Tupac Shakur
Loyal to the Game

THE REVIEW

In 2004, yet another posthumous album of rapper Tupac Shakur, who passed away at the age of 25, was released. That year, the production was entrusted to rapper Eminem, who produced almost all the tracks on this album, in my opinion doing a decent job, which, however, did not satisfy 2pac's fans.

First of all, it must be said that Eminem's branded style is very evident, with very slow beats that might not suit the rapper. Perhaps many would have preferred someone who had worked with Tupac (for example, Dr. Dre) to have been in charge of production, but then the Detroit rapper was chosen. This album consists of about 5-6 really valid tracks, which perhaps do not reflect Tupac's style, but are indeed beautiful songs.

It begins with "Soldier Like Me", with Eminem singing the chorus. Like almost all the tracks, the beat is slow, and 2pac's voice sounds much faster. Perhaps it's the producer's choice. "The Uppercut" is a track that features a really beautiful beat, but here 2pac's verses are very slow, which limits the listening experience, as the song becomes monotonous this way. The third song is "Out On Bail", which frankly I don't like. The fourth is "Ghetto Gospel": it was the second single from the album and is very well-known, even in Italy. Here, there's also Elton John's voice, sampled from his track Indian Sunset. This track is undoubtedly the best of the album with a simply fantastic beat. From here, it goes to "Black Cotton", another equally beautiful song. Eminem also sings the chorus here, which however sounds almost distressing. But the beat is really good. Number 6 is "Loyal To The Game", featuring the collaboration of G-Unit and the chorus is by 50 Cent. It's not bad, but it could be better. "Thugs Get Lonely Too", features Nate Dogg, who, as always, sings the chorus. This is also one of the best. "N.I.G.G.A.", "Who Do You Love?", "Crooked Nigga Too" are definitely the worst. Track 11 is "Don't You Trust Me", with Dido, sampled from her song "Do you Have A Little Time?". This is also one of the best, with a perfectly slow-paced beat and an aggressive Tupac. "Hennessy" is sung alongside Obie Trice: the beat is very simple and almost sounds like a ballad. "Thug 4 Life" is also a piece to discard. The last 4 tracks of the album are remixes made by other producers. They aren't bad, but I prefer Eminem's productions.

Overall, Loyal To The Game is a good album and the criticism it has received in my opinion is not fair. For me, it's very difficult to make an album of a person who is no longer here. Eminem can be satisfied: he did his job.