March 14, 1995 · 2Pac’s third album drew some of his sharpest writing out of exhaustion and uncertainty.
1995 – 2Pac releases Me Against the World
“Dear Mama” takes the time to remember hardship and affection in the same household. “So Many Tears” follows a different current, its harmonica sample leaving an uneasy space around verses about loss and survival.
The sequencing keeps reassurance close to dread. That tension gives the record its intimacy and makes it a revealing companion to the much larger, louder Death Row album Pac would release the following year.
“Old School” looks backward at the artists and practices that drew him to hip-hop. That moment of gratitude gives the album a sense of lineage amid songs whose narrators often feel cut off from other people.
Release details and listening preview on Apple Music.
1989 – Kool G Rap and DJ Polo release Road to the Riches
The Juice Crew duo’s debut arrived through Cold Chillin’ with production from Marley Marl. The title track and “Men at Work” put two sides of Kool G Rap’s craft on display: his eye for detail and his ability to keep a dense rhyme moving. Both qualities became touchstones for later New York street rap.
Read next · Browse Today in Rap History or explore Raptology documentaries.
Natalia is a Rap and Hip Hop enthusiast. After graduating from The New School of New York’s Public Relations Program and taking a course in Journalism at Michigan State University, she decided to dedicate her life to the music publishing business and to the discovery of new talent. She helps new artists gain exposure to the masses via online marketing and publications.
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