Reviewed by David Levine
|
Tupac Shakur's newest and last album, All Eyes On Me (Death Row Records), is no good. I'll tell you why. Under the guise of "keepin' it real" (a term used in rap meaning telling it like it is) the late Tupac Shakur refers to women as ho's and bitches. In his song All About You the refrain is set to a bubbly pop melody reminiscent of the Spinners: "No matter where I go I see the same ho's." [128k .wav | 128k .au] The main point of this song, I guess, is that all the same women appear in the same videos and movies. Okay, I'll buy that as a premise. I'll even buy using the word ho or bitch when referring to a woman in a song for specific effect, but to replace the word woman with bitch or ho is absolutely disgusting. First of all it's limiting lyrically, second of all it's limiting emotionally. Tupac, I don't think, called his mother a bitch so why are all other women bitches. On the other hand he calls himself "nigga" so maybe it all evens out. I think "bein real" [255k .wav | 255k .au] is an excuse. It's the same rationale certain tactless people use when they hurt someone's feelings with some self important put down. They always say, "I'm just telling the truth." So fucking what? Who asked you? Since when is being real or giving your unwanted opinion the sign of anything except diarrhea of the mouth? In the song All About You at the end, the vocal squeaks, "don't get mad I'm only bein real." No, you're being a sexist asshole. I wanted to like this record, all two discs. Most of the songs sound the same - revamped motown and 80's soul grooves. The subject matter is ridiculously repetitive. It's thugs, gangsters, players, bitches and ho's. Lots of other rappers show up on these discs showing that Tupac was respected. Snoop Doggie Dog, Dr. Dre, even George Clinton. It doesn't help. I didn't even want to write this after I listened to it. The guy is dead. He died who knows why, a victim of the life he espoused.
|
On Houston street in New York City there is a mural of Tupac that say's, "Live by the gun die by the gun." That says it all. In my interview with B. Real this month I asked him what he thought about Tupac. He said it was "a waste of talent." He was an actor and musician who fell in love with a lifestyle that could only spell his destruction. Now he's dead and what is the point. B. Real said Tupac had a positive effect. Maybe. Maybe anyone who comes from the streets (Tupac went to performing arts school) and becomes successful is a hero. To many people Mike Tyson is a hero. As far as I'm concerned he's a lost soul who is manipulated by the supreme punk, Don King. 
I was thinking maybe it was a similar situation between Tupac and producer Suge Knight. Maybe not, I don't know. Hey, I admit I don't know what street life is about except the single street that made up the depressed town I grew up in. Still some things are universally degrading and this record is one of them. Women are talked about like property to be fucked. Tupac completely glorifies violence without the slightest hint that the thug life might not be the right life. Sure people die in Tupac's world but they die bravely and are revered. Kinda like in Braveheart but without the Scottish accents. Why Death Row made a two record set when they barely had enough material for one record I'll never know. Sorry this record sucks. I know it's low to ill on a dead guy but... don't get mad I'm only bein' real.
|
|
|
