for his works.
I have even seen that there is a course for his lyrics at the University of Carlifonia, and even in a course about poetry AT HARVAD UNIVERSITY.
Its hard being in Africa but he makes me like being black.
3 - hani
i never forget you soujah
am learn from ya
AND ALWEYS I KEEP HEAD UP