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All Eyez on Me

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Untitled

All Eyez on Me is the fourth studio album by the late West Coast Rapper 2Pac. It was released on February 13, 1996, and sold 566,000 copies in the first week of release.[2] This was the last album released during 2Pac's lifetime, as he died 7 months later on September 13, 1996.

The album is widely regarded as 2Pac's magnum opus and one of the most influential albums in the music industry as being the first double album in Rap and hip hop history. It is frequently recognized as one of the crowning achievements of 1990s Rap music.[3] It has been called "despite some undeniable filler easily the best production 2Pac's ever had on record"[4]. 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.[5] According to the RIAA, the album is one of the highest-selling rap albums of all time, with over 5 million copies of the album sold in the United States alone by April 1996. It was certified 9x platinum in June 1998 by the RIAA Now having been certified diamond with sales of over 10 million in the U.S alone.[6]

Background

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". The prolific rapper finished this album in only two weeks[6].

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

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.

In 2008 The National Association Of Recording Merchandisers in conjunction with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has recognized this album, as well as Me Against The World, as extremely influential to the music industry and has added this album to their Definitive 200 list.[7]

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.

Reception

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."

Track listing

Disc 1
# Title Producer(s) Time
1 "Ambitionz az a Ridah" Dat Nigga Daz 4:39
2 "All Bout U" (feat. Dru Down, Nate Dogg, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Dramacydal) Johnny "J", 2Pac 4:37
3 "Skandalouz" (feat. Nate Dogg) Dat Nigga Daz 4:09
4 "Got My Mind Made Up" (feat. Dat Nigga Daz, Kurupt, Method Man, Redman) Dat Nigga Daz 5:13
5 "How Do U Want It" (feat. K-Ci and JoJo) Johnny "J" 4:47
6 "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" (feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg) Dat Nigga Daz 4:07
7 "No More Pain" DeVanté 6:14
8 "Heartz of Men" DJ Quik 4:43
9 "Life Goes On" Johnny "J" 5:02
10 "Only God Can Judge Me" (feat. Rappin' 4-Tay) Doug Rasheed, Harold Scrap Freddie 4:57
11 "Tradin War Stories" (feat. C-Bo, Dramacydal, Storm) Mike Mosley, Rick Rock 5:29
12 "California Love" (Remix) (feat. Dr. Dre, Roger Troutman) Dr. Dre 6:25
13 "I Ain't Mad at Cha" (feat. Danny Boy) Dat Nigga Daz 4:53
14 "What'z Ya Phone #" (feat. Danny Boy) Johnny "J", 2Pac 5:10
Disc 2
# Title Producer(s) Time
1 "Can't C Me" (feat. George Clinton) Dr. Dre 5:30
2 "Shorty Wanna Be a Thug" Johnny "J" 3:51
3 "Holla at Me" Bobby "Bobcat" Ervin 4:56
4 "Wonda Why They Call U Bytch" Johnny "J", 2Pac 4:19
5 "When We Ride" (feat. Outlaw Immortalz) DJ Pooh 5:09
6 "Thug Passion" (feat. Dramacydal, Jewell, Storm) Johnny "J", 2Pac 5:08
7 "Picture Me Rollin'" (feat. CPO, Danny Boy, Syke) Johnny "J" 5:15
8 "Check Out Time" (feat. Kurupt, Syke) Johnny "J", 2Pac 4:39
9 "Ratha Be Ya Nigga" (feat. Richie Rich) Doug Rasheed 4:14
10 "All Eyez on Me" (feat. Syke) Johnny "J" 5:08
11 "Run tha Streetz" (feat. Michel'le, Mutah, Storm) Johnny "J", 2Pac 5:17
12 "Ain't Hard 2 Find" (feat. B-Legit, C-Bo, E-40, Richie Rich) Mike Mosley, Rick Rock 4:29
13 "Heaven Ain't Hard 2 Find" QD3 3:58

Album singles

Single information
"California Love" [Non Album Single]
  • Released: 1995
  • B-side: N/A
"2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted"
  • Released: May, 1996
  • B-side: N/A
"How Do U Want It"
"Life Goes On"
  • Released: 1996
  • B-side: N/A
"All About U"
  • Released: 1996
  • B-side: N/A
"I Ain't Mad at Cha"

Chart history

Album

Chart (1996) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[7] 19
French Albums Chart[8] 99
New Zealand Albums Chart[9] 15
Norwegian Albums Chart[10] 34
Swedish Albums Chart[11] 7
Swiss Albums Chart[12] 15
UK Albums Chart[13] 32
U.S. Billboard 200[14] 1
U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 1

Singles

Year Single Peak positions[15]
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" — — — — — —

Personnel

Information taken from Allmusic and CD booklet.[16][17]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ XXL (2007). "Retrospective: XXL Albums". XXL Magazine, December 2007 issue.
  2. ^ Have Gun Will Travel: The Spectacular Rise and Violent Fall of Death Row Records. Ronin Ro. Broadway Press 1998.
  3. ^ XXLMagazine October 2004, Page 104
  4. ^ All Eyez on Me AMG review
  5. ^ http://rap.about.com/od/toppicks/ss/Top100RapAlbums_3.htm
  6. ^ RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for All Eyez on Me
  7. ^ "australian-charts.com - 2 Pac - All Eyez On Me". Australian-Charts.com. Retrieved 2009-05-30. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ "lescharts.com - 2 Pac - All Eyez On Me". LesCharts.com. Retrieved 2009-05-30. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ "charts.org.nz - 2 Pac - All Eyez On Me". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 2009-05-30. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. ^ "norwegiancharts.com - 2 Pac - All Eyez On Me". NorwegianCharts.com. Retrieved 2009-05-30. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ "swedishcharts.com - 2 Pac - All Eyez On Me". SwedishCharts.com. Retrieved 2009-05-30. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  12. ^ "2 Pac - All Eyez On Me - swisscharts.com". SwissCharts.com. Retrieved 2009-05-30. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  13. ^ "Search Results -- Albums". everyHit.com. Retrieved 2009-05-24. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  14. ^ "allmusic ((( All Eyez on Me > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-05-24. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  15. ^ "allmusic ((( All Eyez on Me > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
  16. ^ "allmusic ((( All Eyez on Me > Credits )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
  17. ^ "Tupac All Eyez On Me CD". CD Universe. 1996–2006. Retrieved 2009-01-28.

All Eyez on Me at AllMusic


Preceded by Billboard 200 number-one album
March 2, 1996 – March 15, 1996 		Succeeded by
Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette


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