Released February 16, 1993 Artist Tupac Shakur | Length 63:55 Release date 16 February 1993 | |
Recorded June 1992 – January 1993 Producer Atron Gregory (exec.)
Akshun
Big D The Impossible
Bobcat
DJ Daryl
Jam Master Jay
Lay Law
Special Ed
Stretch
The D-Flow Production Squad
The Underground Railroad
Truman Jefferson
2Pac Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...
(1993) Thug Life Volume 1
(1994) Label Insomniac/Interscope Records Genres Hip hop music, Gangsta rap, West Coast hip hop, East Coast hip hop, Hardcore hip hop Similar Tupac Shakur albums, West Coast hip hop albums | ||
Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... is the second studio album by rapper Tupac Shakur, released by T.N.T. Recordings, Interscope Records and EastWest Records America on February 16, 1993. The rights now belong to Amaru Entertainment. N.I.G.G.A.Z. in the title is an acronym for ("Never Ign'ant Getting Goals Accomplished'); the "Z" in the title makes it a plural.
Contents
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. Debuting at number twenty-four 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 has sold 1,639,584 units in the United States as of 2011.
Reception
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."
Track listing
All lyrics by 2Pac, music compositions listed below.
Samples
Holler If Ya Hear Me
Point the Finga
Something 2 Die 4 (Interlude)
Last Wordz
Souljah's Revenge
Peep Game
Strugglin'
Guess Who's Back
Representin' 93
Keep Ya Head Up
Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...
The Streetz R Deathrow
I Get Around
Papa'z Song
5 Deadly Venomz
Songs
1Holler If Ya Hear Me4:38
2Pac's Theme (interlude)1:56
3Point the Finga4:26