Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...

Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...
Studio album by 2Pac
Released February 16, 1993
Recorded June 1992 – January 1993
Genre
Length 1:03:55
Label
Producer
2Pac chronology
2Pacalypse Now
(1991)		 Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...
(1993)		 Thug Life: Volume 1
(1994)
Singles from Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...
  1. "Holler If Ya Hear Me"
    Released: January 29, 1993
  2. "I Get Around"
    Released: June 10, 1993
  3. "Keep Ya Head Up"
    Released: October 28, 1993
  4. "Papa'z Song"
    Released: January 17, 1994

Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... is the second studio album by rapper Tupac Shakur, released by Jive, TNT, Interscope Records on February 16, 1993. The rights now belong to Amaru Entertainment. N.I.G.G.A. in the title is punctuated to refer to Tupac's backronym "Never Ignorant Getting Goals Accomplished".[2]

Similar to his debut, 2Pacalypse Now, the album contains many tracks emphasizing 2Pac's political and social views. The original album was going to be named "Troublesome 21" and released in September 1992, but it was scrapped.[3][4] Debuting at number 24 on the Billboard 200, this album saw more commercial success than its predecessor, and there are many noticeable differences in production. While Tupac's first effort included a more underground or indie-rap-oriented sound, this album was considered his "breakout" album. It spawned the hits "Keep Ya Head Up" and "I Get Around" and has since reached double platinum status.

On vinyl, side A (tracks 1-8) was labeled the "Black Side" and side B (tracks 9-16) the "Dark Side."

The album features guest appearances from the group Live Squad, 2Pac's stepbrother The Wycked (later known as "Mopreme", later a member of 2Pac's groups Thug Life and The Outlawz), Ice-T, Ice Cube, Treach, Apache, Poppi, Deadly Threat, R&B singer Dave Hollister and Digital Underground.

The album was reissued on double vinyl for its 25th anniversary on February 16, 2018 in regular and deluxe editions (the deluxe being only available on 2Pac's website). Similar to the original vinyl, LP1 is labelled as "The Black Disc" and LP2 "The Dark Disc". The album had sold 1,639,584 units in the United States as of 2011.[5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Los Angeles Times[7]
Q[8]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[9]
The Source[10]

Melody Maker called the album "an adventure into life on the streets of America", delivered through raps that "drip with the sweat of hardcore funk". The Source said: "A combination of '60s black political thought and '90s urban reality, 2Pac is not afraid to speak his mind ... [balancing] the gangsta tendencies of street life with insightful revelations".[10] Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z…, wrote Ian McCann in Q, "found 2Pac feted by Hollywood and Ice Cube no longer an influence but a guest. Bitter, more distant, it offers the legendary 5 Deadly Venomz, Keep Ya Head Up and, ominously, Something 2 Die 4, on which 2Pac's ma warns him if he can't find something to live for, he should find something worth dying for. Gulp."[8]

In a less enthusiastic review for the Los Angeles Times, Jonathan Gold found the production accomplished and 2Pac's raps "sort of entertaining" but regarded him as "a gifted mimic" with "no discernible style of his own" and "not an especially deep thinker".[7] Robert Christgau singled out "Keep Ya Head Up" as the record's only worthy track.[11]

Track listing

All lyrics by 2Pac, music compositions listed below.

No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Holler If Ya Hear Me"Stretch4:38
2."Pac's Theme" (Interlude)The Underground Railroad1:56
3."Point the Finga"Big D The Impossible4:25
4."Something 2 Die 4" (Interlude)
  • 2Pac
  • Big D The Impossible
2:43
5."Last Wordz" (featuring Ice Cube and Ice-T)
3:36
6."Souljah's Revenge"Bobcat3:16
7."Peep Game" (featuring Deadly Threat)Bobcat4:28
8."Strugglin'" (featuring Live Squad)Live Squad3:33
9."Guess Who's Back"Special Ed3:06
10."Representin' 93"Truman Jefferson3:34
11."Keep Ya Head Up" (featuring Dave Hollister)DJ Daryl4:22
12."Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z..." (featuring Pacific Heights)Laylaw5:55
13."The Streetz R Deathrow"Stretch3:26
14."I Get Around" (featuring Shock G and Money-B)The D-Flow Production Squad4:19
15."Papa'z Song" (featuring Wycked and Poppi)Big D The Impossible5:25
16."5 Deadly Venomz" (featuring Treach, Live Squad and Apache)Stretch5:13
Total length:63:55

Samples

Charts and certifications

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[26] Platinum 1,639,584[5]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Album chart positions

Year Album Chart positions
Billboard 200 Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums
1993 Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... 24 4

Singles chart positions

Year Song Chart positions
Billboard Hot 100 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Hot Rap Singles Rhythmic Top 40 Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
1993 "I Get Around" 11 5 8 7 2
1993 "Keep Ya Head Up" 12 7 2 3 2
1994 "Papa'z Song" 87 82 24 — —

See also

References

  1. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/album/strictly-4-my-niggaz-mw0000093637
  2. ↑ Molly Monjauze; Gloria Cox; Staci Robinson (October 2007). Tupac Remembered: Bearing Witness to a Life and Legacy. Chronicle Books. pp. 12–. ISBN 978-1-932855-76-0.
  3. ↑ "2Pac Interview 1992". YouTube. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  4. ↑ "1992 - Troublesome 21 / Black Starry Night / Fragile". Rapper Severence. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Tupac Month: 2Pac's Discography". Xxlmag.com. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  6. ↑ Marisa Brown (1993-02-16). "Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. - 2Pac | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  7. 1 2 GOLD, JONATHAN (1996-02-25). "2PAC "Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.AZ . . ." Interscope - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
  8. 1 2 McCann, Ian: reissue reviews, Q, April 1997
  9. ↑ Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 830. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  10. 1 2 "Tupac - Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. CD Album". Cduniverse.com. 1998-03-10. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
  11. ↑ "Album: 2Pac: Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
  12. ↑ "Holler if Ya Hear Me by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Point the Finga by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Last Wordz by 2Pac feat. Ice Cube and Ice-T". WhoSampled. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  15. ↑ "Souljah's Revenge by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  16. ↑ "Peep Game by 2Pac feat. Deadly Threat". WhoSampled. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  17. ↑ "Strugglin' by 2Pac feat. Live Squad". WhoSampled. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Guess Who's Back by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  19. ↑ "Representin' 93 by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  20. ↑ "Keep Ya Head Up by 2Pac feat. Dave Hollister". WhoSampled. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  21. ↑ "Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  22. ↑ "The Streetz R Deathrow by 2Pac". WhoSampled. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Buy this Track I Get Around by 2Pac feat. Shock G and Money-B". WhoSampled. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  24. ↑ "Papa'z Song by 2Pac feat. Wycked and Poppi". WhoSampled. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  25. ↑ "5 Deadly Venomz by 2Pac feat. Live Squad, Treach and Apache". WhoSampled. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  26. ↑ "American certifications – 2 Pac – Strictly 4 My Niggaz". Recording Industry Association of America. June 23, 2011. Retrieved December 8, 2011.
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