After my listen to this album years ago, I rated it 3.5/5. I have never spun it again. I wanted to be more familiar with this album, so I've decided to revisit it. While his previous solo album, 'R U Still Down? (Remember Me)' featured recordings from 1992-1994, this has Pac's '95-'96 vocals. It does seem like, though, that more was done to the instrumentation, features and overall production post-Pac than 'R U Still Down?'. I've interestingly seen the view that his previous solo posthumous album is exploitative, and the production is poor, but at least that production was and sounds like something Pac would've rapped over. As I'll get into, some of these don't. Disc 1: The opener, 'Ballad of a Dead Soulja', is great, but it only takes two songs, with 'Fuck Friendz', to feel too modern for lack of a better word. The production and hook is too poppy and there are other moments where the production doesn't feel like a natural fit that would become more of a problem as the labels continued to roll out Pac albums until they stopped with 'Pac's Life'. 'Let Em Have It' has similar problems. It feels odd with Pac saying "rock your body"... I can't imagine it being on one of Pac's albums. I feel a similar way with 'Letter 2 My Unborn' that features MJ's 'Liberian Girl' as a sample. The best here are the hard tracks, like the opener, 'Breathin' and 'Everything They Owe'. There are too many sex tracks and some poppy themes in the production. 'All Out' features an aggressive Pac, and is close to being one of the best, but it feels a tad unfinished to me. Something doesn't quite gel like it should. Best Tracks: Ballad of a Dead Soulja, Breathin, Everything They Owe Good: Lil' Homies, Good Life, Letter 2 My Unborn, Happy Home, All Out, Until the End of Time, World Wide Mob Figgaz Ehh: Fuck Friendz, Let Em Have It, Fuckin Wit the Wrong Nigga, Thug N U Thug N Me (Remix), M.O.B. Disc 2: I feel this disc doesn't have the same amount of lows as D1. 'When Thugz Cry' is great with its progressive production and hook that makes it feel like it builds up, and lyrically it's classic Pac. 'Words 2 My First Born' is one of the strongest as well. There is lots to like. Best Tracks: When Thugz Cry, Why U Turn on Me, This Ain't Livin, Words 2 My First Born Good: My Closest Roaddogz, Niggaz Nature (Remix), U Don't Have 2 Worry, Why U Turn on Me, LastOnesLeft, Thug N U Thug N Me, When I Get Free, Until the End of Time (RP Remix) Ehh: Let Em Have It (Remix), Runnin on E I think there is more to enjoy on his previous album. Some of the production doesn't fit here, and the abundance of the poppy moments makes the album fall down. There are still half a dozen or so songs with lots of replay value though, with a number bubbling under. It's worth checking out for fans, but I don't get why they thought three double albums in a row post his death was a good idea. There is too much fat to trim which, in the pre-digital age, would have made listening to this album somewhat of a slog. It's a touch closer to a 3/5 than a 4/5, but I think there are enough good moments to leave it at 3.5/5. Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★★ Hooks: ★★★☆

I know Pac's pre-passing albums incredibly well, but not so much his posthumous ones (except for 'The Don Killuminati'), so I've decided to revisit them starting here with 'R U Still Down? (Remember Me)'. Disc 1: The introduction and interlude aside, you can't fault anything much on this disc. Pac knew how to write songs with replay value thanks to catchy hooks and rhymes, and while not Daz and Johnny J, the producers do their thing to a high enough standard. Early standouts include 'Open Fire', 'Hellrazor', that never let's up, and 'Nothing to Lose' with its contagious hook. There is an engaging mix of styles as well with some sample heavy, more feel good production, and others like 'Lie to Kick It', that sound a bit more ol' school hip hop influenced. The only song that hasn't hit much at all is 'Let Them Thangs Go'. 4/5 for this disc. Best Tracks: Open Fire, Hellrazor, I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto, Nothing to Lose, I'm Gettin Money Disc 2: The second disc starts off slower, with the second song, 'When I Get Free', featuring Pac with an altered voice, and being an extension of 'Soulja's Story' from '2Pacalypse Now'. 'Hold on Be Strong' is the first song to impress with 'Do for Love' being another pick from disc two and would be many people's favourite. '16 on Death Row' features a likeable contrast between the verses and hook and then the album finishes strongly with 'Only Fear of Death'. However, after having heard it so much as a remix (see the 'Lil Prophet Remix') the production could be better to match the vivid verses. I find the title of the remix to 'I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto' odd. I now what they're saying, but what, the version on the first disc isn't 'hip hop'? :/ As a whole, the disc is more up and down than the first and suggests that the label could've used some more quality control, but in saying that, the quality never falls too low. 3.5/5 Best Tracks: Hold on Be Strong, Do for Love, 16 on Death Row, When I Get Free II, Only Fear of Death For 23ish songs, there is enough here to enjoy for any Pac fan. There isn't anything really touching his amazing best, but that isn't unexpected on a posthumous release full of songs recorded between '92-'94 that didn't make his albums. I've increased the rating after revisiting it. The 'critics' ratings of this suggest to me that they just didn't want to been seen as being positive about a Pac album that some would see as exploiting him after his death because it's not bad at all. Beats: ★★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★★

A likeable cast, but there are so many predictable jokes (see the cinder block scene, or the regifted wedding present) and half-finished plot points. Nicole's and Mitch's relationship is poorly written and makes no sense.

After checking out a number of Quik projects over the last few weeks, I think I can say that I'm not a big fan of his solo work. This one just comes and goes too much for me. A light 3/5. Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★ Hooks: ★★★ Best Tracks: Put It on Me, Get Loaded, Murda 1 Case, Sex Crymee, Oh Well/Out

This is a consistently enjoyable album, but like I say in a lot of reviews of albums hovering around a 3/5, not enough, if anything, is great enough to push this rating up. Wais P sounds like somewhat like Crooked I and I assume Dame produced all of these songs that have some familiar samples. There is a good mixture of sounds from bangers like 'Level Up' to more soulful production with 'None of These'. It's worth giving it a try. Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★ Best Tracks: Pimps Prayer, B4 I Leggo, None of These, Level Up