Note: For my convenience and others, this review might contain some portions of other reviews from my 2Pac series.

Weighing his strengths and weaknesses as a rapper, I am not quite ready to bestow the “G.O.A.T.” title upon 2Pac as so many have, and I doubt I ever will. However, I will give him this much: he is rap’s greatest figure. I’m sorry, but there is no room for argument with that one. No rapper stands larger in people’s memories, hearts and even in their minds’ subconscious state than this guy. Greatest Hits does an almost-perfect job illustrating why. The funny thing is that the album title is a misnomer – a handful of these songs are not even singles, let alone hits. Nevertheless, the album really does a terrific job representing the rapper that was 2Pac.

There are two songs here that represent his first album, 1991's largely-forgotten 2Pacalypse Now. This is an album that showcases a rapper far removed from the future, when the "thug" persona overwhelmed him and better beats clothed his lyrics. It was 2Pac at his most militant socio-politically, and “Trapped” exemplifies that perfectly. Although the beat could have been better, that does not deter ‘Pac from tearing his country apart for its lingering racism. As relatively calm as his voice is, such lines like “One day I'm gonna bust/Blow up on this society/Why did you lie to me?/I couldn't find a trace of equality” are still blood-curdling. The other song, “Brenda’s Got a Baby”, is the best song in 2Pacalypse Now. With a slowed musical backdrop, 2Pac tells the tragic story of a 12-year old mother who abandons her baby by leaving her in a trash heap. ‘Pac explores her miserable life, exacerbated by the teenage pregnancy - she is possibly semi-illiterate (“A damn shame - The girl can hardly spell her name”), she has the baby with her cousin, who later dumped her, she had a family who could care less about her welfare…all this leads to crack dealing, prostitution and eventual death. All the while 2Pac laments such an end, alluding to the fact that the pregnancy could have been prevented. “Just because you’re in the ghetto doesn't mean you can't…grow,” he says. “Brenda’s Got a Baby” is the kind of song – which advocates personal responsibility and self-determination - that I wish ‘Pac had made more of late in his career.

‘Pac 1993 sophomore album, the more successful Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., is also represented by two songs here – “Keep Ya Head Up” and “I Get Around”. This is where the “thug” persona, which later grew more in prominence in his later releases, began to make his appearance. Although neither two songs feature this new side of ‘Pac – and there is a glaring omission of the equally good and the rabble-rousing “Holler If Ya Hear Me” – both “Keep Ya Head Up” and “I Get Around” do reveal another trait in ‘Pac that also grew with time – contradiction. In the former, 2Pac exalts and consoles black women (e.g. “But please don't cry, dry your eyes, never let up/Forgive but don't forget, girl keep your head up”), then in the latter, he switches to player mode and treats them as nothing but sperm receptacles (e.g. “Don't be picky - just be happy with this quickieeee!/[…]/Baby doll, check it out - I get around!”). This would become the most fascinating thing about 2Pac, as well as the most frustrating; and as his career progressed, the contradictions intensified all the more.

The inclusion of “How Long Will They Mourn Me?” might seem a little dubious, since it is from a 1994 album with his now-defunct group Thug Life (Thug Life, Vol. 1). Moreover, the album is not exactly represented well here. Where the heck is the equally good - if not better - “Pour Out a Little Liquor,” especially that unlike the previous song, this actually is a solo ‘Pac record? Regardless of the inclusion and omission issues, “How Long Will They Mourn Me?” is a beautiful marriage of street tragedy and slow organ-heavy G-Funk, with Nate Dogg taking care of business with the hook. You can feel the pain and sorrow emanating from 2Pac’s lyrics - as well as that of group members Big Syke and Rated R – as they mourn their departed friends, deal with the depression of it all, and threaten retaliation. “All my homies drinking liquor, tears in everybody's eyes/N***as cried to mourn a homie’s homicide,” moans ‘Pac. It’s a welcome insight into a soul smarting from personal loss.

But ‘Pac never bared his soul – or ever did again – like in his next record, the classic 1995 album Me Against the World. “Temptations” is one of the few times one can catch ‘Pac as a respectful, disciplined and sensitive man towards the fairer sex. “Me Against the World” shows his balance of his inner anxiety and his outward resoluteness toward the craziness around him. “So Many Tears” is a somber track of growing paranoia and an inevitable end (e.g. “I'm having visions of leaving here in a hearse”). Quite understandable, considering that he had been robbed and shot in November 1994, and was facing jail time due to a conviction on rape charges. No wonder he reaches out to God (e.g. “God, can you feel me?/ Take me away from all the pressure, and all the pain”), and his mother. Afeni Shakur symbolizes that pillar of strength ‘Pac can lean on and find relief in “Dear Mama” - a heart-felt, sweet, touching, and passionate song, and unarguably the best one ‘Pac ever penned and performed. 2Pac pours out his heart in appreciation for one of the few good role models in his life, and he does it in such a way that no rapper before or since has equaled this song with such subject matter. It is rap’s greatest piece on unconditional love (“There's no way I can pay you back/But the plan is to show you that I understand/You are appreciated”).

But by far the majority of the songs in 2Pac’s Greatest Hits are from the Death Row era – about 40 percent. At least most of the songs are welcome. There’s the remarkable collaboration with Snoop Doggy Dogg ("2 Of Amerika’s Most Wanted"); the classic eeriness that could exude from 2Pac's lyrics (“Hail Mary”); the party-starters (“How Do You Want It”, “All About U” and “Toss It Up”); a track superior to the dedication-styled “How Long Will They Mourn Me?” (“Life Goes On”); the catchy tough talk over a reworking of Whodini’s “Friends” (the previously unreleased "Troublesome '96"); the classic diss track (“Hit ‘Em Up”), the original “California Love”, and its worthy sequel “To Live & Die in L.A.” They all show how much progress ‘Pac had made with his flow, slowly developing a distinctive voice than no rapper has been able to surpass.

Only a few are questionable. “Heartz of Men” is dull and uninspired. “Picture Me Rollin’” is pretty good, but instead of these songs from the colossal 1996 double disc All Eyez On Me, why wasn’t the superior “Got My Mind Made Up?” included, in place of even one of these songs, let alone two?

Moreover, these songs, most of which were taken from ‘Pac’s last albums, 1996’s All Eyez On Me and The Don Killuminati: The 7-Day Theory do a very good job chronicling the turbulence and discord of Tupac’s last days. It showed in his music. Now with a powerhouse label such as Death Row, he had access to much better beats than before. One cannot help but nod his/her head to – or bump in the car - the hypnotizing beats of tracks like “All About U”, “Toss It Up” or “To Live and Die in L.A.” However, his association with Death Row caused a noticeable downgrade in his lyrical content, as he moved away from socio-political militancy and delved deeper into nihilistic gangsta rap. In addition, he developed a penchant for unreasonable and witless verbal attacks as a response to his uncontrollable paranoia. “Hit ‘Em Up”, which is a lyrical barrage directed mostly at the Notorious B.I.G., would have rated a little higher among the diss tracks in rap history if he had focused less on shameless below-the-belt tactics than actual lyrical skill (e.g. “You claim to be a playa, but I f****d your wife!”). However, it is not a regrettable inclusion, for it shows how far off the deep end the guy was within the final months of his life.

The five songs here that were not included in his albums are pretty good, for the most part. "Troublesome '96" and “Hit ‘Em Up” have already been touched upon. But there is also “God Bless the Dead”, which is good in its own right, and is interesting because it features Randy “Stretch” Walker, a former friend of ‘Pac’s who appeared in his first two albums and was gunned down as well – in 1995. But it pales in comparison to his other dedication songs – “How Long Will They Mourn Me?” and “Life Goes On”. “Unconditional Love” is a slow emotional rollercoaster, revealing an aspiration that 2Pac had for himself – and indeed, so many others had for him – that was, unfortunately, never realized: “Eternally in my mission is to be more than just a rap musician/The elevation of today's generation if I could make 'em listen.” And although “Changes” obviously contains large portions of “I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto,” 2Pac still manages to deliver some fresh thoughts over the beat sampled from Bruce Hornsby’s “The Way It Is” – yet another example of what this guy could have been:

And still I see no changes - can't a brother get a little peace?
It's war on the streets and the war in the Middle East
Instead of war on poverty
They got a war on drugs, so the police can bother me
[…]
Don't let them jack you up, back you up,
Crack you up and pimp-slap you up
You gotta learn to hold your own
They get jealous when they see you with your mobile phone

Greatest Hits is the best ‘Pac album for casual listeners, or for those who are yet to get a ‘Pac record. Sure, there were some key tracks or strong cuts missing, while some questionable songs were thrown in here. And the album could have been made better if the songs were presented in chronological order – that would clearly show the progression and regression of certain aspects of Tupac’s music in a neat historical context. This is still a very good album, though - it is a comprehensive, 25 track-deep record of virtually nothing but ‘Pac. For all you fresh fish, this is the introductory course to take.

TRACK LISTING:

Disc 1:

1. Keep Ya Head Up
2. 2 Of Amerika’z Most Wanted
3. Temptations
4. God Bless the Dead
5. Hail Mary
6. Me Against the World
7. How Do You Want It
8. So Many Tears
9. Unconditional Love
10. Trapped
11. Life Goes On
12. Hit ‘Em Up

Disc 2:

1. Troublesome '96
2. Brenda’s Got a Baby
3. I Ain’t Mad at ‘Cha
4. I Get Around
5. Changes
6. California Love (Original Version)
7. Picture Me Rollin’
8. How Long Will They Mourn Me?
9. Toss It Up
10. Dear Mama
11. All About U
12. To Live & Die In L.A.
13. Heartz of Men

REVIEWS IN MY 2PAC SERIES:

2Pacalypse Now (1991)
Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. (1993)
Thug Life, Vol. 1 (1994)
Me Against the World (1995)
All Eyez On Me (1996)
The Don Killuminati: The 7-Day Theory (1996)
R U Still Down? (Remember Me) (1997)
Greatest Hits (1998)
Still I Rise (1999)
Until the End of Time (2001)
Better Dayz (2002)
Tupac: Resurrection Soundtrack (2003)
Loyal to the Game (2004)
'Pac's Life (2006)


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Listening