Me Against the World

not impressive except for a few songs

Given that I've already received an album from The Notorious B.I.G. on this journey, it only stands to reason that I should also receive one from 2Pac. Two sides of the same coin - up-and-coming gangsta rappers taken far too soon. The only question would be which album represented Tupac Shakur on this list. Given the enduring popularity of All Eyez on Me's title track, "How Do U Want It" and "California Love", I figured that album would have been here. Instead, we get the arguably next best one.

Me Against the World was released while Tupac was incarcerated for various assaults he was involved in. There is no denying the man was far from a saint. Rather than ignoring his troubles, Tupac faced them head-on in this album. From opening on his contemplation of death to street violence in "If I Die 2Nite" and the title track, to the struggle with his inner demons on "So Many Tears", to the sensitivity and appreciation towards his mother on "Dear Mama", 2Pac tries to reconcile with himself given his rough upbringing and the injustice he bore witness at the time not just for himself but for other black Americans growing up in a gang-influenced world. In that sense, your mileage with this album will depend on how much you are willing to accept his self-reconciliation. I can accept it, acknowledging the man's flaws without being quick to dismiss him.

Helping to get the messaging along is 2Pac's impeccable flow alongside the smooth production, eclectic samples, and guest appearances. The only time the music felt weak was on the flat hook of the closer "Outlaw". Otherwise, the rest of the album carried the G-funk styling of the mid-90s. Certainly a product of its time, but still well-produced in that regard.

Overall, I had a reasonably good time with Me Against the World, and as such give it a solid recommendation.

Really solid album, easy 4 stars. The beats are amazing and 2pac has a very clear delivery. Lots of good tracks but Dear Mama is the highlight for me.

A lot of people have made bones about the conflicting views expressed in this album. But I think that Tupac was ineffective luminary for the lifestyle. That was evident at the time. Clean order to live in such conditions, one must accept multiple conflicting truths. The album is a wonderful example of beauty in a low vocabulary. The production values are excellent and, while there weren't any real standout tracks aside from "Old School" and "Dear Mama", The album as a whole is magnificently composed In total.

De geschiedenis heeft bewezen dat de teksten geen aanstellerij waren. Toch vind ik het moeilijk naar de teksten te luisteren. Een compliment wellicht. Het is ondanks stevige klemtonen behoorlijk smooth. Het zakt makkelijk weg naar de achtergrond. In die zin heeft het wat weg van de relaxte rappers rond de wisseling van de decennia. De muzikale begeleiding is juist typisch voor de medio 90's. Of heeft hij daar juist voor dat stereotype gezorgd?

Ich mag old school hip hop, kannte wenig von 2pac. Finds nicht so geil. Mir fehlen geile beats und ansprechende hooks. 2/5

Much prefer Hit Em' Up Tupac rather than R&B Tupac. 3.06

Me Against The World was actually a very good album. The production here was legitimately amazing with the instrumentals incorporating quite a bit of R&B elements which i really do like. 2Pac's rapping was also really smart and also really fit well with the flow of every song. None of the songs here were bad either even if the album was around 1 hour long. This is definitely a really great album.
Best Song: Me Against The World
Worst Song: So Many Tears

Gangsta rap

Not my kind of music, but I can see why it's iconic

I remember when this was new - pretty huge hit. I'm a fan of this era of hip hop, but 2Pac just isn't really my flavor.

I have mixed feelings while exploring such an important part of hip hop. You see waves of 2Pac fans wearing t-shirts, streaming his music, and generally just sharing the word of 2Pac at least once a week, and even if you manage to escape that, chances are your mind jumps to him when discussing almost anything 90s related. He and his brand are together a cultural phenomenon, one that you wouldn't expect to still last nearly thirty years after his death, but that very death probably only heightened his notoriety. I understand the success to some extent too. Conscious rap and gangster rap were at the top of their game in this decade, and to combine them could only lead to success. There had been crossover success stories like that in the past, you could argue it's Public Enemy's very brand, but something about 2Pac's take on the genre seems so... commercial, and that is both a blessing and a curse. The beats are repetitive, the lyrics predictable, and just the overall tone reeks of a bygone era, but it also makes the lyrics extremely digestible and relatable. Sure, you probably weren't slinging drugs in the hood, but you probably have felt bad for silly altercations with your mom that you only wish to apologize for. That at its core makes 2Pac unique, as there is very obviously something for everyone. There's some hardcore stuff, some softer stuff, some gangster shit, and some introspective meditations, and while it doesn't do any of these things remarkably well, it's that influence that drives so many of today's rappers to who they are today. There most likely wouldn't be acts all the way from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, to more cheesy pop stuff like acts like Alicia Keys and even Ed Sheeran. His reach was insane, and when you then think of all the new artists inspired by those acts, it shows how big of a web 2Pac created. Maybe that is a negative to you, maybe it isn't, but it is certainly something to look upon with a certain fondness and appreciation. I don't find myself loving most of the songs here, and, of course, it is far too long to be enjoyable as an album, but there is certainly stuff here to like, and I can't look down upon that, even if the album isn't for me.

Very solid gangster rap, but I'm not sure I understand the huge cultural influence. Taking off a star for the rampant misogyny.

It's so weird to hear actual rap. It's been a while. He definitely paints a picture of hardache, ik just not a fan of his voice. Like he's trying too hard..

Tupac is always a weird one for me, I didn't really hear much until he was dead, and the last album was all very much Gangsta Rap and I was past all that. This one is more mellow in that regard, more introspective? Mostly dull.

I think you needed to buy into the whole drama surrounding 2Pac to indulge all this. I didn't hate the album, it's just irreverent to me, I couldn't care less.

I liked this album musically. Tupac certainly had a compelling cadence, and the beats were smooth and fun. I appreciate the introspection expressed on the album, and there’s no denying the influence he had on subsequent rappers, like Kendrick Lamar.

But… I have trouble squaring the context around the album—the sexual violence and gun violence that led him to prison during the album’s released, referenced on the first track. “Me Against The World” as a phrase loses some meaning when you have been the perpetrator of violence, even if societal pressures led to some of those actions. It taints the album in a way that makes it ultimately distasteful when there isn’t a lot of owning up to his own mistakes on the album.

I'm a gangsta, kill, kill, kill. Murder, murder, murder.

Dead.

Rap’s die leichte Blues Elemente ausweisen. Klare saubere Stimmen aber in einem Genre, dass mir weder vor- noch nach teilweisem durchskippen der Songs zusagt. Einen herausragenden Titel habe ich auch nicht gehört.

Didn't hate it, I guess. But didn't like it much, either. A little haunting that so much of the album is about dying young because of his lifestyle and then he died young, because of his lifestyle.

I can't imagine listening to it again anytime soon, but it wasn't bad.