Hailed by many as the greatest rapper of all-time (not by me though, haha), "Me Against the World" was, in my opinion, 2Pac's finest hour. "All Eyez On Me" was remarkably solid for it's double-disc length, but definitely had some filler mixed in. "Makaveli" was a portrait of a man at his most paranoid and violent, and while it, too, is a classic in it's own right, it lacked the depth of emotions found on "Me Against the World".
According to Wikipedia, this album was recorded in a two week time span right before Pac had to go to prison for the sexual assault case. The article claims this is the reason why the album is Pac's most soul-baring, confessional work. I can totally dig that, and you definitely can feel the different messages he was trying to get across. Another feat this album accomplished was it was the first album by an incarcerated rapper to debut atop the Billboard charts.
Now, onto the meat and potatoes. This album features, in my opinion, one of, if not the most, heartfelt songs in hip-hop history, "Dear Mama". Before it was cool and everyone started doing it, Pac penned this heartstring-tugging ode to his mother. Growing up was not all peaches and cream with a single mother who also had drug issues, but Pac shows his gratitude and love and the song and video remain touching to this day, perhaps even moreso.
My favorite Pac song of all time "So Many Tearz" is also featured on this album. The bass line is undeniable and the catchy little horn in the beat makes this a perfect lay back and kick it type of joint. The subject matter has real substance and Pac, while maybe not the most skilled verbal gymnast or metaphor heavy dude, always gave it to you real and straight up. You never came away from a Pac song feeling nothing, he always managed touch an emotion inside you of some kind.
The rest of the songs all had a distinct and cohesive feel to them, making this Pac's most even work, IMO. On other albums he would follow tales of violence and misogyny with stuff like "Keep Ya Head Up" or "Brenda's Got a Baby". While hypocrisy and contradictions are the norm in hip-hop, this album Pac kept with a theme and stuck with it: a man on the verge of uncertainty, who was disenfranchised with the system and the ways of the world, wondering if perhaps it would be easier being dead.
The overall vibe and production was just mellowed and smoothed out, making for a very easy listen. "It Ain't Easy" and "Can U Get Away", for instance, are a couple other favorite joints of mine, and embody that feeling perfectly. Other standout tracks are "Death Around The Corner" and the title track. Honestly though, you can't go wrong just throwing this album on from start to finish and just vibing. You don't get this kind of brutal honesty and emotion in hip-hop day. Instead, you get cornballs like Drake who pander to the females and the TRL teenyboppers. There's no heart, and no soul, left in the hip-hop world. "Me Against the World" was a masterpiece from a man who literally was what the title implied, and the emotion just bled right through the speakers. If you are only a fan of 'Pac's more ignorant and thuggish work, you owe it yourself to really soak in and enjoy this album.
ACCOLADES: 10/10, Rapreviews.com; 4/5 mics, The Source; certified Platinum; nominated for Best Rap Album, 1996 Grammy Awards; ranked in The Source 100 Best Hip-Hop Albums of All-Time
KEY TRACKS: all
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