Tupac’s 5 Pre-Death Albums, Ranked

Though Tupac‘s estate released half a dozen posthumous albums following the rapper’s 1996 death, they can’t compare to the ones he released while still alive. Whether it be his debut 2Pacalypse Now or his fourth album All Eyez on Me, Pac being there to assemble the track list and fully complete songs seems to have made a difference in a project’s final product.

So, with that being said, we’ve decided to rank all the albums Pac put out before his murder, from our least favorite to our most favorite. Check out the list below.

5. 2Pacalypse Now (1991)

His first-ever full-length release, 2Pacalypse Now saw Pac introduce his politics and outlook to the hip-hop world. Full of topics regarding social justice and poverty, the album helped Pac establish himself as a voice to be reckoned with in the musical landscape of the ’90s. Songs like “Brenda’s Got a Baby” and “Trapped” were shining examples of this, and were some of the most commercially successful hits from the LP.

4. Strictly 4 My N.****.Z… (1993)

As time went on, Tupac continued refining his brash, unforgiving approach. On Strictly 4 My N.****.Z…, which arrived two years after 2Pacalypse Now, he delivered even more socially conscious raps aided by notable guest appearances like Ice Cube, Ice-T, Treach of Naughty by Nature, and more. Overall, the album proved an uptick in Pac’s songwriting, versatility, and mainstream appeal.

3. The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (1996)

Though The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory actually released two months after Pac died, it was the last project he had full creative control over and finished while still alive. Taking on the alias Makaveli for the album, Pac used The Don Killuminati to take aim at many of his rap adversaries at the time such as Nas, Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, and more, while also embracing a villain role he had voluntarily assumed in the industry. With this angst and intent, Pac was able to manufacture numerous hits with this record from the grave, such as “Hail Mary” and “To Live & Die in L.A.” 

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2. Me Against the World (1995)

For his third album Me Against the World, Tupac hoped to add more introspection to his lyrics, as he was staring down an impending prison sentence. With earnest hits like “Dear Mama” and “So Many Tears,” Me Against the World accomplished what it set out to do, and cemented Pac as one of the brightest stars in hip-hop in the mid ’90s.

1. All Eyez on Me (1996)

When any rap fan thinks of Tupac as a musician, the first album of his that comes to mind is likely All Eyez on Me. His first release under the Death Row Records imprint, All Eyez on Me not only contains the most popular cover art from Pac but also some of his most acclaimed hits, such as “Ambitionz az a Ridah,” “Can’t C Me,” “How Do U Want It,” “California Love,” and more. Additionally, appearances from Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Redman, Method Man, Dr. Dre, Kurupt, and others, added even more commercial appeal to the project, all culminating in a magnum opus offering from the all-time great MC.

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