Amaru Entertainment/Interscope/UMe announce the release of The Best Of 2PAC Part 1: Thug and Part 2: Life, a double CD set retrospective showing the complex creativity of this lyrical genius. The CD set will be available on December 3, 2007.2PAC is the top-selling rap artist of all time. His force was evident during the height of his popularity in the Nineties, but his influence as the voice of the streets continues to echo today throughout urban culture.He has become an eternal icon of youthful brilliance and rebellion with an immeasurable impact on each new generation. This 2-CD set also shows us why anyone listening to the breadth of his work knows that behind the laconic delivery lies a vision.2PAC's uncanny ability enabled him to represent the disenfranchised he hoped to galvanize with his philosophy of T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E. (which stood for "The Hatred U Give Lil Infants F***s Everybody"). "I didn't create the thug life. I diagnosed it," Tupac stated. Each album contains one previously unreleased recording and one new remix along with nine classic tracks. Each album is available in edited and explicit versions. The collections were assembled with the assistance of his mother, Afeni Shakur, who is also the executive producer of the albums.

The CD set represents different key phases of 2PAC’s evolution and shows how his talent hit a high note right from the start and never wavered.

The Best Of 2PAC Part 1: Thug features the previously unreleased Resist the Temptation and a fresh mix of Dear Mama, featuring Anthony Hamilton, whose original Grammy-nominated version went Platinum and charted Top 10 Pop and #1 Rap. Also included are Trapped (2PAC’s debut single), the Grammy-nominated California Love (with Dr. Dre), the double Platinum, #1 Pop/#1 Rap, Grammy-nominated (How Do U Want It with K-CI & JoJo, and Top 10 Rap So Many Tears.

The remaining tracks are 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted, I Ain’t Mad At Cha, Hail Mary, Changes, and Unconditional Love.

The Best Of 2PAC Part 2: Life highlights the previously unreleased recording of Dopefiend’s Diner featuring 2PAC using a vocal sample of the melody line of Tom’s Diner by Suzanne Vega in addition to the acoustic remix of Thugz Mansion featuring all three verses by 2PAC.

The album also brings together the Top 5 Rap Brenda’s Got a Baby and Gold, Top 15 Pop/#2 Rap Keep Ya Head Up. The tracklisting adds Definition of a Thug Nigga,When I Get Free, Until the End of Time (RP Remix), Never Call You Bitch Again, They Don’t Give a Fuck About Us, Still Ballin (Nitty Remix) and Ghetto Gospel.

2PAC has sold nearly 40 million albums in the U.S. alone, where he has claimed 11 Platinum-or-better awards. Eight of those are for posthumous releases.


Tagged in