All opinions are welcome in this thread. Just do your best to stay on the subject of Tupac.

And yes, you can compare him to Rakim, LL Cool J, KRS-One, Ice-Cube,....whoever to make your case!

Hell no. He made boring, midtempo, sampled shit just like all the rest of them. Also, I can't stand a damn thug or anything that resembles one.

The Egyptian Lover was my favorite rapper. He made many an original song from scratch and was funky as hell with it. And he definately wasn't stuck in midtempo.

There was a time that 'Pac was such a nice guy before he ended up working for Suge Knight over at Death Row Records!

Seriously, this man was so gifted that he could have been anything he wanted in the entertainment industry. But why Thug Life?

vainandy said:

BTW, have you ever listened to Holla If You Hear Me? THAT song has a faster tempo. I think it might be the only 'Pac song you'll like.

Yes he was because he had the overall package-he could rap, act and he was very charismatic and there hasn't been another rapper who had the ability to touch people's minds the way he did .

Nah. Just off the top of my head, I'd put KRS One, Rakim and Biggie ahead of him. 'Pac was a passionate lyricist (in spite of many contradictions), but I value wit and originality in performers and there are others who were better wordsmiths than him.

Since his death, I have seen people that are just as big a loony tune as some of the Elvis fans saying things like "Tupac is alive because he keeps making new albums". Well duh, ever heard of unreleased music made while he was living?

The "thug look" was bad enough when he was living but it absolutely exploded after he died. There are people that absolutely worship him and want to be just like him. All I can say is, he wanted to live like a thug and he died like one...shot down.

No, I've never heard it. Who did he sample in that one?

vainandy said:

I think hip-hop really became C.R.A.P./shyt-hop after 2pac died:

Master P, Cash Money Millionaires, Lil'Jon, Ja Rule, 50 Cent & The G-Unit,.....may I say more?

vainandy said:

I don't remember off-hand. I thought this was original from the ground up. But it's the first song on this album:

I took R&B stations that played current music off my dial around probably 1996. However, there was very little being played on them that I liked while they were on my dial. The last rap songs I liked were "C'mon Ride The Train" by the Quad City DJs and "Hoochie Mama" by The 2 Live Crew. Before that, I was into stuff like 69 Boyz, 95 South, Dis N' Dat, etc. Fast rap like that was becoming more scarce (even though I would have preferred some funk) and slower rap like Tupac, Biggie, and whoever else was out (I try to forget those horrible days) was completely dominating. I said "fuck it", I refuse to lower my standards any more. I'm pulling out my old records". I never looked back afterwards.

Nay - I think the GOAT would be Rakim.

CinisterCee said:

That song Rakim done with Jody (Friends) is classic!


Remember this album?:


[Edited 9/5/06 19:02pm]

Najee said:

Paid In Full (The Coldcut Remix) is THE best track ever (Despite that Eric B. & Rakim hated THAT version)!!!

TonyVanDam said:

What's with all the Pac haters in here?

nurse said:

I wouldn't say "haters" but there can only be ONE g.o.a.t.

nurse said:

Hey this is the org now a place where hip-hop gets least love and respect regardless which era. I am not so suprised about Pac results.
[Edited 9/5/06 21:49pm]

I would say yea. he is my favorite rapper and also that he is the only rapper that I would go to the store and to buy the albums.

ladygirl99 said:

nurse said:

Gotta show Pac some love. I am having my own tribute day dedicate to him on the 14th.

The popular choice might be Rakim, but I'm gonna go with Big Daddy Kane. If you add it all up-- the songs. stage show, writing for others, image-- he wins. Rakim is definitely up there, as is LL and Cube. If he had a longer career, the D.O.C. might've been on the list.

Tupac kind of loses points for destructive behavior even though he was deeper than that.

'Pac is easily the greatest of all time. I just got done in LA making a documentary about him. Check www.myspace.com/ultimate2pacfan for all the info about what we did, videos of me with Johnny J, Gobi, etc.

CinisterCee said:

And maybe it's me, but I never quite saw what Tupac did that was so profoundly incredible. He wasn't the greatest wordsmith, he didn't have a flow that would allow him to win any lyrical battles, he hardly was the first to make music on social commentary (in fact, it was becoming a played-out concept when he did it), etc. The noteriety seems to be tied in with his non-music headlines and his death, which elevated him to a martyr status in some people's eyes.

Give me L.L. Cool J, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, The Notorious B.I.G., KRS-One, Ice Cube and Chuck D. ahead of Tupac. If he had some stronger material past 1993, Snoop Dogg would be considered superior to 'Pac.
[Edited 9/6/06 3:10am]

Najee said:

Amazingly, we're in almost complete agreement. Just like rap itself, 2Pac seemed to get simultaneously worse and more popular. I'm glad you mentioned Cube, because he's always been the Best of the West IMO.

AlexdeParis said:

I think far more often than not, you and I do agree.

Let's face it: The more times Tupac made headlines for non-rapping events (shooting off-duty police officers, alleged sexual assault and going to jail, sleeping with Faith Evans) the more his albums sold. He was like the Terrell Owens of rap -- someone whose noteriety and antics simultaneously infuriated and captivated people.
[Edited 9/6/06 3:32am]

1) Jay-z
2) TuPac


I just love me some Jigga....

but I have much much much love for Pac