''All Eyez on Me'' is the fourth

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

by American rapper

2Pac Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

and the last to be released during his lifetime. Released on February 13, 1996, by

Death Row Death row, also known as condemned row, is a place in a prison that houses inmates awaiting Capital punishment, execution after being convicted of a capital crime and sentenced to death. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of ...

and

Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...

, the album features guest appearances from

Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...

Snoop Doggy Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

, Redman,

Method Man Clifford Smith, Jr. (born March 2, 1971), better known by his stage name Method Man, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is known as a member of the East Coast hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He is also half of t ...

Nate Dogg Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (August 19, 1969 – March 15, 2011), known professionally as Nate Dogg, was an American singer and rapper. He gained recognition for providing guest vocals for a multitude of hit rap songs between 1992 and 2007, earning the ...

Kurupt Ricardo Emmanuel Brown (born November 23, 1972), better known by his stage name Kurupt, is an American rapper and record producer who aided gangsta rap's rise via 1990s verses helping set lasting trends. He is one half of the rap duo Tha Dogg Po ...

Daz Dillinger Delmar Drew Arnaud (born May 25, 1973), known professionally as Daz Dillinger (formerly Dat Nigga Daz and commonly Daz), is an American rapper and record producer. In the 1990s at Death Row Records, aided the catapult of West Coast rap and ga ...

E-40 Earl Tywone Stevens Sr. (born November 15, 1967), better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper. He is a founding member of the rap group The Click, and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. He has released 26 studio albums to date, a ...

K-Ci & JoJo K-Ci & JoJo is an American R&B duo, consisting of brothers Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey (born September 2, 1969) and Joel "JoJo" Hailey (born June 10, 1971). Natives of Monroe, North Carolina, they are also the lead singers of the chart-topping R&B g ...

, and the

Outlawz Outlawz (formerly known as Outlaw Immortalz) are an American hip hop group founded by rapper Tupac Shakur in late 1995 after Shakur's release from prison. Collectively, they were best known for their association with Shakur. Most of the group m ...

, among others. The album features productions by Shakur alongside a variety of producers including

DJ Quik David Marvin Blake (born January 18, 1970), better known by his stage names DJ Quik or Da Quiksta, is an American rapper and producer, known for his production in the G-funk style of West Coast hip-hop. Blake has collaborated with Snoop Dogg, ...

Johnny "J" Johnny Lee Jackson (August 28, 1969 – October 3, 2008) was a Mexican-American multi-platinum songwriter, music producer and rapper best known for his early career with Death Row Records, and for his work with 2Pac on ''Me Against the World ...

DJ Bobcat Bobby "Bobcat" Ervin (born December 13, 1967), professionally known as Bobcat or DJ Bobcat, is an American Grammy Award winner and multi-platinum producer, songwriter, DJ, artist and music executive. He has worked with Clive Davis, Russell Simm ...

Dat Nigga Daz Delmar Drew Arnaud (born May 25, 1973), known professionally as Daz Dillinger (formerly Dat Nigga Daz and commonly Daz), is an American rapper and record producer. In the 1990s at Death Row Records, aided the catapult of West Coast rap and gang ...

DJ Pooh A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile ...

DeVante Swing Donald Earle DeGrate Jr. (born September 29, 1969), better known by his stage name DeVanté Swing, is an American record producer, singer, rapper and songwriter. He is the older brother of fellow Jodeci member Dalvin DeGrate. Career In his ea ...

, among others. It was the only Death Row/Interscope release that was distributed through

PolyGram PolyGram N.V. was a multinational entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be a ...

in the United States. A

gangsta rap Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, emerged in the mid- to late 1980s as a controversial hip-hop subgenre whose lyrics assert the culture and values typical of American street gangs and street hustlers. Many gangsta rappe ...

album, 2Pac raps about his experiences of living in poverty and in luxury; critics particularly note that 2Pac widely diverges from the social and political consciousness of ''

2Pacalypse Now ''2Pacalypse Now'' is the debut studio album by American rapper 2Pac. It was released on November 12, 1991, by Interscope and Jive Records. ''2Pacalypse Now'' is Tupac's commentary on contemporary social issues facing American society, such as ra ...

'' (1991) and '' Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...'' (1993). The album includes the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number-one singles "

How Do U Want It "How Do U Want It" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his fourth studio album, ''All Eyez on Me'' (1996). It was released on June 4, 1996 as a double a-sided single with " California Love" from the same album and was his final single to be re ...

" (featuring K-Ci and JoJo) and "

California Love "California Love" is a song by American rapper 2Pac featuring fellow American rapper-producer Dr. Dre and American singer Roger Troutman. The song was released as 2Pac's comeback single after his release from prison in 1995 and was his first sin ...

" (with Dr. Dre, featuring Roger Troutman) and the hip-hop ballad " I Ain't Mad at Cha", along with the

collaboration " 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" as a

promotional single A promotional recording, or promo, or plug copy, is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as ...

. It featured four singles in all, the most of any of Shakur's albums. Moreover, ''All Eyez on Me'' made history as the first ever double-full-length hip-hop solo studio album released for mass consumption globally. ''All Eyez on Me'' was the second album by 2Pac to chart at number one on both the ''Billboard'' 200 and the

Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...

charts, selling 566,000 copies in the first week. Seven months later, 2Pac was fatally wounded in a

drive-by shooting A drive-by shooting is a type of assault that usually involves the perpetrator(s) firing a weapon from within a motor vehicle and then fleeing. Drive-by shootings allow the perpetrator(s) to quickly strike their target and flee the scene before ...

. The album won the 1997

Soul Train Music Award The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards show which previously aired in national broadcast syndication, and honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of ''Soul Train'', the pro ...

for Rap Album of the Year posthumously, and was also posthumously nominated for

Best Rap Album The Grammy Award for Best Rap Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums with rapping at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several categories ...

at the 39th Grammy Awards in 1997. Shakur also won the award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist at the

American Music Awards of 1997 The 24th Annual American Music Awards were held on January 27, 1997, at the Shrine Auditorium, in Los Angeles, California. The awards recognized the most popular artists and albums from the year 1996. Performances Winners and nominees Referen ...

. Upon release, ''All Eyez on Me'' received instant critical acclaim, and it has been ranked by critics as one of the greatest hip hop albums, as well as one of the greatest albums of all time. It was certified

Diamond Diamond is a Allotropes of carbon, solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the Chemical stability, chemically stable form of car ...

by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA) in 2014, with shipments of over 5 million copies (each disc in the double album counted as a separate unit for certification), and in 2020 was ranked 436th on ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'''s updated list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Background

In October 1995,

Suge Knight Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. (; born April 19, 1965) is a American former music executive, convicted felon, and the co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Knight is considered a central figure in gangsta rap's commercial success in ...

and

Jimmy Iovine James Iovine ( ; ; born March 11, 1953) is an American entrepreneur, record executive, and media proprietor best known as the co-founder of Interscope Records. In 2006, Iovine and rapper-producer Dr. Dre founded Beats Electronics, which produces ...

paid the $1.4 million bail necessary to get Shakur released from jail on charges of sexual abuse. At the time, Shakur was broke and thus unable to make bail himself. ''All Eyez on Me'' was released following an agreement between Knight and Shakur which stated Shakur would make three albums under

Death Row Records Death Row Records is an American record label that was founded in 1991 by The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, and Dick Griffey. The label became a sensation by releasing multi-platinum hip-hop albums by West Coast-based artists such as Dr. Dre ('' ...

in return for them paying his bail. Fulfilling part of Shakur's brand new contract, this double-album served as the first two albums of his three-album contract. ''Euthanasia'' was the initial title of the album until it was changed to ''All Eyez on Me'' during the recording process. Shakur explained to

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

Bill Bellamy William Bellamy (born April 7, 1965) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. Bellamy first gained national notoriety on HBO's Russell Simmons' ''Def Comedy Jam'', where he is credited for creating or coining the phrase "booty call", descri ...

in December 1995 saying: ''All Eyez on Me'' was originally intended for a Christmas 1995 release but was pushed back as Shakur continued to record music and shoot music videos for the album.

Recording and production

The album features guest spots from 2Pac's regulars, such as former-

Thug Life Thug Life was an American hip hop group that consisted of Tupac, Big Syke, Mopreme, Macadoshis, and The Rated R. They released one album, 1994's '' Thug Life: Volume 1'', before disbanding in 1995. Etymology According to Tupac, the name orig ...

members and

The Outlawz Outlawz (formerly known as Outlaw Immortalz) are an American hip hop group founded by rapper Tupac Shakur in late 1995 after Shakur's release from prison. Collectively, they were best known for their association with Shakur. Most of the group m ...

, as well as

Tha Dogg Pound Tha Dogg Pound is an American hip hop duo made up of rappers Kurupt and Daz Dillinger. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. Kurupt and Daz went on to release solo albums starting in ...

, George Clinton,

Rappin' 4-Tay Anthony H. Forté (born March 2, 1968), better known by his stage name Rappin' 4-Tay, is an American rapper from San Francisco, California. Early life Anthony Forte was born March 2, 1968 and grew up in San Francisco's Fillmore District. He has ...

The Click The Click was a hip hop group consisting of 4 members from Vallejo, California. The group's members are E-40 (Earl Stevens), his cousin B-Legit (Brandt Jones), his brother D-Shot (Danell Stevens), and his sister Suga-T (Tanina Stevens). Toge ...

, and Redman among others. The song "Heartz of Men" samples a portion of Richard Pryor's comedy album ''

That Nigger's Crazy ''That Nigger's Crazy'' is the third album by American comedian Richard Pryor. It was recorded live at Don Cornelius' Soul Train nightclub in early 1974. The album's title was derived from a remark made by Pryor himself in ''Wattstax''. Initiall ...

''. Most of the album was produced by

and

, with help from

on the songs "

", which he himself appeared in also as an album guest spot, and "Can't C Me", which was Clinton's appearance.

also produced, mixed and made an appearance on the album, but had to use his real name on the credits because his contract with

Profile Records Profile Records was one of the earliest hip hop labels. As well as hip-hop they released disco, dance, and electro records. History In 1980, Cory Robbins, who was 23 at the time and had worked briefly for MCA, wanted to start a record label. ...

prevented him from using his stage name.

Lyrical themes

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 ''

'' and '' Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...''. The songs on the album along with the name of the album itself, allude to the feeling of being watched. With songs like "Can't C Me" and "All Eyez on Me", 2Pac makes it known that he feels the presence of surveillance, most notably by the police. The album also references the fact that 2Pac is under the attention of many fans, being his fourth studio album.

Singles

The first single, "

" featuring

and

Roger Troutman Roger Troutman (November 29, 1951 – April 25, 1999), also known as Roger, was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and the founder of the band Zapp who helped spearhead the funk movement and heavily influenc ...

was released, December 3, 1995. This is perhaps

's best-known song and his most successful, reaching number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for eight weeks (as a double

A-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

single with "

") and 12 weeks at number one in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. The song was nominated for a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

for

Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded between 1991 and 2011, alongside the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance. The award was discontin ...

(with Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman) in 1997. A

remix A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...

version also produced by Dr. Dre appeared on the album. The song has since been certified 2× platinum by the

" 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" featuring rapper

, was released as a

on, May 7, 1996. The video was directed by one of 2Pac's production partners, Gobi M. Rahimi and was filmed four months prior to the September 1996 shooting of 2Pac. The prelude for the song shows a parody of

Biggie Smalls Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...

("Piggie") and

Puff Daddy Puff may refer to: Science and technology * Puff, a small quantity of gas or smoke in the air ** Puff, a light gust of wind ** Exhalation ** Inhalation * Puff model, volcanic ash tracking model developed at the University of Alaska Fairbanks * PUF ...

("Buff Daddy") in discussion with Shakur about the November 1994 shooting. The beginning of the scene where Tupac is speaking to Biggie is in reference to the scene in the film '' Scarface'' in which

Tony Montana Antonio Montana is a fictional character and the protagonist of the 1983 film ''Scarface''. This character is portrayed by Al Pacino in the film and is voiced by André Sogliuzzo in the 2006 video game '' Scarface: The World Is Yours''. Embod ...

speaks to his alleged killer before shooting him. The song peaked at number 46 on the US ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (previously known as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay) is a chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the top R&B and hip hop songs in the United States, based on audience impressions from a panel of radio stations monitored ...

chart. The second single, "

" featuring R&B duo

, was released, June 4, 1996. It was paired with "California Love" as a double A-side single, with 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted and the non-album track,

Hit 'Em Up "Hit 'Em Up" is a diss track by hip hop music, hip hop artist 2Pac, featuring the Outlawz. It is the B-side to the single "How Do U Want It", released on June 4, 1996. The song's lyrics contain vicious insults to several East Coast hip hop, East C ...

serving as the B-sides. The song reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. There were three videos filmed for the song: two in the same set for the single in April 1996. The video was directed by

Ron Hightower Ronald Hightower (born January 25, 1966 in Los Angeles, California) is an American adult-mainstream director who began his career as a pornographic actor. He has also directed music videos for various hip-hop recording artists, particularly ra ...

and produced by Tracy D. Robinson. These two are distinguished by

MPAA rating The Motion Picture Association film rating system is used in the United States and its territories to rate a motion picture's suitability for certain audiences based on its content. The system and the ratings applied to individual motion pictures ...

(one is certified adult material). The video portrays a wild sex party with Jacuzzi, mechanical bull riding, cage dancing and pole stripping. All actors and actresses are dressed in

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...

-era costumes, though all clothes are removed for the nude clip. The adult-material video also features numerous porn stars, including

Nina Hartley Marie Louise Hartman (born March 11, 1959), known professionally as Nina Hartley, is an American pornographic film actress described by CNBC as "a legend in the adult world". Early life and education Hartley was born on March 11, 1959 in Berk ...

Heather Hunter Heather Keisha Hunter (born October 1, 1969), nicknamed Double H, is an American rapper, painter, author, and pornographic actress. She is a member of the AVN and XRCO Halls of Fame. Early life Hunter was born in The Bronx, New York, to a fune ...

, and

Angel Kelly Angel Kelly (born December 7, 1962) is a retired pornographic actress. With Jeannie Pepper and Heather Hunter, Kelly was among the first African-American women to " cross over" into mainstream porn video. She is a member of the AVN Hall of Fame ...

. The limousine segment seen in the clean version is the same except no nudity. The third one is the concert version, mostly them performing on stage. There are cameo appearances by

, and fellow group member of

Digital Underground Digital Underground was an American alternative hip hop group from Oakland, California. Their personnel changed and rotated with each album and tour. Digital Underground's leader and mainstay was Gregory " Shock G" Jacobs (also known as Humpty H ...

Shock G Gregory Edward Jacobs (August 25, 1963 – April 22, 2021), known professionally as Shock G and by his alter ego Humpty Hump, was an American rapper and musician who was best known as the lead vocalist of the hip hop group Digital Underground. ...

both in the concert and studio segments. " I Ain't Mad at Cha" featuring singer

Danny Boy "Danny Boy" is a ballad, written by English songwriter Frederic Weatherly in 1913, and set to the traditional Irish melody of "Londonderry Air". History In 1910, in Bath, Somerset, the English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly initial ...

, was released in Europe and parts of Oceania shortly after Shakur's death as the final single from the album, on September 15, 1996. For the video the song was re-recorded with a live band. The new track was recorded at Can-Am Studios by Conley Abrams. The video was shot weeks before Shakur's death.

Critical reception

''All Eyez on Me'' received widespread critical acclaim. ''

Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...

'' magazine gave it 7 out of 10 and said: "As long as you don't expect philanthropy from Tupac, you'll find honesty and some pleasurably twisted scenarios." The record ranked No. 3 on ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

''s list of Top 10 albums of 1996.

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

stated, "Maybe it was his time in prison, or maybe it was simply his signing with

label. Whatever the case, 2Pac re-emerged hardened and hungry with ''All Eyez on Me'', the first double-disc album of original material in hip-hop history. With all the controversy surrounding him, 2Pac seemingly wanted to throw down a monumental epic whose sheer scope would make it an achievement of itself. But more than that, it's also an unabashed embrace of the gangsta lifestyle, backing off the sober self-recognition of ''

Me Against the World ''Me Against the World'' is the third studio album by American rapper 2Pac. It was released on March 14, 1995, by Interscope and Jive Records. 2Pac draws lyrical inspiration from his impending prison sentence, troubles with the police, and pove ...

''. Sure, there are a few reflective numbers and dead-homiez tributes, but they're much more romanticized this time around. Despite some undeniable filler, it is easily the best production 2Pac's ever had on record". In the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

'',

Cheo Hodari Coker Cheo Hodari Coker (born December 12, 1972) is an American former music journalist turned television writer and producer known for such television series as ''Luke Cage'', '' NCIS: Los Angeles'', '' Southland'' and '' Ray Donovan''. Coker also wro ...

praised the album: "''All Eyez on Me'', a 27-song, 133-minute gangster's paradise, finds the rapper even more venomous than he was before his 11-month incarceration for sexual abuse. He displays no remorse for his tough life, and even less feeling for his enemies. The only thing jail time did for 2Pac was make his creative fires burn even hotter—he raps here with a passion and skill matched in gangsta rap only by

and the

Notorious B.I.G. Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...

And with such producers as

and

Johnny J Johnny is an English language personal name. It is usually an affectionate diminutive of the masculine given name John, but from the 16th century it has sometimes been a given name in its own right for males and, less commonly, females. Varian ...

laying down the tracks, he finally has a musical team worthy of his talent."

Jon Pareles Jon Pareles (born October 25, 1953) is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of ''The New York Times''.New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' considered the album typical gangsta-rap fare, but with superior production. "Standard images of ghetto desperation turn up...but far more of 2Pac's rhymes are about living in luxury: driving a plush car, drinking cognac, smoking weed and having all the women he wants." Pareles notes that, "while 2Pac used to show some sympathy for women, he has returned to hard-line gangsta machismo, with women as either gold-digging 'bitches' or heavy-breathing, pliant 'hos'." ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' gave the album two stars out of five, declaring it "one of these angry recriminatory discs would have been more than enough, thanks." finding that "too much of the two hours is consumed by self-justifying rants like Only God Can Judge Me and Skandalouz." The review concluded that "There is some delicious g-funk here ..but 2Pac's attitude sours the whole thing." "It's like a Cali thug-life version of

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...

's ''

The Wall ''The Wall'' is the eleventh studio album by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released on 30 November 1979 by Harvest/EMI and Columbia/CBS Records. It is a rock opera that explores Pink, a jaded rock star whose eventual self-imp ...

'' – pure gangsta ego run amok over two CDs," complained ''

''. "At that length, the album's all-hard-all-the-time tone approaches caricature." Nonetheless, the album was included in the magazine's essential recordings of the 1990s.

Accolades

* The information regarding accolades attributed to ''All Eyez on Me'' is adapted from

Acclaimed Music Acclaimed Music is a website created by Henrik Franzon, a statistician from Stockholm, Sweden in September 2001. Franzon has statistically aggregated hundreds of published lists that rank songs and albums into aggregated rankings by year, deca ...

. * Asterisk (*) signifies unordered lists.

Commercial performance

''All Eyez on Me'' debuted at number-one on both the US ''Billboard'' 200 and the US

charts, selling 566,000 copies in its first week, becoming 2Pac's second number one album on the chart. The album was eventually certified

diamond Diamond is a Allotropes of carbon, solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the Chemical stability, chemically stable form of car ...

by the

(RIAA). As of September 2011, ''All Eyez on Me'' has sold 5,887,630 in the United States, making it 2Pac's highest-selling album. It has charted on the ''Billboard'' 200 for 105 weeks in total. In the United Kingdom, the

British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...

certified the album silver on January 1, 1997, followed by gold on July 22, 2013, and platinum on November 14, 2014, for sales of over 300,000 copies in the United Kingdom. It was re-released in 2001 as enhanced CDs containing the "California Love" music video. Both discs contained the same data track. It was also re-released as a Dual-Disc in 2005.

Lawsuit

Civil rights activist and fierce rap critic C. Delores Tucker sued 2Pac's estate in federal court, claiming that lyrics in "How Do U Want It" and "Wonda Why They Call U Bitch" inflicted emotional distress, were slanderous, and invaded her privacy. The case was later dismissed.

Track listing

* Track listing adapted from the album booklet Notes * "All Bout U" features additional vocals from

Hussein Fatal Bruce Edward Washington Jr. (April 3, 1973July 10, 2015), better known by his stage name Hussein Fatal or sometimes as Fatal Hussein, was an American rapper, best known for his collaborative work with Tupac Shakur as a member of the rap group Ou ...

and

Yaki Kadafi Yafeu Akiyele Fula (October 9, 1977 – November 10, 1996), better known by his stage name Yaki Kadafi, was an American rapper and a founder and member of the hip hop groups Outlawz and Dramacydal. Early life and education Yafeu Fula was born ...

* "Life Goes On" features vocals from Stacey Smallie and Nanci Fletcher. * "California Love (Remix)" features background vocals from Barbara Wilson, Nanci Fletcher, and Danette Williams. The full original version can only be found on promo vinyl versions. * "Can't C Me" features additional vocals from Nanci Fletcher * "Got My Mind Made Up" originally was a Dogg Pound song featuring

Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close affili ...

member

Inspectah Deck Jason Richard Hunter (born July 6, 1970), better known by his stage name Inspectah Deck, is an American rapper, producer, and actor. He is a member of the groups Wu-Tang Clan and Czarface. He has acquired critical praise for his intricate ly ...

The Lady Of Rage Robin Yvette Allen (born February 6,1966), known professionally as the Lady of Rage, is an American rapper, singer and actress best known for her collaborations with several other Death Row Records artists, including Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg on th ...

RBX Eric Dwayne Collins (born October 8, 1969) better known by his stage name RBX (standing for "Reality Born Unknown"), is an American rapper and songwriter from Long Beach, California. Early life and education Contrary to popular belief, Collins i ...

, but their vocals were removed when Daz gave 2Pac the song for his album. * "Wonder Why They Call U Bytch" originally featured former

Bad Boy Records Bad Boy Records (or Bad Boy Entertainment) is an American record label founded in 1993 by rapper Sean "Puffy" Combs. It operates as an imprint of Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. It has been home to many artists, including ...

singer

Faith Evans Faith Renée Evans (born June 10, 1973) is an American singer and actress. Born in Lakeland, Florida, and raised in New Jersey, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1991 for a career in the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B ...

, but her vocals were replaced. * "Check Out Time" features background vocals from Natasha Walker. * "Ratha Be Ya Nigga" features background vocals from Stacey Smallie.

Leftover and extra tracks

Most of the songs on the list were remixed on posthumous 2Pac albums '' Still I Rise'', '' Until the End of Time'', ''

Better Dayz ''Better Dayz'' is the eighth studio album and fourth posthumous album by the late American rapper 2Pac, and is his last to be a double-album. It was released on November 26, 2002, debuting at number five on the US ''Billboard'' 200. This album ...

'' and '' Pac’s Life''. * "All About U (Solo Video Version)" featuring

* "Ambitionz Az A Fighta (Mike Tyson Mix)" * "Better Dayz" * "Come With Me (Interlude)" feat.

* "Da Struggle Continuez" feat.

, O.F.T.B. &

Big Syke Tyruss Gerald Himes (November 22, 1968 – December 5, 2016), better known by his stage names Big Syke and Mussolini, was an American rapper best known for his work with the American hip-hop groups Thug Life and Outlawz. His stage name "Big Syk ...

* "Don't Fall Asleep (Original Version)" feat.

E.D.I. Mean Malcolm Greenidge (born July 7, 1974), known as E.D.I. Mean and EDIDON, is an American hip hop artist and a member of the Outlawz. The name is a play on the name Idi Amin, former president of Uganda. While in the third grade, Malcolm became fri ...

& Kastro * "Don't Stop The Music (Original Version)" feat.

& Nanci Fletcher * "You Can't (Fade Me)" feat. Jewell, Kastro &

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

* "Fair Xchange (Original Version)" feat.

Tyrone Wrice Tyrone Wrice, better known by his stage name Hurt-M-Badd, is an American singer and record producer. He is a former member of short-lived R&B duo B-Rezell with Marc "MGM" McWilliams, which appeared on Death Row Records 1994 compilations ''Murd ...

& Cappucine Jackson * "Fuck Em All (Original Version)" feat.

, Kastro &

* "Give Me Love" feat.

6 Feet Deep ''6 Feet Deep'' (also titled ''Niggamortis'' in some regions) is the debut album of the American hip hop supergroup Gravediggaz. Formed by former Tommy Boy Records artists Prince Paul, RZA, Frukwan and Poetic, the group utilized horror-the ...

* "Good Life" feat.

* "Komradz" feat.

, Kastro,

Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...

Storm A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere An atmosphere () is a layer of gas or layers of gases that envelop a planet, and is held in place by the gravity of the planetary body. A planet retains an atmos ...

* "Late Night" feat.

& AMG * "Letter 2 My Unborn (Original Version)" feat. Natasha Walker * "Ma Babiez Mama" featuring

* "M.O.B. (Original Version)" feat.

Mopreme Shakur Maurice Harding (born August 16, 1967), better known by his stage name Mopreme Shakur, originally known as Wycked, is an American rapper. He was a member of the hip-hop group Thug Life and is the stepbrother of Tupac Shakur. He was also a member o ...

* "Penitentiary Bound" feat.

Dramacydal Outlawz (formerly known as Outlaw Immortalz) are an American hip hop group founded by rapper Tupac Shakur in late 1995 after Shakur's release from prison. Collectively, they were best known for their association with Shakur. Most of the group m ...

* "R U Still Smiling For Me?" * "Secretz Of War (Original Version)" feat.

* "Soon As I Get Home" feat.

* "Still Ballin (Original Version)" feat.

* "Still I Rise (Original Version)" feat.

* "There U Go (Original Version)" feat.

, Kastro &

* "The: Thugz" * "U Can Call (Original Version)" * "What'z Next (Original Version)" feat.

Prince Ital Joe Joe Paquette (May 5, 1963 – May 16, 2001), better known by his stage name Prince Ital Joe, was a Dominican rapper of reggae and ragga best known for his collaborations with Marky Mark and Death Row Records artists. Prince Ital Joe also did so ...

& Natasha Walker * "When I Get Free III (Original Version)" * "Where U Been" feat.

Sample credits

;Ambitionz az a Ridah * "Pee-Wee's Dance" performed by Joeski Love ;All Bout U * "

Candy Candy, also called sweets (British English) or lollies (Australian English Australian English (AusE, AusEng, AuE, AuEng, en-AU) is the set of varieties of the English language native to Australia. It is the country's common language an ...

" performed by Cameo ;Got My Mind Made Up * "

I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl) "I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl)" is a single by the disco band Instant Funk, recorded and released in 1978, which was later included in their self-titled sophomore album. Song Background The original production of this song was done ...

" performed by

Instant Funk Instant Funk were an American 1970s and 1980s disco band, best known for their disco classic, " I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl)". History Instant Funk came out of Trenton, New Jersey consisting of Raymond Earl, drummer Scotty Mille ...

* " Sucker M.C.'s" performed by Run–D.M.C. * " Eric B. is President" performed by Eric B. & Rakim ;How Do U Want It * "

Body Heat Thermoregulation is the ability of an organism to keep its body temperature within certain boundaries, even when the surrounding temperature is very different. A thermoconforming organism, by contrast, simply adopts the surrounding temperature ...

" performed by

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...

; 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted * " The Message" performed by

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were an American hip hop group formed in the South Bronx of New York City in 1978. The group's members were Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, Kidd Creole (not to be confused with Kid Creole), Keef Cowboy, Sc ...

* Radio Activity Rapp (Let's Jam)" performed by MC Frosty and Lovin' C * " The Posse (Shoot 'Em Up)" performed by Intelligent Hoodlum ;No More Pain * "

Bring the Pain "Bring the Pain" is a song recorded by the rap artist Method Man. It is the first Single (music), single released from his debut album ''Tical (album), Tical''. Comedian Chris Rock named his 1996 tour and television special "Chris Rock: Bring t ...

" performed by Method Man ;Heartz of Men * "

Darling Nikki "Darling Nikki" is a song produced, arranged, composed, and performed by American musician Prince, originally released on his sixth studio album '' Purple Rain'' (1984). Though the song was not released as a single, it gained wide notoriety for ...

" performed by Prince and The Revolution * " Mudbone - Intro" performed by

Richard Pryor Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Sr. (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. He reached a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style, and is widely regarded as on ...

* " Up for the Down Stroke" performed by

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

* "

You're Gettin' a Little Too Smart "You're Gettin' a Little Too Smart" is a song written by Abrim Tilmon and performed by the Detroit Emeralds. It reached number 10 on the R&B chart The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United Stat ...

" performed by

The Detroit Emeralds The Detroit Emeralds are an American R&B/soul vocal group, best known in the early 1970s. They enjoyed a run of successful records in the decade including their 1973 transatlantic hit single, " Feel the Need in Me". Career "The Emeralds" were ...

* "The Back Down" performed by

* "Nigger With a Seizure" performed by Richard Pryor * "Jim Brown" performed by Richard Pryor ;Life Goes On * "

Brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...

" performed by

The O'Jays The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1958 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert, Walter Lee Williams, William Powell, Bobby Massey, and Bill Isles. The O'Jays made their first chart appearance with the minor hi ...

;Only God Can Judge Me * "

Top Billin' "Top Billin'" is a single for American hip-hop duo Audio Two, released as the B-side of the single "Make It Funky" from the album ''What More Can I Say?'' It was released before First Priority Music inked a distribution deal with Atlantic Record ...

performed by

Audio Two Audio Two was the Brooklyn, New York hip hop duo of emcee Kirk "Milk Dee" Robinson and DJ Nat "Gizmo" Robinson, most famous for its first hit "Top Billin'". History The duo's debut single, "Make it Funky", was released in 1987, but it was ...

;Tradin' War Stories * "Too Little in Common" performed by Randy Brown ;California Love (Remix) * " So Ruff, So Tuff" performed by Roger Troutman * "

Intimate Connection ''Intimate Connection'' is the sixth album by New York City-based band Kleeer released in 1984 and produced by Eumir Deodato. Track listing #"Ride It" (Woody Cunningham) 5:40 #"You Did It Again" (Norman Durham, Paul Crutchfield) 4:30 #"Go Fo ...

" performed by Kleeer * " Woman to Woman" by

Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most of his best known singles were recordings of son ...

* "West Coast Poplock" performed by

Ronnie Hudson Ronald Hudson (born February 4, 1957) is an American artist, bassist, composer and record producer. He is notable for the hit song " West Coast Poplock", which later sampled in Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur's song entitled "California Love". Early ...

and The Street People * " Dance Floor" performed by Zapp ; I Ain't Mad at Cha * "A Dream" performed by

DeBarge DeBarge was an American musical recording group composed of several members of the DeBarge family. In addition to various solo projects completed by members of the family, DeBarge was active between 1979 and 1989. The group originally consisted ...

;What'z Ya Phone # * "

777-9311 "777-9311" is the second track and lead single from The Time's second album, '' What Time Is It?''. Recorded for the album at Prince's home studio in May–June 1982, the song was produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince with Morris ...

" performed by The Time ;Can't C Me * " (Not Just) Knee Deep" performed by

Funkadelic Funkadelic was an American funk rock band formed in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1968 and active until 1982. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, pioneered the funk music culture of the 1970s.John, Bush. Funkadeli ...

* "I'm Only Out for One Thang" performed by

Ice Cube An ice cube is a small piece of ice, which is typically rectangular as viewed from above and trapezoidal as viewed from the side. Ice cubes are products of mechanical refrigeration and are usually produced to cool beverages. They may be produc ...

* "Get Off My Dick and Tell Yo Bitch to Come Here" performed by

* " What's My Name" performed by

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

* "

Shake, Rattle and Roll "Shake, Rattle and Roll" is a song, written in 1954 by Jesse Stone (usually credited as Charles Calhoun, his songwriting name). The original recording by Big Joe Turner is ranked number 127 on the ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's list of The 500 Gr ...

" performed by

Big Joe Turner Joseph Vernon "Big Joe" Turner Jr. (May 18, 1911 – November 24, 1985) was an American singer from Kansas City, Missouri. According to songwriter Doc Pomus, "Rock and roll would have never happened without him." His greatest fame was due to ...

;Shorty Wanna Be a Thug * "Wildflower" performed by

Hank Crawford Bennie Ross "Hank" Crawford, Jr. (December 21, 1934 – January 29, 2009) was an American Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist, arranger and songwriter whose genres ranged from Rhythm and blues, R&B, hard bop, jazz-funk, and soul jazz. Crawford was ...

;When We Ride * " What Would You Do" performed by

;Thug Passion * " Computer Love" performed by Zapp & Roger ;Picture Me Rollin' * " Winter Sadness" performed by

Kool & the Gang Kool & the Gang is an American R&B/soul/funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964 by brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, with Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West. T ...

* "Better Off" performed by

;Check Out Time * " Candy Rain" performed by

Soul for Real Soul for Real (also known as Soul 4 Real and Soul IV Real) is an African-American R&B group from Wyandanch, New York, currently living in Atlanta, Georgia made up of brothers Christopher Sherman Dalyrimple a.k.a. Choc (born April 30, 1971), And ...

* "Just Don't Bite It" performed by

N.W.A N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip hop group whose members were among the earliest and most significant popularizers and controversial figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, and the group is widely considered ...

;Ratha Be Ya Nigga * " I'd Rather Be with You" performed by Bootsy Collins ;All Eyez on Me * "Never Gonna Stop" performed by

Linda Clifford Linda Clifford (born 1944) is an American R&B, disco and house music singer who scored hits from the 1970s to the 1980s, most notably "If My Friends Could See Me Now", " Bridge over Troubled Water", " Runaway Love" and " Red Light". Career ...

;Run tha Streetz * " Piece of My Love" performed by Guy ;Heaven Ain't Hard 2 Find * " What You Won't Do for Love" performed by

Bobby Caldwell Robert Hunter Caldwell (born August 15, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He released several albums spanning R&B, soul, jazz and adult contemporary. He is known for his soulful and versatile vocals. Caldwell released the ...

Personnel

Credits for ''All Eyez on Me'' adapted from

and CD booklet. * 2Pac – associate producer, composer, producer, vocals * Suge Knight – executive producer * Norris Anderson – production manager * Delmar "Daz" Arnaud – composer * Dave Aron – engineer, mixing * Big Syke – vocals * Larry Blackmon – composer * David Blake – composer, mixing, producer, talk box * B-Legit – vocals * Bobcat – composer * Calvin Broadus – composer * R. Brown – composer * C-BO – vocals * Larry Chatman – associate producer * Rick Clifford – engineer * G. Clinton, Jr. – composer * George Clinton – composer, vocals * Nanci Fletcher – vocals * Dorothy Coleman – background vocals * W. Collins – composer * Kenn Cox – composer * CPO – vocals * Woody Cunningham – composer * Tommy D. Daugherty – engineer * Danny Boy – vocals * Dat Nigga Daz – producer, vocals * Robert Diggs – composer * DJ Pooh – composer, mixing, producer * Dr. Dre – composer, mixing, producer, vocals * Tha Dogg Pound – vocals * Nate Dogg – vocals * Dramacydal – vocals * Dru Down – vocals * Norman Durham – composer * E-40 – vocals * Ebony – background vocals * Bobby Ervin – composer, producer * Fatal – vocals * Brian Gardner – mastering * Michael Geiser – associate engineer * Yaki Kadafi – vocals * Nathaniel Hale – composer * C. Haskins – composer * Johnny Jackson – composer * Jewell – vocals * Johnny "J" – mixing, producer * Puff Johnson – background vocals * Jojo the Elf – vocals * E. Jordan – composer * Kurupt – vocals * Alvin McGill – associate engineer, engineer * Method Man – vocals * Michel'le – vocals * Mike Mosley – assistant engineer, composer, mixing, producer * Nanci Fletcher – vocals * Shirley Murdock – composer * Ken Nahoum – photography * Outlawz – vocals * J.P. Pennington – composer * Prince – composer * George Pryce – art direction, design * QD3 – composer * Rappin' 4-Tay – vocals * Doug Rasheed – composer, producer * Danny Ray – background vocals * Redman – vocals * Richie Rich – vocals * Rick Rock – producer * Patrick Shevelin – associate engineer * Carl "Butch" Small – percussion * Stacey Smallie – background vocals * C. Smith – composer * Henry "Hendogg" Smith – illustrations * Snoop Doggy Dogg – vocals * Troy Staton – engineer * D. Stevens – composer * E. Stevens – composer * D. Stewart – composer * The Storm – vocals * DeVanté Swing – composer, mixing, producer * Roy Tesfay – production co-ordination * Rahiem Prince Thomas – composer * S. Thomas – composer * Sean "Barney" Thomas – keyboards * Larry Troutman – composer * Roger Troutman – composer, vocals, talk box * Natasha Walker – background vocals * Carlos Warlick – engineer, mixing * Barbara Warren – stylist, unknown contributor role * Bruce Washington – composer * Danette Williams – background vocals * Barbara Wilson – background vocals * Nanci Fletcher – background vocals * Keston Wright – engineer

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

Certifications

Notes

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control 1996 albums Albums produced by Daz Dillinger Albums produced by Dr. Dre Albums produced by DJ Pooh Albums produced by Rick Rock Death Row Records albums Interscope Records albums Tupac Shakur albums Albums produced by DJ Quik G-funk albums

Background

Recording and production

Lyrical themes

Singles

Critical reception

Accolades

Commercial performance

Lawsuit

Track listing

Leftover and extra tracks

Sample credits

Personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

Certifications

See also

Notes

References

External links