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
at Starlight Sound Studio
(Richmond, California)
at Echo Sound Studio
(Los Angeles, California)
at Unique Recording Studios
(New York City, New York)
Genre Underground hip hop, gangsta rap, political hip hop, new jack swing, east coast hip hop
Length 63:55
Label Jive Records, Interscope Records
Producer Atron Gregory (exec.), Akshun, D'Flow Production Squad, DJ Daryl, Bobby Ervin, Laylaw, Special K, 2Pac, Underground Railroad
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
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Robert Christgau[2]
Los Angeles Times[3]
Q[4]
Rolling Stone Album Guide[5]
The Source[6]

Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... is the second studio album by rapper Tupac Shakur, released by Jive Records and T.N.T. Recordings 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 Ig'nant Getting Goals Accomplished; the "Z" in the title makes it a plural.

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 '92, 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 is now out of print.

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."[7]

Accolades

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Vibe USA 150 Albums That Define the Vibe Era (1992-2007) 2012 *
Dance De Lux Spain The 25 Best Hip-Hop Records 2001 24[9]

Commercial success

It has sold 1,639,584 units in the United States as of 2011.[10]

Track listing

All lyrics by 2Pac, music compositions listed below.

No. TitleProducer(s) Length
1. "Holler If Ya Hear Me"  Stretch 4:38
2. "Pac's Theme (Interlude)"  The Underground Railroad 1:56
3. "Point the Finga"  Big D The Impossible 4:25
4. "Something 2 Die 4 (Interlude)"  2Pac and Big D The Impossible 2:43
5. "Last Wordz" (featuring Ice Cube and Ice-T)Bobcat, Jam Master Jay 3:36
6. "Souljah's Revenge"  Bobcat 3:16
7. "Peep Game" (featuring Deadly Threat)Bobcat 4:28
8. "Strugglin'" (featuring Live Squad)Live Squad 3:33
9. "Guess Who's Back"  Special Ed 3:06
10. "Representin' 93"  Truman Jefferson 3:34
11. "Keep Ya Head Up" (featuring Dave Hollister)DJ Daryl 4:22
12. "Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z..." (featuring Pacific Heights)Lay Law 5:55
13. "The Streetz R Deathrow"  Stretch 3:26
14. "I Get Around" (featuring Shock G and Money-B)The D-Flow Production Squad 4:19
15. "Papa'z Song" (featuring Wycked and Poppi)Big D The Impossible 5:25
16. "5 Deadly Venomz" (featuring Treach, Apache and Live Squad)Stretch 5:13

Samples

Guess Who's Back

Holler If Ya Hear Me

I Get Around

Keep Ya Head Up

Last Wordz

Papa'z Song

Point the Finga

Representin' 93

Strugglin'

The Streetz R Deathrow

5 Deadly Venomz

Peep Game

Something 2 Die 4 (Interlude)

Souljah's Revenge

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

Singles

Single information
"Holler If Ya Hear Me"
  • Released: January 29, 1993
"I Get Around"
  • Released: June 10, 1993
  • A-side: "Nothing But Love"
"Keep Ya Head Up"
"Papa'z Song"

Charts and certifications

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
United States (RIAA)[11] Platinum 1,639,584[10]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified 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. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r168663
  2. ↑ "Album: 2Pac: Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. ↑ McCann, Ian: reissue reviews, Q, April 1997
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ "Tupac - Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. CD Album". Cduniverse.com. 1998-03-10. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
  7. ↑ McCann, Ian: reissue reviews, Q, April 1997
  8. ↑ http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=291
  9. ↑ http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=35
  10. 1 2 "Tupac Month: 2Pac’s Discography". Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  11. ↑ "American certifications – 2 Pac – Strictly 4 My Niggaz". Recording Industry Association of America. June 23, 2011. Retrieved December 8, 2011.
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