''The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory'' (commonly shortened to ''The 7 Day Theory'' or ''Makaveli'') is the fifth
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
Tupac Shakur
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 Li ...
, his first posthumous album and the last released with his creative input. Recorded in seven days in August 1996, it was released on November 5, 1996, almost two months after
his death, under the stage name of Makaveli, through
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 ('' ...
, Makaveli Records 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 ...
.
It is his only album released under the new alternative stage name and features guest appearances from his rap group
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 ...
and rapper
Bad Azz, as well as
R&B singers
Aaron Hall,
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 ...
,
K-Ci and 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 ...
,
Val Young
Valaria Marie Young (born June 13, 1958) is an American recording artist from Detroit, Michigan, who achieved success during the 1980s. She is now based in Los Angeles.
Career
She was discovered by George Clinton, who hired her as a backgroun ...
and
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 ''Murder ...
, along with uncredited vocal contributions from
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
musician
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 Mark Wahlberg, Marky Mark and Death Row Records artists. Prince Ital Jo ...
.
Originally intended as an underground release and preceded by the release of "
Toss It Up
"Toss It Up" is a song by rapper Tupac Shakur from his fifth studio album, '' The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory'' (1996). Released under the stage name Makaveli, the song served as the lead single to the posthumous album. It was first released ...
" as the
lead
Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
, the album peaked at number one on the
''Billboard'' 200 and sold 664,000 copies within its first week of release. By 1999, it was certified four times
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platinu ...
by the
RIAA
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 ...
. "
To Live & Die in L.A." and "
Hail Mary
The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary's ...
" were released later as singles and both garnered praise as standout tracks from the album. None of its singles charted within the
''Billboard'' Hot 100, but all charted within the top twenty of
UK Singles chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
.
The album received polarized reviews from critics with praise directed at his vocal performance and its production and criticism directed towards its lyrical content and inferior quality in comparison to his previous albums. Critical reception has improved in later years and it is now ranked as one of Shakur's greatest albums, as well as one of the greatest rap albums of all time.
Recording and production
''The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory'' was completely finished in seven days during the first week of August 1996.
[''XXL Magazine'', October 2003 issue] The lyrics were written and the songs were recorded in only three days and mixing took an additional four days. These are some of the last songs Shakur recorded before he was shot on September 7, 1996. The album's preliminary title was "The 3 Day Theory" and it originally consisted of around 14 tracks. In a 2014 interview,
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 ...
of
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 ...
rap group and Ronald "Riskie" Brent revealed that the official name of the album was mixed up in the rush to release the album following Tupac's death. Tupac wanted the album to be called ''Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory'' with Makaveli the Don as the artist name.
Many of Shakur's usual producers were not involved with the project. The only producer with whom Shakur had worked prior to this album was
QD3
Quincy Delight Jones III (born 23 December 1968), better known as QDIII, QD3 and Snoopy, is an English-born Swedish-American music producer and film producer.
Family
Jones was born in Wimbledon, London, the son of Swedish model Ulla Andersson ...
, the son of
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 ...
and half-brother of
Kidada Jones
Kidada Ann Jones ( ; born March 22, 1974) is an American actress, model, and fashion designer. Jones works as a designer for The Walt Disney Company, where she has a line known as Kidada for Disney Couture. Jones is the daughter of record produc ...
, Shakur's girlfriend. Shakur also co-produces four tracks on the album. The other two producers were
Hurt-M-Badd
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 ''Murder ...
and Darryl "Big D" Harper.
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 ...
of the Outlawz recalls: "At the time Hurt-M-Badd, who was just an up-and-coming producer at Death Row, and Darryl Harper, who was an R&B producer – Suge had him working on all the R&B projects – they had a green room up in Can-Am
tudioswhich everybody around Death Row called the 'wack room' because they said 'Ain't nothing but wack shit come out of there.' But we was up in the studio one day and we trying to get music done – ain't none of us producers – we see them two niggas in the 'Wack room' and 'Pac like, 'Go get them niggas.' So niggas go bring them, 'Pac just putting niggas to work like, 'I need a beat here, I need y'all to do this, do that.' And these are niggas that nobody at Death Row was fucking with. They'll tell you themselves."
The album was recorded at Can-Am Studios in
Tarzana during August 1996. During those days, 21 songs were completed with 12 of them making the final track listing. The album did not feature the star-studded guest list that ''
All Eyez on Me
''All Eyez on Me'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper 2Pac and the last to be released during his lifetime. Released on February 13, 1996, by Death Row and Interscope Records, the album features guest appearances from Dr. Dre, Snoo ...
'' did. Most of the guest verses are supplied by Shakur's Outlawz rap group. The only verse that was not from one of the Outlawz was from
Bad Azz, a member of
tha Dogg Pound Gangsta Crips, while the album also features vocals from Death Row
R&B 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 ...
,
Aaron Hall,
Val Young
Valaria Marie Young (born June 13, 1958) is an American recording artist from Detroit, Michigan, who achieved success during the 1980s. She is now based in Los Angeles.
Career
She was discovered by George Clinton, who hired her as a backgroun ...
and multi-platinum R&B duo
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 ...
. Credited as Tyrone Wrice,
Hurt-M-Badd
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 ''Murder ...
, a rapper, singer and the lead producer for the album, provided vocals for "Hold Ya Head"'s hook.
Young Noble
Rufus Cooper III (born March 21, 1978), also known by his stage name Young Noble, is an American rapper who was part of Tupac Shakur's rap group Outlawz.
Noble joined the Outlawz in early 1996, and was the last member to be added to the group by ...
of the Outlawz recalled: We had started writing the shit and we was taking long. 'Pac was like, "Who got something? Bad Azz you got something?" and it fit perfect, so it was meant for Bad Azz to be on that song. We had already been on a million 'Pac songs. That was his way of motivating us like, "If y'all ain't ready, then you don't make the song."
Lyrical themes
While ''
All Eyez on Me
''All Eyez on Me'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper 2Pac and the last to be released during his lifetime. Released on February 13, 1996, by Death Row and Interscope Records, the album features guest appearances from Dr. Dre, Snoo ...
'' was considered by Shakur "a celebration of life", ''The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory'' is much darker. Shakur's
rapping
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
is still emotional, but is intensified throughout. Some songs on the album contain both subtle and direct insults to Shakur's rivals at the height of the
East Coast–West Coast feud. Rappers insulted include
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 ...
,
Junior M.A.F.I.A.
Junior M.A.F.I.A. was an American hip hop group from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City. The backronym M.A.F.I.A. stands for Masters At Finding Intelligent Attitudes. They were formed and mentored by New York rapper The Notorious B.I.G ...
,
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 ...
,
De La Soul
De La Soul () is an American hip hop trio formed in 1988 in the Amityville area of Long Island, New York. They are best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative ...
,
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
,
Mobb Deep
Mobb Deep was an American hip hop duo from New York City. The duo consisted of rappers Prodigy and Havoc. They are considered to be among the principal progenitors of hardcore East Coast hip hopEdwards, Paul, 2009, ''How to Rap: The Art & Scien ...
,
Nas
Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones.
Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to:
Aviation
* Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea
* National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia
** Nas Air ( ...
,
Xzibit
Alvin Nathaniel Joiner (born September 18, 1974), better known by his stage name Xzibit (pronounced "exhibit"), is an American rapper, actor, television presenter, and radio personality.
Xzibit began his musical career after the release of his ...
and former
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 ...
label-mate
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 ...
, as well as
New York hip hop
East Coast hip hop is a regional subgenre of hip hop music that originated in New York City during the 1970s. Hip hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in the Bronx, New York City.
In contrast to other styles, East Coast hip ...
executives
Jimmy "Henchman" Rosemond, Jacques "Haitian Jack" Agnant and Walter "King Tut" Johnson, accused of being associates of Puff Daddy and
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 ...
in orchestrating the 1994 Quad Studio assault.
Although Shakur insulted
Nas
Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones.
Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to:
Aviation
* Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea
* National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia
** Nas Air ( ...
on "Intro/Bomb First (My Second Reply)" and "Against All Odds", rapper
Young Noble
Rufus Cooper III (born March 21, 1978), also known by his stage name Young Noble, is an American rapper who was part of Tupac Shakur's rap group Outlawz.
Noble joined the Outlawz in early 1996, and was the last member to be added to the group by ...
, who appeared on several songs on ''The 7 Day Theory'', stated in an interview that Nas's "
I Gave You Power" was the main inspiration for Shakur's "Me and My Girlfriend". Shakur and Nas squashed their beef at the
1996 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1996 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 4, 1996, honoring the best music videos from June 16, 1995, to June 14, 1996. The show was hosted by Dennis Miller at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
The show centered on The Smashin ...
days before Shakur was murdered. They were scheduled to meet in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
but never had the chance. Death Row associate Kurt "Kobane" Couthon revealed in an interview in 2016 that Shakur was listening to Nas's ''
It Was Written
''It Was Written'' is the second studio album by American rapper Nas, released on July 2, 1996, by Columbia Records. After the modest commercial success of his debut album ''Illmatic'' (1994), Nas pursued a more polished, mainstream sound for '' ...
'' the day he got shot—September 7, 1996—on his way to Las Vegas.
Release
''The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory'' was released on November 5, 1996, and debuted at number one on the US
''Billboard'' 200. It sold 664,000 copies within a week of release and achieved the second-highest first week sales of the year. On June 15, 1999, the album was certified
quadruple platinum for sales of over four million copies in the United States.
George "Papa G" Pryce, former head of publicity for Death Row, claimed that "Makaveli which we did was a sort of tongue-in-cheek, and it was not ready to come out,
utafter Tupac was murdered, it did come out... Before that, it was going to be a sort of an underground
elease"
Singles
The first two singles, "
Toss It Up
"Toss It Up" is a song by rapper Tupac Shakur from his fifth studio album, '' The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory'' (1996). Released under the stage name Makaveli, the song served as the lead single to the posthumous album. It was first released ...
" and "
To Live & Die in L.A", were released on September 26 and November 16, 1996 respectively.
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 ...
's former Death Row colleagues, including Shakur, recorded and attempted to release "Toss It Up", containing numerous insults aimed at Dr. Dre, and using a deliberately similar instrumental to Dre's production on "
No Diggity
"No Diggity" is a song by American R&B group Blackstreet as the first single for their second studio album, '' Another Level'' (1996), featuring Dr. Dre and Queen Pen. Released on July 29, 1996, the song reached number one on the US ''Billboard' ...
" by
Blackstreet
Blackstreet (often stylized as BLACKstreet) is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by record producers Chauncey "Black" Hannibal, and Teddy "Street" Riley. The group has released four albums with Interscope Records until 2003. They achieved ...
, but were forced to replace the production after
Blackstreet
Blackstreet (often stylized as BLACKstreet) is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by record producers Chauncey "Black" Hannibal, and Teddy "Street" Riley. The group has released four albums with Interscope Records until 2003. They achieved ...
issued the label with a
cease and desist
A cease and desist letter is a document sent to an individual or business to stop alleged illegal activity. The phrase "cease and desist" is a legal doublet, made up of two near-synonyms. The letter may warn that, if the recipient does not dis ...
order stopping them from distributing the song. The "Toss It Up" music video features Shakur,
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 ...
,
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
Aaron Hall, and was directed by
Lionel C. Martin
Lionel C. Martin is an American music video director, film director and VJ (media personality), VJ from Queens, Queens, New York. While he is known primarily as a music video director, he has also film director, directed the films ''Def Jam's How ...
. According to
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 ('' ...
, it was the last music video Shakur filmed. The video also includes an appearance from actress
LisaRaye McCoy
LisaRaye McCoy (born September 23, 1967), known as LisaRaye, is an American actress, fashion designer, model, businesswoman and former first lady of the Turks and Caicos Islands. McCoy is best known for portraying Diana "Diamond" Armstrong in t ...
. An unreleased version of the video was leaked some years later and is known as the "Toss It Up Beach Version".
"To Live & Die in L.A" was produced by
QDIII
Quincy Delight Jones III (born 23 December 1968), better known as QDIII, QD3 and Snoopy, is an English-born Swedish-American music producer and film producer.
Family
Jones was born in Wimbledon, London, the son of Swedish model Ulla Andersson an ...
who was the only outside Death Row producer on the album besides Demetrius Shipp, the producer of "Toss It Up". QDIII was one of Shakur's favorite producers. QDIII told
XXL Magazine
''XXL'' is an American hip hop magazine, published by Townsquare Media, founded in 1997.
History
In August 1997, Harris Publications released the first issue of ''XXL''. It featured rappers Jay-Z and Master P on a double cover. In December 2006 ...
:
A music video for "To Live & Die in L.A" was shot in July 1996. It features Shakur working at a fruit stand and driving around
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
in a car filled with women, and also features various scenes and pictures of notable places and events in Los Angeles. It was the first video shot for the album.
The album's final single, "
Hail Mary
The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary's ...
" was released on February 11, 1997. The videos for "Hail Mary" and "To Live & Die in L.A can be found on the
DualDisc
The DualDisc is a type of double-sided optical disc product developed by a group of record companies including MJJ Productions Inc., EMI Music, Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and 5.1 Entertainment Group an ...
of ''The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory''.
Album cover
The
album cover
An album cover (also referred to as album art) is the front packaging art of a commercially released studio album or other audio recordings. The term can refer to either the printed paperboard covers typically used to package sets of and 78-r ...
for ''The Don Killuminati'' was done by
Compton
Compton may refer to:
Places
Canada
* Compton (electoral district), a former Quebec federal electoral district
* Compton (provincial electoral district), a former Quebec provincial electoral district now part of Mégantic-Compton
* Compton, Que ...
based artist Ronald "Riskie" Brent, known artistically as "Riskie Forever." According to Riskie, Death Row Records C.E.O Marion "Suge" Knight introduced Riskie to Tupac on the set of the California Love (Remix) video shoot in Compton, California. Riskie, while in Tupac's trailer showed him his art portfolio, impressing Tupac with his artwork. Upon seeing his artwork Tupac agreed that Riskie had good artistic talent and requested for Riskie to do his next album cover. Riskie received a phone call from the then President of Death Row Norris Anderson with Tupac's request that he be drawn on a cross for his next album cover.
The Don Killuminati album cover draws on
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 ...
portrayals of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Tupac is by himself in the image with his head tilted to the side, possessing the classic wound in his right side similar to the wound of Jesus as depicted in the accounts of his crucifixion. There is a bandana covering the head of Tupac and barbed-wire covering both his hands and his feet. Absent from the painting is Tupac's iconic "Thug Life" tattoo as it is covered up by the
parental advisory
Advisory (abbreviated PAL) is a warning label introduced by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1985 and adopted by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in 2011. It is placed on audio recordings in recognition of profan ...
sticker. On the cross of Tupac there is a map connecting various cities from across the country. The cities listed have large African-American populations, including the major urban centers of the East, West, and Southern parts of the United States. The color pattern of the cultural production is a gloomy red and black. The only light in the artistry is the moon and the few beams of light that emerge from the cracks on the cross. Near the bottom of the image is a written disclaimer: "In no way is this portrait an expression of disrespect for Jesus Christ. —Makaveli"
There are many interpretations of this album cover, the primary theme communicates that through depiction, Tupac is highlighting what he perceives to be his being vilified by the media and left alone to suffer his fate. The parental advisor sticker could be a reference to both what he perceived to be his demonization due to his promiscuous lifestyle, but also and most importantly, it could be a reference to his conviction of sexual assault, a charge in which he maintained his innocence against. The names of the cities that are on the album cover may be a representation of Tupac's belief that he represents the entirety of the African-American community in his public vilification, that he, like African-American people as a whole, is on display to be gazed upon and judged through the Euro-American racial prism. Furthermore, this theme of representation is also connected to the political commitments of Tupac Shakur as he was in the midst of deepening his political activity in the form of the creation of a Hip-Hop political party prior his murder.
Critical reception
Upon release, ''The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory'' polarized critics, but has retrospectively been met with critical acclaim. ''
Muzik
''Muzik'' was a British dance music magazine published by IPC Media from June 1995 to August 2003.
''Muzik'' was created by two former ''Melody Maker'' journalists, Push and Ben Turner. Push was the editor of ''Muzik'' from its launch until he ...
'' called the record one of the year's most important and noted that it "perfectly captures the dark tensions arising from the centre of the vicious heat that is the
City of Angels". ''
XXL'' awarded the album a perfect five-star rating.
''
The Source
''The Source'' is an American hip hop and entertainment website, and a magazine that publishes annually or . It is the world's longest-running rap periodical, being founded as a newsletter in 1988 by Jonathan Shecter. David Mays was the ma ...
'', the leading hip hop magazine in the United States, has called the record better than Shakur's critically acclaimed ''
All Eyez on Me
''All Eyez on Me'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper 2Pac and the last to be released during his lifetime. Released on February 13, 1996, by Death Row and Interscope Records, the album features guest appearances from Dr. Dre, Snoo ...
'' album. Critic
Cheo H. Coker of 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 ...
saw "power and poignancy" in ''The Don Killuminati'', but noted that it lacks the epic scope of Shakur's previous ''
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 ...
'' and ''All Eyez on Me'' albums. "It's in those albums – and songs such as "
Brenda's Got a Baby
"Brenda's Got a Baby" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his debut album, '' 2Pacalypse Now'' (1991). The song was first released as a promotional CD single a month prior to album's release and then, in February 1992, it was re-released as a ...
", "Lord Knows" and "Only God Can Judge Me" – that the legacy of this tortured, talented artist will be best found".
Richard Harrington of
the Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
felt that "Shakur's voice sounds like blood boiling at times". "It would be easy to dismiss all this as rapper braggadoccio", he concluded his review, "but the heartfelt rage and aggression and Shakur's fate -- he was gunned down two months ago at the age of 25 -- suggest this music is dead serious".
In a more critical review, writing for
the 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 ...
, Neil Strauss singled out "
Hail Mary
The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary's ...
" and "Krazy" as the album's standout tracks and praised its dark tone, but noted that both ''The Don Killuminati'' and
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, " ...
's
Tha Doggfather
''Tha Doggfather'' is the second studio album by American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg, released on November 12, 1996, by Death Row and Interscope Records. After the success of his debut album ''Doggystyle'' (1993), Snoop was arrested and charged with ...
suffer 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 ...
's departure from Death Row and that the album is inferior to ''All Eyez on Me''. "This one was clearly meant as filler, a way to burn off creative energy, put down his rivals at
Bad Boy Entertainment
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 ...
and tide fans over until the next album". While praising the production and Shakur's vocals, ''
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 ...
'' felt the album had nothing to offer lyrically. "The tracks are fat with funky menace and the choral-vocal effect in many of the raps has a street-corner, pass-the-bottle charge. Alas, the record – issued just two months after 2Pac's murder – merely perpetuates
Los Angeles hip-hop gangland stereotypes, in particular the
East Coast/West Coast feud that has gone beyond pointless all the way to deadly."
Some reviewers commented negatively on the album.
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 ...
's
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
gave the album 2.5 stars out of 5.
"Everything about ''The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory'' smacks of exploitation..." he observed. "Released only eight weeks after
Tupac Shakur
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 Li ...
died from gunshot wounds,
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 ...
released this posthumous album under the name of Makaveli, a pseudonym derived from the Italian politician
Niccolo Machiavelli, who advocated using deception and fear on one's enemies. Naturally, the appearance of ''Don Killuminati'' so shortly after Tupac's death led many conspiracy theorists to surmise the rapper was still alive, but it was all part of a calculated marketing strategy by Death Row – the label needed something to sustain interest in the album, since the music here is so shoddy." He also condemned the record for concentrating on "nothing but tired G-funk beats and back-biting East Coast-West Coast rivalries".
In a negative review from ''
People
A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...
'', they commented saying: "In light of how he died, all the bloodletting seems both preordained and sad. At the same time, Don Killuminati may be seen as Tupac's last grand artistic statement. Quite frankly, the CD is not that good."
Opinions of the hip hop community and of other rappers
The emotion, anger and eerie nature showcased on the album has been admired by a large part of the hip-hop community, including other rappers. "There are a lot of 2Pac records I like," said
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
, "but this is consistent all the way through. You could put this on and clean your whole house." Rapper
J. Cole
Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...
named it one of his favorite albums of all time, he commented on the album saying, "Collectively, from 'Hail Mary' to 'Krazy' to 'Against All Odds,' it's deep. This album gets better for me as time goes on. ''
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 ...
'' is like that too, but ''Makaveli'' is really the one where the older I get, the more of it I get. Every year that I get older, I hear this album differently. I know more about life, so I'm like, 'Oh shit, this is what he meant.' So ''Makaveli'' is super special."
Track listing
Credits adapted from album booklet.
;Notes
*
signifies a co-
producer
Producer or producers may refer to:
Occupations
*Producer (agriculture), a farm operator
*A stakeholder of economic production
*Film producer, supervises the making of films
**Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...
* "Hail Mary" features vocals by Prince Ital Joe
* The guest verses by
Aaron Hall,
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 ...
,
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 ...
in "Toss It Up" are all uncredited
* "Blasphemy" features vocals by Prince Ital Joe & JMJ
* "Life of an Outlaw" features vocals by Bo-Roc
* "Me and My Girlfriend" features vocals by Virginya Slim
*
Hurt-M-Badd
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 ''Murder ...
, whose vocals are featured in "Hold Ya Head", is credited as Tyrone Wrice
Personnel
Credits for ''The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day of Theory'' adapted from
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 ...
.
* 2Pac, Makaveli – primary artist, producer, executive producer
* Suge Knight, Simon – executive producer
* Tommy D. Daugherty – chief engineer, mixing, additional production
*Lance Pierre – engineer, mixing, additional production
* Justin Isham – digital editing
* Ronald "Riskie" Brent – paintings
* Yaki Kadafi – featured artist
* Kastro – featured artist
* E.D.I. – featured artist
* Young Noble – featured artist
* Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey – featured artist
* Joel "JoJo" Hailey – featured artist
* Aaron Hall – featured artist
* Danny Boy – featured artist
* Val Young – featured artist
* Bad Azz – featured artist
* Outlawz – featured artist
* Hurt-M-Badd – producer/featured artist
* Darryl Harper – producer
* Reggie Moore – producer
* Demetrius Shipp – mixing, producer
* Troy Staton – mixing, producer
* Guy Snider – engineer, track engineer
* Scott Gutierrez – associate engineer
* John Morris – associate engineer
* Don Smartt - associate engineer
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
See also
*
List of number-one albums of 1996 (U.S.)
These are the ''Billboard'' magazine number-one albums of 1996, per the ''Billboard'' 200.
Chart history
See also
*1996 in music
*List of number-one albums (United States)
References
{{US Albums
1996
File:1996 Events Collage.png, Fro ...
*
List of number-one R&B albums of 1996 (U.S.)
*
List of number-one R&B albums of 1997 (U.S.)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, The
Tupac Shakur albums
1996 albums
Albums produced by Hurt-M-Badd
Albums published posthumously
Death Row Records albums
Interscope Records albums
Horrorcore albums
G-funk albums
Albums produced by Dr. Dre