2Pac: Greatest Hits

In terms of subject matter and attitude, 2Pac was without a doubt one of the most versatile rappers of all time, which is why two discs are necessary to encompass the scope of his music. His songs hit every inch of the emotional spectrum, and his affirmation that such contradictory feelings can exist within a single human consciousness is the reason why 2Pac’s music endures. There are few songs that express empathy as deeply as “Keep Ya Head Up” and “Dear Mama,” and by the same token, there are few songs that express spitefulness and rage with the fervor of “Hit ‘Em Up.” In “Hail Mary,” “Trapped” and “How Long Will They Mourn Me” Pac offered visions of death and disquiet, but then he could turn around for an all-out celebration of his home in “California Love.” It’s not just the range of expression that makes Pac important — it’s the depth of his delivery. He put all of himself into the lust of “How Do U Want It,” the self destruction of “Me Against the World” or the poignant optimism of the previously unreleased song “Changes,” which became a huge hit after Pac’s passing precisely because it gives equal voice to the warring sides of his inner self.