| All Eyez on Me | ||||||||||
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| Studio album by 2Pac | ||||||||||
| Released | February 13, 1996 | |||||||||
| Recorded | October 1995 | |||||||||
| Genre | West Coast hip hop Gangsta rap G-funk |
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| Length | 132:18 | |||||||||
| Label | Death Row Interscope Records |
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| Producer | Suge Knight (exec.) DJ Quik, Dat Nigga Daz, DeVanté, DJ Pooh, Dr. Dre, Bobby "Bobcat" Ervin, Johnny "J", Mike Mosley, Doug Rasheed, Rick Rock, 2Pac |
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| Professional reviews | ||||||||||
| 2Pac chronology | ||||||||||
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All Eyez on Me is the Grammy-nominated fourth studio album by West Coast rapper 2Pac. It was released on February 13, 1996. This was the last album released during 2Pac's lifetime, as he died exactly 7 months later on September 13, 1996.
The album is frequently recognized as one of the crowning achievements of 1990s Rap music.[2] It has been called "despite some undeniable filler easily the best production 2Pac's ever had on record"[3]. About.com rap experts ranked All Eyez On Me the 80th greatest rap album of all time on their list of the 100 Greatest Hip-hop albums of all time. It was certified 5x platinum after just 2 months in April 1996, and 9x platinum in June 1998 by the RIAA.[4] The album also had two Billboard Hot 100 Number One singles: How Do U Want It and California Love. It featured 6 singles in all, the most of any 2pac album.
Contents |
All Eyez on Me was released after Suge Knight, CEO of Death Row Records, bailed 2Pac out of jail in exchange for signing to Death Row, fulfilling part of 2Pac's brand new contract. This double-album served as the first two albums of his three album contract. He arrived in the studios just hours after being released from prison to begin work on this 27 track hip-hop "tour de force".[citation needed] The prolific rapper finished this album in only two weeks.
The songs on All Eyez on Me are, in general, unapologetic celebrations of living the "Thug Lifestyle". Though there is the occasional reminiscence about past and present friends, it is a definite move away from the social and political consciousness of 2Pacalypse Now. The hit single "2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted" is a collaboration with Snoop Doggy Dogg. Tupac claimed the song to be the West coast anthem in one of his interviews.[citation needed]
The album features occasional guest spots from 2Pac's regulars, such as former-Thug Life members and The Outlawz, as well as Snoop Dogg, George Clinton, and other guests. The song "Heartz of Men" samples a portion of Richard Pryor's comedy album "That Nigger's Crazy". Most of the album was produced by Johnny "J" and Daz Dillinger, with help from Dr. Dre on the songs California Love, which he himself appeared in also as an album guest spot and "Can't C Me", which was Clinton's appearance. Along with Greatest Hits album, All Eyez On Me is 2Pac's best selling album, reaching a nine times platinum status.
The album debut at number 1 on the Billboard 200,selling 556,000 copies in its first week,making 2pac the first rapper to have two straight albums debut at number one.[citation needed] The album was certified 5x Platinum in the United States after just 2 months and was later certified 9X platinum.[4]
In 2008 the National Association Of Recording Merchandisers in conjunction with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has added this album, as well as Me Against The World, to their Definitive 200 list.[citation needed]
It was re-released in 2001 as enhanced CDs containing the "California Love" music video. Both CDs contained the same data track. It was also re-released as a Dual-Disc in 2005.
Rolling Stone (5/13/99, p. 74) - Included in Rolling Stone's Essential Recordings of the 90's.
Spin (5/96, p. 106) - 7 (out of 10) - "As long as you don't expect philanthropy from him, you'll find honesty and some pleasurably twisted scenarios."
Entertainment Weekly (12/27/96-1/3/97, p. 146) - Ranked #3 on Entertainment Weekly's list of the Top 10 Albums And Singles Of 1996.
Q magazine (12/99, p. 90) - Included in Q magazine's 90 Best Albums Of The 1990s.
Musician (6/96, p. 90) - "...gangsta rappers pretty much share the values of their Republican detractors: the emphasis on making money, the righteousness of bearing arms, the wonderfulness of consumption, respect for hierarchy and loyalty to one's own as overriding principles..."
Rap Pages (5/96, p. 30) - 7 (out of 10) - "Backed by `everything we push goes platinum' Death Row Records and a new crew of comrades...the lyrical Jesse James is back to expound on his lengthy dogmas within the infrastructure of his music....[T]his album conveys sudden gleams of brilliance and thick and chunky hits, radio-friendly or not."
NME (3/2/96, p. 47) - 9 (out of 10) - "All Eyez is his angry, end-of-tether, couldn't-give-a-shit meditation....an immense spewing of indignation and provocation, set to a brilliantly varied range of G-funk grooves....Tupac blasts out his non-PC opinions...with a competition-eliminating relentlessness."
| # | Title | Producer(s) | Featured guest(s) | Sample(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Ambitionz Az a Ridah" | Daz Dillinger | 4:39 | ||
| 2 | "All Bout U" | Johnny "J", 2Pac | Nate Dogg, Yaki Kadafi, Kastro, and Hussein Fatal, (Dru Down & Snoop Dogg - additional vocals) | contains a sample from "Candy" as recorded by Cameo | 4:37 |
| 3 | "Skandalouz" | Daz Dillinger | Nate Dogg | Contains interpolation of "She's Strange" by Cameo | 4:09 |
| 4 | "Got My Mind Made Up" | Daz Dillinger | Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, Method Man, Redman, (Inspectah Deck - additional vocals) | 5:13 | |
| 5 | "How Do U Want It" | Johnny "J" | Jodeci | contains a sample from "Body Heat" as recorded by Quincy Jones | 4:47 |
| 6 | "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" | Daz Dillinger | Snoop Dogg | 4:07 | |
| 7 | "No More Pain" | DeVanté Swing | contains an interpolation from "Bring The Pain" by Method Man | 6:14 | |
| 8 | "Heartz of Men" | DJ Quik | contains samples from "Darling Nikki" as recorded by Prince & The Revolution; "That Nigger's Crazy" as recorded by Richard Pryor; "Up For The Down Stroke" as recorded by Parliament. | 4:43 | |
| 9 | "Life Goes On" | Johnny "J" | contains a sample from "Brandy (I Really Miss You)" as recorded by The O'Jays. | 5:02 | |
| 10 | "Only God Can Judge Me" | Doug Rasheed and Harold Scrap Fretty | Rappin' 4-Tay | 4:57 | |
| 11 | "Tradin War Stories" | Mike Mosley, Rick Rock | Kastro, E.D.I. Mean, C-Bo, Napoleon, & Storm | contains a sample from "It's A Man's Man's Man's World" as recorded by James Brown. | 5:29 |
| 12 | "California Love" (Remix) | Dr. Dre | Dr. Dre, (Roger Troutman - additional vocals) | contains interpolations of "So Ruff So Tuff"; interpolation of "Joe Cocker"'s "Woman to Woman"; "Roger Troutman's "West Coast Poplock"; "Kleeer"'s "Intimate Connection" | 6:25 |
| 13 | "I Ain't Mad at Cha" | Daz Dillinger | Danny Boy | contains a sample from "A Dream" by Debarge | 4:53 |
| 14 | "What'z Ya Phone #" | Johnny "J", 2Pac | Danny Boy | contains a sample from "777-9311", as recorded by The Time and written by Prince. | 5:10 |
| # | Title | Producer(s) | Featured guest(s) | Sample(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Can't C Me" | Dr. Dre | George Clinton | 5:30 | |
| 2 | "Shorty Wanna Be a Thug" | Johnny "J" | contains a sample from "Wildflower", as recorded by Hank Crawford. | 3:51 | |
| 3 | "Holla at Me" | Bobby "Bobcat" Ervin and Dj Naya | Jewell | 4:56 | |
| 4 | "Wonda Why They Call U Bitch" | Johnny "J", 2Pac | 4:19 | ||
| 5 | "When We Ride" | DJ Pooh | Outlaw Immortalz | 5:09 | |
| 6 | "Thug Passion" | Johnny "J", 2Pac | Jewell, Hussein Fatal, Yaki Kadafi, Dramacydal, Storm, DJ Quik (Additional Vocals) | contains an interpolation from "Computer Love" by Zapp & Roger | 5:08 |
| 7 | "Picture Me Rollin'" | Johnny "J" | CPO, Danny Boy & Big Syke | contains a sample from "Winter Sadness", as recorded by Kool & The Gang | 5:15 |
| 8 | "Check Out Time" | Johnny "J" | Kurupt, Big Syke & Natasha Walker | 4:39 | |
| 9 | "Ratha Be Ya Nigga" | Doug Rasheed | Richie Rich | contains a sample from "I'd Rather Be With You" by Bootsy's Rubber Band | 4:14 |
| 10 | "All Eyez on Me" | Johnny "J" | Big Syke | contains a sample from "Never Gonna Stop" by Linda Clifford | 5:08 |
| 11 | "Run Tha Streetz" | Johnny "J", 2Pac | Michel'le, Napoleon & Storm | contains a sample from "Piece Of My Love", as recorded by Guy. | 5:17 |
| 12 | "Aint Hard 2 Find" | Mike Mosley, Rick Rock | C-Bo, D-Shot, B-Legit, E-40, & Richie Rich | 4:29 | |
| 13 | "Heaven Aint Hard 2 Find" | QD3 | Danny Boy | contains a sample from "What You Won't Do For Love" by Bobby Caldwell | 3:58 |
| Single information |
|---|
"California Love" [Non Album Single]
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"2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted"
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"How Do U Want It"
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"Life Goes On"
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"All About U"
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"I Ain't Mad at Cha"
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| Chart (1996) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart[5] | 19 |
| French Albums Chart[6] | 99 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart[7] | 15 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart[8] | 34 |
| Swedish Albums Chart[9] | 7 |
| Swiss Albums Chart[10] | 15 |
| UK Albums Chart[11] | 32 |
| U.S. Billboard 200[12] | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | 1 |
| Year | Single | Peak positions[13] | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | U.S. Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | U.S. Hot Rap Singles | U.S. Rhythmic Top 40 | U.S. Top 40 Mainstream | |||||||
| 1996 | "California Love (Remix)" | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 34 | |||||
| "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "How Do U Want It" | 1 | — | — | 1 | 23 | — | ||||||
| "All Bout U" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "I Ain't Mad at Cha" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "Life Goes On" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
Information taken from Allmusic and CD booklet.[14][15]
| Preceded by Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette |
Billboard 200 number-one album March 2, 1996 – March 15, 1996 |
Succeeded by Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette |
   | ''All Eyez on Me'' - All Eyez on Me - 2Pac - Music Reviews |
| | link - 2Pac: All Eyez On Me : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone |
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