Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
The late Tupac Shakur's second album recalls the densely sampled sonic strengths of Public Enemy's Fear of a Black Planet, except here the bass lines are cranked and the sly samples tend to the gentler touches of Motown and Curtis Mayfield than James Brown. This contrast between hard and soft is appropriate because Shakur is as likely to sweetly honor black sisters ("Keep Ya Head Up") as he is to get angry in your face. Consequently, even with guest spots including the Ices Cube and T., 2Pac's strong raps remain this joint's real shining star. --David Cantwell

Customer Reviews: Read 94 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

Most Overlooked Album February 13, 2006
16 out of 16 found this review helpful

This probably was one of his most overlooked albums because radio refused to play anything off this damn album until he decided to release "I Get Around" & "Keep Your Head Up" months after releasing "Holla If Ya Hear Me" which MTV, BET, radio and other media outlets couldn't say no to because of demand by the audience. Though "Holla" was typical angry PAC, the radio had pretty much been on ignore PAC status. By this time also PAC had already incurred the wrath of our then Vice President Dan Quayle, was being accused of shooting two State Police Officers, and was being blamed for an individual killing a cop in Texas who said listening to this CD made him do it. So obviously, radio, corporate america and even all of white america made 2PAC to be villain number one on a level that P.E. nor Luke from 2 Live Crew or even N.W.A. could reach. If you have the Vice President of the U.S. calling you out by name, you must really really struck a wrong nerve :-). Though that helped this lp sell records, a lot of bangin tracks never got played like it should have. "I Get Around" and "Keep Your Head Up" was just something for the club, radio and video but the real head banger that got lost was the LP title "Strictly 4 My Niggaz". That joint just straight rocked and was lyrically tight. Eventhough Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys may have started that Rock n Roll and rap fusion, with that track, PAC took it to new levels. Strictly Representin '93 was definitely tight, Soulja's Revenge was a tad bit disappointing compared to Soldier Story pt 1, but then that's a lot to ask to follow up that classic track from 2PACOLYPSE NOW. "Holla If Ya Hear Me" started the album nicely "Something To Die 4" wasn't really a single (sadly, cuz the music to the track was nice) but more of a ghetto introspective on life was deep, "Last Wordz" with ICECUBE and ICE-T(sadly, ICE-T was lyrically challenged on this song but PAC wanted to work with both ICE's) was hype. "Papaz Song" for anybody who didn't have a real pops in their life, was deep and heartfelt and got much airplay in my rotation at the time. "The Streetz R Deathrow" w/ the ICECUBE hook in the chorus was just simply off da chain. 5 Deadly Venomz w/Treach and a weak azz Apache (could have left Apache off) had the potential to be much better without Apache. Overall, this was a nice sophmore album that should have done much better and lyrically, PAC wasn't really the same after this LP.

4 out of 5 stars

A LEGEND IN THE MAKING June 30, 2005
13 out of 13 found this review helpful

STRICTLY 4 MY N.I.G.G.A.Z. is possibly 2Pac at his most focused. Pac on a mission embedded in his head by his mother and former Black Panther Afeni Shakur. He put blood, sweat and tears literally into trying to make a difference in the world. "Keep Ya Head Up" is one of the greatest songs 2Pac ever wrote encouraging black women to stay strong and men to respect them, an unusually uplifting topic back then and even today for that matter. Fellow street poet/gangsta rap peer (and surely one of 2Pac's greater lyrical influences) Ice Cube makes an appearance on "Last Wordz" pairing two of the most controversial rappers ever together. The raw production typical of early 90's Gangsta Rap only helps intensify the energy of this album. By the end of the album 2Pac really only takes a break to clown around with the Underground on "I Get Around" which by being included on the same album as "Keep Ya Head Up" shows his contradictions and the internal struggle of 2Pac that is familiar to so many of us. Other than that he remains consistantly on a mission to change the world and make it a better place for the oppressed and at the very least be heard.

5 out of 5 stars

Excellent anti-establishment lyrics September 21, 1999
9 out of 11 found this review helpful

This album is rough and has a definite underground feel. The best tracks are 1.Holla if ya hear me , strictly 4 my niggas and last words. This is violent, paranoid, and aggressive tupac at his best, although the cd is dotted with a couple of songs that are more lighthearted. They are not the reason for buying this CD. If you like hip hop artists who candy coat their view of life, buy sean combs (puffy) crap or that dmx guy with the lame voice.

5 out of 5 stars

Pac @ his B-E-S-T November 19, 2000
6 out of 8 found this review helpful

Though some hail pac's best album to All Eyez On Me, i sincerely disagree. The emoton, the energy, the spirit, the beat, it is rap and hip-hop @ it's finest. Compare Holler if Ya Hear Me to Holla At Me, the emotion is just tenacious in Holler if Ya Hear Me and so meak in Holla At Me. Even if a song has a poor beat to it (Souljah's Game) it makes up for it in lyrics. Representing '93 has a awesome beat to it and pac gives it up 4 all who deserve it in a freestyle, and it is awesome. I Get Around is the best track on the album, the beat is funky and free, the voice confident, the lyrics are blasting and you just flow with it. Point Tha Finga, Last Wordz, Papa'z Song, Keep Ya Head Up, and Strictly 4 My N.IG.G.A.Z... are just POWERFUL tracks that MUST be heard (alng with The Streets R Death Row)This is by FAR Pac's best album, if U buy one pac album, Make it this one.

5 out of 5 stars

2Pac at hiz Best April 16, 2001
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

A lot of people say All Eyez On Me is 2pac's best album, but I 100% disagree with that. In my opinion Yall say All Eyez On Me is his best album because you never have heard this 2pac or you didnt listen to rap in the early 90's. 2pac just goes so deep in this album its like all of his albums in this one Cd. Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. is a very off balance CD, 2pac talks about how wrong men are about women, but then he talks about Phukking them, but its not the lyrics that are off balance 2pac couldnt have wrote better lyrics for this CD, Its the beats. This CD is 2PACALYPSE NOW and THUG LIFE VOL.1 combined into one. Plus there are some very hard songs on here like the Thrid hit off the CD "Holla If Ya Hear Me," this is one of the hardest songs ever made in rap history. In "Holla If Ya Hear Me," 2pac is one angry Muthaphukkah, he screams in that song. Then theres the sad "Papa'z Song," where 2pac is Angry, ...and upset about not having a father his whole life, its the 4th hit off the CD and PAC's basically saying POP's Step Tha Phukk Off. Then theres "Last Wordz," Feat. Ice-T and Ice Cube and this might be a Faster and Harder song then "Holla If Ya Hear Me". "5 Deadly Venomz," is a good song with a lot of bass. The song where 2pac gets really deep is in "keep ya head up," it was the 1st hit off the CD and PAC talks about how we should treat or women better and he samples "Ooh Child," from Fivestair Steps. My favorite song off this CD is "I Get Around," with Digital Underground , it was the 2nd hit off the CD and its one of 2pac's best songs ever. There isnt a bad song Off this CD thers "Strugglin," "Peep Game," and A lot of other tracks. If you havent heard this Pac you have to hear it.

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