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Released February 13, 1996 on Deathrow Records Highest Chart Position: #1 R&B #1 Pop Certified Gold April 25, 1996 Certified Platinum April 25, 1996 Certified 5x Platinum April 25, 1996 Certified 6x Platinum September 19, 1996 Certified 7x Platinum December 9, 1996 Certified 8x Platinum June 16, 1998 Certified 9x Platinum June 18, 1998
Click here to purchase this album online from Amazon!
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| All Eyez On Me is one of the most influential hip-hop albums of all time. This CD was dropped by a new 2Pac, fresh out of jail on bail with Death Row records. 2Pac hit the studios literally hours after being released and this CD is said to be recorded in less than 2 weeks. This double album was 2Pac's first (and second) of three albums obligated to Death Row Records in exchange for their support in baling him out of jail. It is arguably 2Pac's best album, and surely his most well known.
This album was a no holds barred tribute to the thug lifestyle. There are some remnants of his old political and social messages but they are overpowered by the strong sense of anger from being jailed while the men who tried to convict him and then kill him were roaming about free.
The first of the double discs contains all of the commercial hits and the second contains the more rugged hits. There are a lot of collaborations with various artists including Thug Life, the Outlawz (2Pac's new posse at the time) and the Death Row family. The production on this album is top-notch with the likes of DJ Quik, Johnny J, Daz Dillinger, Dr. Dre and even 2Pac himself all having a helping hand. Many rappers have tried to reproduce this album by buying hot beats and persuading other popular rappers into collaborations, but none have been able to match this album.
Having been certified 9x platinum, this album is the number two selling gangsta rap CD of all time. However this album hasn't been recertified since 1998, making it quite likely that it is already 10x platinum and thus the number one selling gangsta rap CD of all time!
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Produced by: Dr. Dre, Dat Nigga Daz, David Blake, DeVante Swing, DJ Pooh, Mike Mosley, Johnny J, D. Rasheed Co-Produced by: 2Pac Executive Producer: Suge Knight Project Coordinator: Roy Tesfay
Mastered by Brian "Big Bass" Gardner at Bernie Grundman Mastering Recorded at Can-Am Studios. Guest Appearances by: Rappin 4-Tay, Richie Rich, Redman, Method Man, D-Short, E-40, B-Legit, Roger Troutman, Dru Down, KC, JoJo, C-Bo, Outlawz, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Kurupt, Dat Nigga Daz, Nate Dogg, Danny Boy, Storm, Dramacydal, George Clinton, Jewell, Mutah, Michel'le, Big Syke, CPO
Nominated for 1997 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. |
THE MAKING OF 2PAC - "ALL EYEZ ON ME" (from XXL Magazine)
"Skandalouz"
Featuring Nate Dogg
Produced by Dat Nigga Daz
Nate Dogg: That song was done in 10 minutes. The beat was always
already made. We don't go in the studio and wait on nobody to make a beat.
We'd Never stay in their long enough. [Working with 'Pac was] like
working with your little brother. He was a little wild muthafucka, full of
life. He got an opportunity and ran with it. 'Cause he didn't want to be
on Death Row Records. And I think he had a three or four.....I'm not
sure what kind of album deal he had. But he wanted to get off, though. So
he pushed out at least two to three songs a day.
"Got My Mind Made Up"
Featuring Dat Nigga Daz, Kurupt, Redman and Method Man
Produced by Dat Nigga Daz
Kurupt: The original record was me, Rage, Redman, Method Man and Daz. I
told Daz, "Man, this is the one, we need to drop this, we need to put
this on Dogg Food." 'Cause we did it when we was making Dogg Food. When
'Pac came home, we put it up for 'Pac, like "You want this record?"
'Pac was like "Hell, yeah, I want that record!" And he dropped his verse
where Rage's was, 'cause Rage said she'd put her verse on something
else, and that's how that record made it on 'Pac's album. Me, Method Man
and Redman and Daz and Rage-that was the original record, and Inspectah
Deck was on it at the end. That's him you hear at the end:
"Wish....this....bliss...."Thaat's inspectah Deck. I went and picked up Red and Meth
and Deck personally and too them to Daz's house. We knocked the record
off in about three, four hours. It was a done deal, and then we....we
didn't use it, 'cause Daz wasn't feeling like mixing it and doing all
that. We end up taking it to 'Pac when 'Pac came 'cause Suge was like,
"When it's time to work on a project, everybody needs to give everything
to whoever's project it is."
Daz: We did that song at my house. Kurupt had brought Method Man and
Redman over to my house. And Inspectah Deck was on the song too. He was
at the end-"I.N.S., the rebel...." Just his voice. They had taken his
voice. They had taken his verse out and kept the background 'cause it
sounded good. It wasn't originally 2pac song. I had transferred it at Dr.
Dre's house and had left it out there. [2pac was] flossing like. "I got
a beat with Method Man, Redman. Dre made it." That's what Dr. Dre told
2pac. That's how the whole fued started between Dre and 'Pac. 'Cause I
happened to be walking by the studio like, "That's my beat. I did
that." 2pac [was] like, "that's your stuff?" from that situation, that's
when he and Dre started fueding. Dr. Dre was taking credit and wasn't
doing nothing, wasn't coming around.
"California Love [RMX]"
Featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman
Produced by Dr. Dre
Tommy D: f##k it, I can say it: Dre really didn't want nothing to do
with that record. He didn't like it at all that 2pac came to Death Row,
which I thought was kind of interesting, 'cause I remember he said,
"That's it, I'm done with Death Row now that 2pac is here." I was like,
"What the f##k!?" I mean, if you look at that album, he didn't do shit on
"All Eyez On Me" except for "California Love," which basically was,
ughhh, that was going to be his single for Aftermath, right? And Suge
heard that shit and said, "f##k it," and rushed up to Dre's house and made
him put 2pac on there. So basically he lost his first single for
Aftermath, and it ended up being the first single for 2pac. Because the
original version of that is three verses with dre rapping on it. The only
person who's got that original version is DJ Jam, Snoop's DJ. So
basically Suge was like, "f##k it, we're putting 2pac on that shit, and this is
going to be the single off the record..." that shit was dope. Suge
ain't no dummy.
"Life Goes On"
Produced by Johnny J
Johnny J: We had people in sessions you want to call them street guys
or hardcore, they were deep into their thing-and they broke down in
tears. I can't believe I saw that. [that record] just had so many people
emotional
Dru Down: That was more on the serious tip. When they got serious about
something, there wasn't too many people up in the studio. When a nigga
wanna really be serious, 'Pac just dumped out all the weed on the
mixing board-about four ounces of smoke-and was writing. And niggas had to
be quiet. It was on the real low, quiet tip. That was a serious time.
"2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted"
Featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg
Produced by Dat Nigga Daz
Dave Aron: We were in the studio and 'Pac was there, and Snoop was in
there. In walks big Suge, and this was before they did "2 of
Amerikaz...." He's so big, and he walks up. Snoop's kinda talll, but he was very
skinny. He grabs 'Pac with one arm, and he grabs Snoop with the other
and pulls them both together, almost squeezing them into one. He's like,
"I think you guys oughta do a song together. I think that'd be great."
That was awesome to see how big he was, and he put 'em both together
like that. And they ended up doing that song.
Daz: 'Pac was going to court. Snoop was going to court. There was a lot
of chemistry between them.
Rick Clifford: 'Pac was very adamant that the album was spontaneous.
Everything that you hear, everybody got one take. They couldn't go back
and fix anything. 'Pac said that number one, hip-hop is different from
R&B. If a guy can't get out and spit eight to 16 bars, he's not ready
yet. Then he said he loves the first take because there's a certain feel
to it. He said if people go back and try and fix it, they would start
thinking about it, they would lose the feel, they would mess it up. So
the only one who refused to get out there like that was Snoop. Snoop
said he'd come back tomorrow and do it. I think Snoop went home and wrote
his stuff, learned his stuff came in and knocked it off, first take.
All Snoop said was, "Wait a minute. You ain't going to put me out on one
take. I'll come back and do it tomorrow"
"How Do You Want It"
Featuring K-Ci and JoJo
Produced by Johnny J
Dave Aron: Danny Boy was originally on the hook. I already had it
mixed. And at the last minute. 'Pac wanted to put K-Ci and JoJo on it. Maybe
that was a decision between him and Suge and whatever I don't know.
K-Ci: One night we were sitting in the crib, and Suge Knight gave me a
call, 'cause we real good friends with Death Row family and everything.
They asked us would we like to do a song with 'Pac, and we were like,
"Hell Yeah, why not?" That's our boy. So we got in the studio that same
night, actually, that we got the phone call. Man, we were just tripping
in the studio, having fun. If y'all read between the lines, y'all know
what we was doing up there. [We] had the girlies up in there, doing our
thing. The song came out blazing. The funny part was at first, when
'Pac was trying to sing it, trying to teach us how it go. I was like, "I
see where you're trying to go, 'Pac, but it's not sounding too good."
Anyway, then we heard him doing his rhyme, and we're like, "Man, we got
to rip this, because he came strong."
"Ambitionz Az A Ridah"
Produced by Dat Nigga Daz
Kurupt: First day he came home, "Ambitionz Az A Ridah"-that was the
first record that he did. Suge brought him in. The word went through the
office that 'Pac was home. Everybody [who was] at the studio at that
time was up there. I came a little bit later, and when i came, Daz already
had the beat started. 'Pac wasn't in the studio for any more than 45
minutes before he had his first verse done and laid. that fast. He didn't
even wanna chill; all he wanted to do was get on the mic. Whatever day
he landed in Los Angeles, two hours after he landed, he had his first
verse laid.
Dave Aron: That's the first song I ever did with 2pac. The day he got
out of jail, he didn't go to the clubs. He didn't go try to meet women.
He went straight to the studio like he was on a mission, and he
recorded "Ambitionz Az A Ridah" and "I ain't Mad At Cha." 2pac came in, and he
was fresh out of jail. I seen them give him his Death Row Medallion
that same night. And then he came right in. He was ready to go. He was
very hyped, very focused, a lot of energy-mad energy. And you could tell
he was really one a mission. He really had a real vision of what was
going on, and he wanted to get a lot done in that short amount of time.
Daz: The idea came from the me sampling Pee Wee Herman. So if you
listen to Pee Wee Herman [the Champs' "Tequila"], I just put the gangsta
twist on it. I gave it to 'Pac. Came back to the studio, and it was done.
"All About U"
Featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, Nate Dogg, Fatal and Yaki Kadafi
Produced by Johnny J And 2Pac
Nate Dogg: It was me, him and Snoop, and we was talking about all the
girls that we had seen before. The whole thing came from a video shoot.
We was at a video shoot, and it was so funny how, if it wasn't Snoop
that knew the girl, 2Pac knew her, or i knew her. It's like, "Damn,
everywhere we go, we see the same girls." And that's how the song came
about. It was the same as it always is: A little liquor, a little weed, we
aight. 'Pac was one-taking his verses. He did that a lot. We was having
so much fun, the song just came out.
Johnny J: That was one of the most hilarious records i've ever done
with 2pac....I used Cameo's old school cut [1986 single, "Candy"]. Nate
Dogg, Snoop, everybody sitting around on speakers, doing their thing.
Next thing i know [sings]: "Every other city we go. Every other video..."
I'm like, "Nate, I know you gotta be fucking playing." They're like,
"Nah, man. We're dead serious. That's the hook- we're talking about video
hoes"
Dru Down: It was me, 'Pac, Syke, Rage and a couple Outlawz in the
studio. We always had bitches in the studio. The only thing crazy was, the
Outlawz niggas-Fatal Hussein and Yafeu Fula-was gonna get on the track.
It was like an interlude at the end. I did the beginning [uncredited
ad-lib-bing]: they was gonna do something at the end. Then them
muthafuckas did something where they fucked up. They couldn't get it right. They
was too high and too drunk. They was messing up. They was in the
microphone booth, and they was fucking up, and 'Pac said, "Y'all gotta get
the f##k up out of there. I don't know what the f##k ya'll are doing."
They was just playing around. They was taking too long, wasting time.
They laughed they ass up in there and all the way out.
"No More Pain"
Produced by DeVante Swing
Dave Aron: I was at the studio at 8 late-10, 11 p.m. At 3 a.m. DeVante
showed up by himself. He wanted to lay a few more parts before they
mixed it. It was a very sparse track. But the keyboard parts he put in
were very eerie and weird sounding. He was very quiet that night. Very
focused. It was interesting to watch him work. He finished about five or
six in the morning and said, "I want to mix this now." We mixed it that
same night. It was a long night.
"I Ain't Mad At Cha"
Featuring Danny Boy
Produced by Dat Nigga Daz
Kurupt: We knew when that was done, it was over. Oh, yeah 'Pac heard
the beat and flipped out. And basically he was just like, "Man, this is
it. "We sat and we drank and then Daz was just operating on the record,
and when 'Pac was in there working, he wasn't with the distractions. It
was more or less all, "Let's knock this out, Let's knock this out.
Let's knock this out." I mean, he'd get mad at the engineers for moving too
slow. That was his thing. He'd be on top of them like that. You know,
"Come on, man, what the f##k? This ain't too goddamn hard. All you have
to do is press fuckin;' 'record.' Press fuckin' 'record. 'NOW!"
"Tradin' War Stories"
Featuring Outlawz, CPO and Storm
Produced by Mike Morsley and Rick Rock for steady Mobbin' Productions
Rick Rock: I don't know where the f##k I got the sample from. Dionne
Warwick or something. When I ended up doing it with 'Pac, I told him it
was "It's A Man's World," And it got cleared under that, but I don't
know who it was. I know I didn't get it from James Brown. I got it from
somewhere else, but it sounds like, "A Man's World." I couldn't remember,
'cause I used to do beats and i didn't keep my samples. I just had all
my shit on a disk. And when I came to California from Alabama, I used
to carry a bag full of disks.
Napoleon: That song was personal for me. When I was three years old, i
witnessed my mother and father get murdered in front of me. I got shot
in the foot. So on that song, I kinda touched up on that. I was saying,
"Brothers wanna talk about war stories, I seen my first war story at
the age of three." 'Pac already knew what happened to my parents, so he
was excited that I touched on it. He knew that it was real. When 'Pac
came and got me from the hood, he seen that I was going through it at an
early age. I think that was one of the reasons he embraced me-not that
he felt sorry for me-but 'Pac had a good heart. He saw this brother
lost his parents and said, "I feel it's obligatory to help him out."
"Only God Can Judge Me"
Featuring Rappin' 4Tay
Produced by Doug Rasheed for Mad Castle Productionz and Harold Scrap
Freddie
Dave Aron: I thought that was pretty introspective. Pretty
Straightforward. [Doug Rasheed's] beats weren't that complex. They usually were
comprised of a few loops and some percussion and a good solid drumbeat. I
recorded Rappin'-Tay's vocals for that. He's a fun guy. He had his
little pimp status going on. He really fit the Oakland mold.
"Ratha Be Ya Nigga"
Featuring Richie Rich
Produced by Doug Rasheed for Mad Castle Productionz
Richie Rich: 2pac called me and told me to bring some bay area niggas
to put on the album. As many people from the bay. Everybody was in this
one big studio. 2pac comes at me like, "I want us to do a song about
bitches. When you want to be down for them, but not be there....man you
know." He finished his verse in six minutes. He came over to me, and i
was still writing. He laid his verse then wrote his second verse. When I
spit the verse, he said "That's why i f##k with you. You know exactly
what the f##k I'm talking about."
"All Eyez On Me"
Featuring Big Syke
Produced by Johnny J
Johnny J: That was the very first track I laid when we got together at
death row. When he just got out of jail, just got released, two days
later he's like "J get to the studio, i'm with Death Row now." I assumed
it was a joke, somebody perpetrating 2pac. I'm like "Hell no-'Pac is
locked up!" He's like "J, i'm out" I walk in, 15 minutes into the
session, the first beat i put in the drum machine is "All Eyez On Me" I wasn't
going to show him the track, honestly. I was like, "This track? Nah,
it's not finished. It's imcomplete." My wife says, "Hey, it's a dope
beat!" So I just pop it in, Titles just come right off his fuckin' head.
Big Syke: 'Pac was going on the pac of, "If you don't have no lyrics by
the time I finish doing this first verse, your ass ain't on the song."
He'd finish it. It was a test anytime he picked up the pen. It was
like, "Nigga, on your mark, get set, go. And you better have some cutting
shit."
"Run Tha Streetz"
Featuring Michel'le, Mutah and Storm
Produced by Johnny J and 2pac
Dave Aron: That's what was great about working on the album. You got to
work with so many people. Who didn't grow up listening to that "No more
lies" song? And then you work with Michel'le and you hear the little
voice, and it's true. The little voice is little, and then she sings, and
it's just so big, and she's such a little girl. And she's so sweet
This Site's Mission
The site showcases Tupac Shakur, a multi-talented legend, who was born in the Bronx, New York on June 16, 1971 and died from fatal gun shot wounds in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 13, 1996.
He is considered by many to be the greatest rapper of all time.
2Pac's lyrics always went deep into the meaning of many political and social subjects including violence, drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and broken families.
2Pac was well read as noted by his extensive reading list. 2Pac's poetry also reflected his many sides, some poems were motivated by love, some sought self-understanding and others were angry responses to the cruel injustices of American society.
Not only famous for his music, he was also a well respected actor with several films.
2Pac was down to die for everything he represented. He was very open and always expressed his mind. Some people consider 2Pac a modern-day prophet. Reading some of 2Pac's interviews, lyrics and quotes, its not hard to see why.
Being real and upfront, trouble always seemed to come naturally. Tupac was charged with rape, a crime he did not commit, but was still convicted of sodomy (forcibly touching the buttocks). Many witnesses seen the girl who made these accusations voluntarily give 2Pac oral sex on a night club dance floor. Tupac was also charged with shooting two off-duty police officers, but those charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence.
The fatal shooting in Vegas was the second shooting 2Pac was involved. The first occured in 1994 in New York.
Most likely, 2Pac's killer was Orlando Anderson, a south-side crip. Theories abound as to who coordinated the hit. Some believe it happened spur of the moment out of Orlando's rage. Others believe Suge Knight had 2Pac killed. The Las Vegas Times recently reported Biggie Smalls had 2Pac killed. Still others, believe it was an elaborate scheme and 2Pac is still alive (he faked his own death).
This site contains pictures of 2Pac, the latest news about 2Pac products and projects, information on 2Pac's tattoos, and anything else 2Pac related. The mission of this site is to show all sides of Tupac -- his thoughts, inspirations, and direction in life. All of this is to be shown through Tupac's lyrics, poetry, music videos and interviews. Hopefully, we can give you a better understanding of Tupac Shakur.
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