I remember when Tupac Shakur died in 1996. I was a huge rap fan from the days dating back to my youth, when I listened to groups like NWA. During his career and in the years following his untimely death, Tupac has become the highest selling rap artist in the world.

His unique lyrical style mixed with some fly beats sent rap in an entirely new direction. With the help of Tupac and other rappers of his caliber, rap showed it political socio-economic capabilities. To say Tupac was a social activist would be an understatement. His lyrics blended the telling of stories about hardcore life in the ghetto, political issues, racism, and a host of other social problems he had personally experienced at some point in his life.

Best of Tupac is a compilation of some of the best music that Shakur wrote in his life. Through the effort of Shakur’s mother, Afeni, producers such as Eminem, Death Row/Interscope Records, and Universal Music Studios, this 2-part CD set has come to fruition. The first CD is released as Best of 2Pac – Part 1: Thug and the second CD is Best of 2Pac – Part 2: Life. The CDs are available individually and not in a pack. Each CD features 11 songs and nearly all of the songs will be familiar to those who have listened to Tupac’s music. Both CDs are selling on Amazon for around $10 a pop. They were released on December 4, 2007 by Interscope Records.

While some critics and fans have argued that there really isn’t anything new on this CD, there are a few previously unreleased songs. It is also a way to get some of Tupac’s most popular songs in a two disc set. You can check out what tracks are available through this review (below) or through an online retailer and evaluate whether you think the purchase is worth it based on what songs are available. While it would be interesting to go through and analyze each song, since I have heard nearly all of them previously, I wouldn’t truly be giving my first impression. I have my favorites on these two albums though some of the songs I like, but I’m not in love with them.

Best of 2Pac – Part 1: Thug features the following songs:

1. 2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted
2. California Love
3. So Many Tears
4. I Ain’t Mad At Cha
5. How Do U Want It
6. Trapped
7. Changes
8. Hail Mary
9. Unconditional Love
10. Dear Mama
11. Resist The Temptation

Best of 2Pac – Part 2: Life features the following songs:

1. Definition Of A Thug Nigga
2. Still Ballin’
3. Until The End Of Time
4. Never Call U B**ch* Again
5. They Don’t Give A F**k About Us
6. Keep Ya Head Up
7. Ghetto Gospel
8. Brenda’s Got A Baby
9. Thugz Mansion
10. When I Get Free
11. Dopefiend’s Diner

While it is good to see Tupac getting more attention and I don’t mind the compilation, I assume a lot of fans already have CDs with many of these songs. What is new might not be worth it to every Tupac fan. If you are interested in hearing the songs, you can check out the previews on Amazon. Otherwise, these CDs are going to be up to the individual to purchase. While I’m glad to have a copy of each CD, I figure not everyone will want to spend their hard earned money on a CD with songs they’ve already heard and played a million times before.

Technorati Tags: Tupac Shakur, 2Pac, Rap, Afeni Shakur, Best Of, Compilation, Music, Eminem, Death Row Records, Interscope, Universal

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