Shakur achieved further critical and commercial success with his follow-up albums Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. With the release of his debut album 2Pacalypse Now in 1991, he became a central figure in West Coast hip hop for his conscious rap lyrics. Raised by his mother, he relocated to Baltimore in 1984 and to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1988. Shakur was born in New York City to parents who were both political activists and Black Panther Party members. Much of Shakur's music has been noted for addressing contemporary social issues that plagued inner cities, and he is considered a symbol of activism against inequality. Considered one of the most influential rappers of all time, Shakur is among the best-selling music artists, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide. It topped the R&B charts in the United States for 3 weeks.Tupac Amaru Shakur ( / ˈ t uː p ɑː k ʃ ə ˈ k ʊər/ TOO-pahk shə- KOOR born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), better known by his stage name 2Pac and later by his alias Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. The album reached multi-platinum status (4 million sold) under a month on December 15, 1997, a trend followed by some of his subsequent posthumous albums. R U Still Down? sold 549,000 copies in its first week. It spawned two hits, "Do for Love" and "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto", of which "Do for Love" was certified Gold by the RIAA. And on I’m Losin’ It, his blend of charismatic confidence and Travis Bickle paranoia is a bittersweet reminder of a gifted yet contradictory artist lost in the rap wars. Still, 2Pac’s raw talent burns through when his voice goes hoarse with rage on Hellrazor. That’s not to say this collection of unreleased material from 1991 to 1994 shows him at his best: Many of the 26 tracks are barely demo-worthy gangsta pap, and none rival Dear Mama for tragic grandeur. "As always, there's ample self-destructive bullshit," noted Spin, "but as a whole the album's eerie and undeniable." Rap idol 2Pac might find yet another life after death with his second posthumous release, an improvement on his first. The album cover was previously used on Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. The artwork includes a note from 2Pac: "Keep the faith in me. "Definition of a Thug Nigga" also appears on the soundtrack of the 1993 film, Poetic Justice. Tracks with completely new instrumentation include "Wonder If Heaven Got A Ghetto", "Hellrazor" and "Enemies With Me". Those with fundamentally similar compositions include "Lie 2 Kick It", "I'm Gettin' Money" and "Thug Style".
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Songs like: "Hold On Be Strong", "Nothin' But Love", "Nothing To Lose", "Only Fear Of Death", "When I Get Free II", "Open Fire" are true to the originals. As more of the original songs are leaked, it has become evident that many of the album's tracks were true to the originals, simply mastering and perfecting the original instrumentals and vocals. Tupac mentions his life in the streets of Oakland, California in songs such as "Nothin' But Love" and how he started his career "Thug Life" mentality in those streets. His lyrics foreshadow his death in songs like "Open Fire" and "Thug Style." This album airs his views on life from a time before he became involved in the controversial east coast/west coast rivalry.
The first release on Amaru Records, R U Still Down? (Remember Me) was overseen by 2Pac's mother, Afeni Shakur. This album contains previously unreleased material from the time period of his albums Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., Thug Life: Volume 1 and Me Against the World. She founded the Amaru label and released the double-disc R U Still Down? (Remember Me) in late 1997. Death Row released the record, and shortly afterward, 2Pac's mother, Afeni Shakur, gained the rights to all of his unreleased recordings from both the Interscope and Death Row labels.
Shortly after 2Pac died, there were rumors that hundreds of unreleased songs remained in the vaults a mere two months after his death, the first posthumous record, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, appeared. Her son having left a large body of work behind, this was the first release from his mother's imprint Amaru Entertainment, set up to control 2Pac's posthumous releases. R U Still Down? (Remember Me) is the second posthumous album by 2Pac, released in 1997, and the first to be finished without his creative input.
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