Still I Rise

12/21/1999 3:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Billy Johnson Jr

You'd think that 2Pac's estate would have exhausted all of his good recordings by now. But the release of his latest posthumous album proves that is not the case. Not one of the album's 15 songs disappoints.

Even new records from hip-hop leaders Jay-Z, DMX, and Juvenile each have more than a handful of tracks worth fast-forwarding, but Still I Rise is a consistent listen. It's primarily composed of introspective, laid-back, R&B-sampled music beds that incorporate the sensibilities of his previous hits "Dear Mama," "I Ain't Mad At Ya," and "Keep Ya Head Up."

'Pac's protégés the Outlawz, with whom he rhymes with on 99 percent of the album, follow his lead. While the smooth grooves perfectly accentuate the record's many social themes ("Letter To The President," "Still I Rise," "Black Jesus," "The Good Die Young,") they don't forget the grit. "Streetz Of War," "Homeboyz," and "U Can't Be Touched" bring a harder-edged balance to the album.

The Outlawz take advantage of their spotlight with one of hip-hop's most influential artists of the '90s, proving that they can stand on their own. "Ya'll Don't Know Us," the last song on the album, doesn't feature their big homie, and it's one of the album's best moments.