Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...

Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... is the second studio album by American rapper 2Pac, released by Interscope Records on February 16, 1993.[1] N.I.G.G.A. in the title is punctuated to refer to 2Pac's backronym "Never Ignorant in Getting Goals Accomplished".[4] The album features guest appearances from the group Live Squad, 2Pac's stepbrother The Wycked (later known as "Mopreme", later a member of 2Pac's groups Thug Life and The Outlawz), Ice-T, Ice Cube, Treach, Apache, Poppi, Deadly Threat, R&B singer Dave Hollister and Digital Underground.

Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...
Studio album by
2Pac
ReleasedFebruary 16, 1993[1]
Recorded1992[2]
Genre
Length63:55
LabelInterscope
Producer
2Pac chronology
2Pacalypse Now
(1991)		 Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...
(1993)		 Thug Life: Volume 1
(1994)
Singles from Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...
  1. "Holler If Ya Hear Me"
    Released: February 4, 1993
  2. "I Get Around"
    Released: June 10, 1993
  3. "Keep Ya Head Up"
    Released: October 28, 1993
  4. "Papa'z Song"
    Released: January 17, 1994

Similar to his debut, 2Pacalypse Now, the album contains many tracks emphasizing 2Pac's political and social views. The original album was going to be named "Troublesome 21" and released in September 1992, but it was scrapped due to being rejected by Time Warner. Many of these tracks still remained unreleased while "Keep Ya Head Up", "I Get Around", "Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.", "The Streetz R Deathrow" and "Souljah's Revenge" were utilized for the new track listing.[5][6] Debuting at number 24 on the Billboard 200, this album saw more commercial success than its predecessor, and there are many noticeable differences in production. While 2Pac's first effort included a more underground or indie-rap-oriented sound, this album was considered his "breakout" album. It spawned the hits "Keep Ya Head Up" and "I Get Around". As of 2011, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... has sold 1,639,584 units in the United States.[7]

In commemoration of its twenty-fifth anniversary, it was released on vinyl on February 16, 2018.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
Los Angeles Times[9]
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide[10]
Q[11]
The Source3.5/5[12]

Melody Maker called the album "an adventure into life on the streets of America", delivered through raps that "drip with the sweat of hardcore funk". The Source said: "A combination of '60s black political thought and '90s urban reality, 2Pac is not afraid to speak his mind ... [balancing] the gangsta tendencies of street life with insightful revelations".[12] Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z…, wrote Ian McCann in Q, "found 2Pac feted by Hollywood and Ice Cube no longer an influence but a guest. Bitter, more distant, it offers the legendary 5 Deadly Venomz, Keep Ya Head Up and, ominously, Something 2 Die 4, on which 2Pac's ma warns him if he can't find something to live for, he should find something worth dying for. Gulp."[11]

In a less enthusiastic review for the Los Angeles Times, Jonathan Gold found the production accomplished and 2Pac's raps "sort of entertaining" but regarded him as "a gifted mimic" with "no discernible style of his own" and "not an especially deep thinker".[9] Robert Christgau singled out "Keep Ya Head Up" as the record's only worthy track.[13]

Commercial performance

Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. debuted at number 24 on the US Billboard 200 and number four on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. On April 19, 1995, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over one million copies in the United States.[14] As of September 2011, the album has sold 1,639,584 copies in the United States.[7]

Track listing

All tracks co-produced by 2Pac.

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Holler If Ya Hear Me" (featuring Live Squad)
Stretch4:38
2."Pac's Theme (Interlude)"T. ShakurThe Underground Railroad1:56
3."Point the Finga"T. ShakurBig D The Impossible4:25
4."Something 2 Die 4 (Interlude)"T. ShakurBig D The Impossible2:43
5."Last Wordz" (featuring Ice Cube and Ice-T)
3:36
6."Souljah's Revenge"T. ShakurBobcat3:16
7."Peep Game" (featuring Deadly Threat)
  • T. Shakur
  • Corey "Deadly Threat" Brown
Bobcat4:28
8."Strugglin'" (featuring Live Squad)
Live Squad3:33
9."Guess Who's Back"
3:06
10."Representin' 93"
  • T. Shakur
  • Truman Jefferson
Truman Jefferson3:34
11."Keep Ya Head Up" (featuring Dave Hollister)T. ShakurDJ Daryl4:22
12."Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z..."
  • T. Shakur
  • Larry "Laylaw" Goodman
Laylaw5:55
13."The Streetz R Deathrow"
  • T. Shakur
  • Live Squad
Stretch3:26
14."I Get Around" (featuring Digital Underground)
D-Flow Production Squad4:19
15."Papa'z Song" (featuring Wycked and Poppi)
Big D The Impossible5:25
16."5 Deadly Venomz" (featuring Treach, Apache and Live Squad)
Stretch5:13
Total length:63:55

Notes

  • Background vocals on "Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z..." performed by Pacific Heights
  • Additional vocals on "I Get Around" performed by Shock G and Money-B

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[19] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[20] Platinum 1,639,584[7]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References
  1. "Discography". Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  2. Sal Manna. "Official Biography". Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  3. https://2pac.com/us/stories/essay/original-strictly-4-my-niggaz-press-release
  4. Molly Monjauze; Gloria Cox; Staci Robinson (October 2007). Tupac Remembered: Bearing Witness to a Life and Legacy. Chronicle Books. pp. 12–. ISBN 978-1-932855-76-0.
  5. "2Pac Interview 1992". YouTube. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  6. "1992 - Troublesome 21 / Black Starry Night / Fragile". Rapper Severence. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  7. "Tupac Month: 2Pac's Discography". Xxlmag.com. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  8. Marisa Brown (1993-02-16). "Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. - 2Pac | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  9. Gold, Jonathan (February 25, 1996). "2PAC "Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.AZ . . ." Interscope - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  10. Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 830. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  11. McCann, Ian: reissue reviews, Q, April 1997
  12. "Tupac - Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. CD Album". Cduniverse.com. March 10, 1998. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  13. "Album: 2Pac: Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z". Robert Christgau. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  14. "Gold & Platinum". RIAA.
  15. Offner, Daniel (February 16, 2018). "How 2Pac influenced Mainstream Hip-Hop 25 Years Ago". Salute: Sounding Off.
  16. "2Pac Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  17. "2Pac Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  18. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  19. "British album certifications – 2 Pac – Strictly 4 My Niggaz". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Strictly 4 My Niggaz in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  20. "American album certifications – 2 Pac – Strictly 4 My Niggaz". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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