Length 102:40 Artist Tupac Shakur Label Jive Records | R U Still Down? (Remember Me)
(1997) Greatest Hits
(1998) Release date 25 November 1997 | |
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Released November 25, 1997 (1997-11-25) Recorded 1992–1994
(2Pac's vocals)
1992
("I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto" original version and instrumental)
1996–1997
(Production, guest vocals, and mixing) Producer Afeni Shakur (exec.)
Lisa Smith-Putnam (exec.)
Tony Pizarro
Akshun
Choo
Def Jef
DJ Daryl
Warren G
Khalid A. Hafiz
Johnny "J"
Laylaw
Live Squad
Levant Marcus
Michael Mosley
QDIII
Quimmy Quim
Chris Rosser
Conrad Rosser
Ricky Rouse
Soulshock & Karlin
2Pac Genres Hip hop music, Gangsta rap, West Coast hip hop, Rhythm and blues Similar Tupac Shakur albums, West Coast hip hop albums | ||
R U Still Down? (Remember Me) is the sixth studio album by American rapper, Tupac Shakur, released in 1997, and the first to be finished without his creative input. Her son having left a large body of work behind, this was the first release from his mother's imprint, Amaru Entertainment, set up to control 2Pac's posthumous releases. The album contains previously unreleased material from the time period of his albums Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., Thug Life: Volume 1 and Me Against the World.
Contents
The first release on Amaru, R U Still Down? (Remember Me) was overseen by 2Pac's mother, Afeni Shakur. This album airs his views on life from a time before he became involved in the controversial east coast/west coast rivalry. His lyrics foreshadow his death in songs like "Open Fire" and "Thug Style." "Definition of a Thug Nigga" also appears on the soundtrack of the 1993 film, Poetic Justice. It spawned two hits, "Do for Love" and "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto", of which "Do for Love" was certified Gold by the RIAA. R U Still Down? sold 549,000 copies in its first week. The album reached multi-Platinum status (4 million sold) under a month on December 15, 1997, a trend followed by some of his subsequent posthumous albums. It topped the R&B charts in the United States for 3 weeks.
2pac redemption
Critical reception
"As always, there's ample self-destructive bullshit," noted Spin, "but as a whole the album's eerie and undeniable." Rap idol 2Pac might find yet another life after death with his second posthumous release, an improvement on his first. That’s not to say this collection of unreleased material from 1991 to 1994 shows him at his best: Many of the 26 tracks are barely demo-worthy gangsta pap, and none rival "Dear Mama" for tragic grandeur. Still, 2Pac’s raw talent burns through when his voice goes hoarse with rage on "Hellrazor." And on "I’m Losin’ It," his blend of charismatic confidence and Travis Bickle paranoia is a bittersweet reminder of a gifted yet contradictory artist lost in the rap wars.
Samples
Definition of a Thug Nigga
Ready 4 Whatever
R U Still Down (Remember Me)
Hellrazor
Do for Love
F*** All Y'all
I Wonder if Heaven Got a Ghetto
Let Them Thangs Go
Nothin' but Love
Nothing to Lose
When I Get Free II
Where Do We Go From Here
Black Starry Night (Interlude)
I Wonder if Heaven Got a Ghetto (Original Version)
Lie to Kick It
Only Fear of Death
Songs
1Redemption1:48
2Open Fire2:53
3R U Still Down? (Remember Me)4:08