"Stress in the city, the cops is hot for me..." Hard to believe it’s been 30 years since this dropped. Written as Tupac was embroiled in controversy, this was the final project recorded before his affiliation with Death Row. While there are so many classics, the often-overlooked tracks have always slayed me the most. Conceptualized during the filming of Above the Rim, The Easy Mo Bee-produced “Temptations” is such a perfect time capsule of 90s Rap/R&B styles. During my heavy Wildstyle-era hip hop obsession I used to get too hyped listening to Pac rap about the nascent NYC rap scene on “Old School”. Last but not least, “Death Around The Corner” captures the rawness of Pac’s defiant gangster persona; compared to earlier tracks like “Dear Mama”, it’s this duality that humanizes 2Pac’s complex identity. Recommended.

• 'midnight mist' colored double vinyl pressing
• includes printed insert
• limited edition
• original release year: 1995
• music label: Interscope 2025

reviewed by Ned Nice 03/2020