R U Still Down? (Remember Me)
R U Still Down? (Remember Me) is the sixth and 2nd Posthumous studio album by American rapper, 2Pac, released on November 25, 1997, and the first to be finished without his creative input. Tupac left a large body of work behind, this was the first release from his mother's imprint, Amaru Entertainment, set up to control 2Pac's posthumous releases. The album contains previously unreleased material from the time period of his albums Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., Thug Life: Volume 1 and Me Against the World. The album title was named after several handwritten tracklist by 2Pac from 1993 and 1994 that featured both unreleased songs and material that would be issued on "Me Against The World" & "Thug Life Vol. 1".[2] Interscope also planned a 1995 version of "R U Still Down" album that also included a different tracklisting. However, this version was never released due to 2Pac signing to Death Row Records.[3]
| R U Still Down? (Remember Me) | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 25, 1997 | |||
| Recorded | 1992–1994 (2Pac's vocals) 1997 (Production, guest vocals, and mixing) | |||
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| Length | 1:42:40 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| 2Pac chronology | ||||
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| Singles from R U Still Down? (Remember Me) | ||||
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The first release on Amaru, R U Still Down? (Remember Me) was overseen by 2Pac's mother, Afeni Shakur. This album airs his views on life from a time before he became involved in the controversial East Coast–West Coast rivalry. His lyrics foreshadow his death in songs like "Open Fire" and "Thug Style." "Definition of a Thug Nigga" also appears on the soundtrack of the 1993 film, Poetic Justice. It spawned two hits, "Do for Love" and "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto", of which "Do for Love" was certified Gold by the RIAA. R U Still Down? sold 549,000 copies in its first week.[4] The album reached multi-Platinum status (4 million sold) under a month on December 15, 1997, a trend followed by some of his subsequent posthumous albums.[4] It topped the R&B charts in the United States for three weeks.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| The Daily Vault | B[5] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B[6] |
| Spin | 8/10[7] |
| Rolling Stone | [8] |
"As always, there's ample self-destructive bullshit," noted Spin, "but as a whole the album's eerie and undeniable."[9] Matt Diehl of Entertainment Weekly give a mixed review, observing how "many of the 26 tracks are barely demo-worthy gangsta pap ... Still, 2Pac's raw talent burns through when his voice goes hoarse with rage [and] his blend of charismatic confidence and Travis Bickle paranoia is a bittersweet reminder of a gifted yet contradictory artist lost in the rap wars."[6]
Track listing
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[10]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Redemption" | Ricky Rouse |
| 1:48 |
| 2. | "Open Fire" (featuring Akshun) |
| Akshun | 2:52 |
| 3. | "R U Still Down? (Remember Me)" | Tony Pizarro | 4:07 | |
| 4. | "Hellrazor" (featuring Stretch & Val Young) | 4:15 | ||
| 5. | "Thug Style" |
| 4:16 | |
| 6. | "Where Do We Go from Here (Interlude)" |
| 4:31 | |
| 7. | "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto" |
|
| 4:21 |
| 8. | "Nothing to Lose" (featuring Y?N-Vee) |
|
| 3:39 |
| 9. | "I'm Gettin' Money" |
|
| 3:32 |
| 10. | "Lie to Kick It" (featuring Richie Rich) | Warren G | 3:39 | |
| 11. | "Fuck All Y'all" |
| We Got Kidz | 4:32 |
| 12. | "Let Them Thangs Go" |
| 3:33 | |
| 13. | "Definition of a Thug Nigga" |
|
| 4:09 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ready 4 Whatever" (featuring Big Syke) | Johnny "J" | 4:05 | |
| 2. | "When I Get Free" |
|
| 4:46 |
| 3. | "Hold On, Be Strong" (featuring Stretch) |
| Choo | 4:11 |
| 4. | "I'm Losin' It" (featuring Big Syke & Spice 1) |
| 3:55 | |
| 5. | "Fake Ass Bitches" |
|
| 3:10 |
| 6. | "Do for Love" (featuring Eric Williams of Blackstreet) |
| Soulshock & Karlin | 4:42 |
| 7. | "Enemies with Me" (featuring Dramacydal) |
|
| 4:15 |
| 8. | "Nothin' but Love" (featuring Dave Hollister) |
| 4:28 | |
| 9. | "16 on Death Row" | Shakur |
| 5:42 |
| 10. | "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto (Hip Hop Version)" (featuring Maxee) |
| Soulshock & Karlin | 4:40 |
| 11. | "When I Get Free II" (featuring Yaki Kadafi) |
|
| 3:22 |
| 12. | "Black Starry Night (Interlude)" |
| DJ Daryl | 0:48 |
| 13. | "Only Fear of Death" |
| Live Squad | 5:09 |
Notes
Leftover tracks
- "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto (Mike Mosley Remix)"[11]
Samples
Definition of a Thug Nigga
- "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" by Willie Hutch
- "Ashley's Roachclip" by The Soul Searchers
- "Wind Parade" by Donald Byrd
- " Nuthin but a G' Thang (freestyle Remix) by Snoop Doggy Dogg and Dr. Dre
Ready 4 Whatever
- "1980" by Gil Scott-Heron
R U Still Down (Remember Me)
- "He's a Fly Guy" by Curtis Mayfield
Hellrazor
- "Free 'Em All" by J-Flexx
Do for Love
F*** All Y'all
- "Street Life" by Geto Boys
I Wonder if Heaven Got a Ghetto (hip hop version/single release)
- "Two of Us" by Cameo
Let Them Thangs Go
- "Flash Light" by Parliament
Nothin' but Love
- "Something About That Woman" by Lakeside
Nothing to Lose
- "The Grand Finale" by The D.O.C.
- "Us" by Ice Cube
- "I Wanna Hold On to You" by Mica Paris
When I Get Free II
- "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss
- "Concerto for Jazz/Rock Orchestra, Part I" by Stanley Clarke
Where Do We Go From Here
- "May the Force Be With You" by Bootsy's Rubber Band
Black Starry Night (Interlude)
- "Do It Roger" by Roger
I Wonder if Heaven Got a Ghetto (OG remake version)
- "Do It Roger" by Roger
Lie to Kick It
- "Funky President" by James Brown
- "Haboglabotribin'" by Bernard Wright
Only Fear of Death
- "Hihache" by Lafayette Afro Rock Band
Cultural references
On his 2008 album, Untitled, Nas sampled "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto" on his song, "Black President".
Charts
| Charts (1997–98) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Charts[12] | 50 |
| Austrian Charts[13] | 23 |
| Canadian Charts[14] | 12 |
| German Charts[15] | 25 |
| Dutch Charts[16] | 29 |
| French Charts[17] | 52 |
| New Zealand Charts[18] | 20 |
| Swedish Chart[19] | 41 |
| UK R&B Albums Charts[20] | 6 |
| UK Albums Chart[21][22] | 44 |
| US Billboard 200[14] | 2 |
| US Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums[14] | 1 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands (NVPI)[23] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[24] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[25] | 4x Platinum | 4,000,000[26] |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- "R U Still Down? (Remember Me) - 2Pac | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-11-09.
- Shakur, Tupac. "R U Still Down Handwritten Tracklist". Goldinauctions. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- Shakur, Tupac. "Engineer Paul arnold Interview Part 1: About Unreleased Pre-Deathrow Album, Call from Jail and more". YouTube. 2PacForumChannel.
- "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved 2019-11-09.
- "2Pac: | Daily Vault". dailyvault.com. Retrieved 2019-11-09.
- "R U still down? (remember me)". EW.com. Retrieved 2019-11-09.
- Spin (3/98, pp. 130-131) - 8 (out of 10) - "... As always, there's ample self-destructive bullshit, but as a whole, the album's eerie and undeniable.... Even after death, 2Pac isn't going gentle into that good night; if this album is any gauge, he's not letting us go either, at least not anytime soon."
- Sheffield, Rob (1998-01-22). "R U Still Down? (Remember Me)". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2019-11-09.
- Spin May 1998
- R U Still Down? (Remember Me) (booklet). Amaru, Interscope, Jive. 1997.
- Mosley, Mike. "Producer Mike Mosley Reveals Several MCs Who Witnessed Tupac Record "Hit 'Em Up" (Video)". ambrosiaforheads. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- Steffen Hung (1997-12-21). "2 Pac - R U Still Down? (Remember Me)". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- Steffen Hung. "2 Pac - R U Still Down? (Remember Me)". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- "2Pac". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche". musicline.de. Archived from the original on 2012-09-24. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- Steffen Hung. "2 Pac - R U Still Down? (Remember Me)". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- Steffen Hung (1997-12-13). "2 Pac - R U Still Down? (Remember Me)". lescharts.com. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- Steffen Hung. "2 Pac - R U Still Down? (Remember Me)". charts.nz. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- Steffen Hung. "2 Pac - R U Still Down? (Remember Me)". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2019-11-09.
- "2Pac - R U still down remember me". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- "2PAC | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- "Dutch album certifications – 2Pac – R U Still Down? (Remember Me)" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved August 24, 2020. Enter R U Still Down? (Remember Me) in the "Artiest of titel" box.
- "British album certifications – 2Pac – R U Still Down? (Remember Me)". British Phonographic Industry. 2002. Retrieved December 8, 2011. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type R U Still Down? (Remember Me) in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- "American certifications – 2 Pac – R U Still Down? (Remember Me)". Recording Industry Association of America. June 23, 2011. Retrieved December 8, 2011.
- Caulfield, Keith (March 13, 2015). "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: 'Hozier' Has Sold a Half-Million". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
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