All Eyez on Me is the fourth studio album, and a double album by rapper Tupac Shakur. It was released on February 13, 1996.
The album is one of the most influential albums in hip hop history[1] and is widely considered one of the crowning achievements of 1990s rap[2]. According to the RIAA, over 9 million copies of the album were sold in the United States by June 18, 1998.[3]
Album information
All Eyez on Me was released after Suge Knight, CEO of Death Row Records, bailed Shakur out of jail, fulfilling part of Shakur's brand new contract with Death Row Records. This double-album served as the first two records of his three album contract. He arrived in the studios just hours after being released from prison to begin work on this 27 track hip-hop "tour de force". The prolific rapper finished this album in only two weeks[4]. The album was certified platinum in its first four hours of release.
The songs on All Eyez on Me are, in general, unapologetic celebrations of what is called in the idiom the thug lifestyle. Though there is the occasional reminiscence about past and present friends, it is a definite move away from the social and political consciousness of 2Pacalypse Now.
The album features occasional guest spots from Shakur's regulars, such as former-Thug Life members and The Outlawz, as well as Snoop Dogg, and other guests. Most of the album was produced by Johnny "J" and Daz Dillinger, with help from Dr. Dre on the songs "California Love" and "Can't C Me".
Reception
Rolling Stone (5/13/99, p.74) - Included in Rolling Stone's Essential Recordings of the 90's.
Spin (5/96, p.106) - 7 (out of 10) - "As long as you don't expect philanthropy from him, you'll find honesty and some pleasurably twisted scenarios."
Entertainment Weekly (12/27/96-1/3/97, p.146) - Ranked #3 on Entertainment Weekly's list of the Top 10 Albums And Singles Of 1996.
Q magazine (12/99, p.90) - Included in Q magazine's 90 Best Albums Of The 1990s.
Musician (6/96, p.90) - "...gangsta rappers pretty much share the values of their Republican detractors: the emphasis on making money, the righteousness of bearing arms, the wonderfulness of consumption, respect for hierarchy and loyalty to one's own as overriding principles..."
Rap Pages (5/96, p.30) - 7 (out of 10) - "Backed by `everything we push goes platinum' Death Row Records and a new crew of comrades...the lyrical Jesse James is back to expound on his lengthy dogmas within the infrastructure of his music....[T]his album conveys sudden gleams of brilliance and thick and chunky hits, radio-friendly or not."
NME (3/2/96, p.47) - 9 (out of 10) - "All Eyez is his angry, end-of-tether, couldn't-give-a-shit meditation....an immense spewing of indignation and provocation, set to a brilliantly varied range of G-funk grooves....Tupac blasts out his non-PC opinions...with a competition-eliminating relentlessness."
Track listing
Book 1
Book 2
Album singles
Album Chart Positions
Singles Chart Positions
Personnel
- 2Pac - Performer, Producer, Assistant Producer
- Redman - Performer
- Dr. Dre - Producer, Performer, Mixing
- B-Legit - Performer
- E-40 - Performer
- Snoop Dogg - Vocals, Performer
- C-Bo - Performer
- Rappin' 4-Tay - Performer
- Dru Down - Performer
- Dave Aron - Engineer, Mixing
- David Blake - Producer, Talk Box, Mixing
- Rick Clifford - Engineer
- George Clinton - Vocals, Performer
- Tommy D - Engineer
- Ebony - Vocals (bckgr)
- Bobby Ervin - Producer
- Brian Gardner - Mastering
- Lumberg - Vocals
- Michael Geiser - Assistant Engineer
- Puff Johnson - Vocals (bckgr)
- Michel'le - Performer
- DJ Pooh - Producer, Mixing
- Doug Rasheed - Producer
- Carl "Butch" Small - Percussion
- DeVante Swing - Producer, Mixing
- Sean "Barney" Thomas - Keyboards
- Roger Troutman - Performer, Talk Box
- Barbara Wilson - Vocals (bckgr)
- Keston Wright - Engineer
- Gaw 'Tha Man' Gobinath - Engineer
- Method Man - Performer
- Daz Dillinger - Producer, Performer
- Michael Mosley - Producer, Assistant Engineer, Mixing
- Storm - Performer
- Nate Dogg - Vocals
- Johnny "J" - Producer, Mixing
- Jo-Jo - Performer
- K-Ci - Performer
- Big Syke - Performer
- Carlos Warlick - Engineer, Mixing
- Troy Staton - Engineer
- Ken Nahoum - Photography
- Tom Daugherty - Engineer
- Alvin McGill - Engineer, Assistant Engineer
- Patrick Shevelin - Assistant Engineer
- Stacey Smallie - Vocals (bckgr)
- Roy Tesfay - Project Coordinator
- Suge Knight - Executive Producer
- George Pryce - Art Direction, Design
- Rick Rock - Co-Producer
- Paren 'Badboy' Chohan - Producer
- Barbara Warren - Stylist
- Natasha Walker - Vocals (bckgr)
- Danette Williams - Vocals (bckgr)
- Danny Boy - Vocals, Performer
- Hussein Fatal - Performer
- Kurupt - Performer
- Larry Chatman - Production Assistant, Assistant Producer
- Advait Kapadia - Design
- Henry "Hendogg" Smith - Illustrations
- Norris Anderson - Project Supervisor
- Dorothy Coleman - Vocals (bckgr)
- Richie Rich - Performer
- Yaki Kadafi - Performer
- Inspectah Deck - Cameo Performer
See also
References
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Tupac Shakur |
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| Studio albums |
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| Posthumous albums |
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| Singles |
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| Posthumous Singles |
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| Other songs |
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| Featured Singles |
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| Films |
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| Related articles |
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