For many “Me Against The World” is 2Pac’s best album. The title of this album could have easily been the title of 2Pac’s biopic. Pac’s intent for this album was to make the most reflective album of his career up to this point and he accomplished that. 1995 was full of classic Hip-Hop albums and was very East Coast heavy. “Illmatic” and “Ready To Die” from 1994 sparked new life into East Coast Hip-Hop and that carried over to 1995. 22 years later reflecting on “Me Against The World” it doesn’t sound like a “West Coast” album at all. “Me Against The World” sounds like a universal album with universal themes that everyone could relate to. “Dear Mama” was a brave song for a rapper with Pac’s image to make in 1995. But once again it was Pac’s abilty to relate that made him so special. Not only was this album reflective just for him as a person, this album also gave us a glimpse into the life of his mother Afeni Shakur as well.
Afeni Shakur joined The Black Panthers at the age of 19 in 1968. 2Pac also spoke about his mother’s battle with addiction and substance abuse. This is the album where you heard 2Pac’s perspective of the world the most. There was so much going on in the personal life of the artist while this album was being release. 2Pac wasn’t able to be in any of the album’s music videos because he was incarcerated. Shakur began serving his prison sentence on sexual-assault charges at Clinton Correctional Facility on February 14, 1995. With “Me Against The World” Shakur became the first artist to have an album at number one on the Billboard 200 while serving a prison sentence. 2Pac even got married to his long time girlfriend Keisha Morris one month after this album was released. Shakur and Morris divorced in 1996 so clearly Pac had a lot going on at this time. Amazingly the album sold very well although Pac wasn’t able to promote the album due to being incarcerated. But everyone knew the album was coming and songs like “Dear Mama”, “Shed So Many Tears”, and “Temptations” were inescapable. These songs were everywhere and 2Pac being shot in the lobby of Quad Studio in late 1994 was still heavily in the news. The legacy of “Me Against The World” is straight up reflection from one of the most reflective emcees of all-time.
