Loyal To The Lame
THE GREATEST | 02/01/2005
(1 out of 5 stars)
"I tried to not rate this CD but I must give it a 1 star, but if I could have it my way the star would be the lowest negative number imaginable. Negative Octillion stars at the least. Here's my review:
This is a godawful album, it shouldn't even be called an album at all but a mixtape for the lamest producers and rappers alike to step on Tupac's legacy and use it for their own personal gain without an inkling of respect for the God of Rap. I am glad originals of some these songs leaked since I can't bear to listen to them with corny Eminem beats/raps and guest appearances from the worst rappers to ever pick up a mic. This is just pathetic, I cannot accept this. Lyrics were sped up and slowed down given non-rap guest appearances of Elton John and Dido, which are Eminem guests not Tupac guests, nothing about this album flows like Pac's originals did. All the songs are terrible, but Soulja Like Me really stands out to me as a prime example of what's wrong with this album. It's disappointing this is Part 3 of Tupac's Soulja Story song series, and Part 3 ends up like this? The beat is goofy (like all Eminem beats are) and if Pac's lyrics backed up by that beat wasn't awkward enough, Eminem comes out of nowhere with a chorus that fits as well as baby shoes on Arnold Schwarzenegger's foot. It came across like a chorus for another Eminem song, when Tupac was already doing the original Soulja chorus, Eminem's chorus should never have been added!
Loyal To The Game the song was released in 1994 with Treach and the Riddler with verses following Tupac's, and in this album we get Tupac's verse sped up, Treach and Riddler removed and G-Unit added in! NO!! This is a nightmare that unfortunately is true and can't be changed.
Black Cotton featuring Eminem? What would Eminem know about Black Cotton? Eminem proves he doesn't have a clue what Tupac's vision was with yet another awkward chorus. Nobody don't care? What does that have to do with Tupac's concept of Black Cotton? Nothing!
Hennessey with Obie Trice is another big disappointment. Finally we get to hear a Tupac song all about his favorite drink only to get a remix which sounds like a polka song gone wrong with a very low-rate rapper riding Eminem's coattails, Obie Trice, acting like he's Tupac's long time drinking partner. So fake! Stretch should be in this song getting drunk wit Tupac (he is credited in the song)! He was Tupac's best friend, Stretch actually knew Tupac! Obie DID NOT!
The Bonus remix of Hennessey isn't much better, it sounds like it's ready for a Hennessey TV ad with a melody from Sleepy Brown that sounds close to the McDonald's well-known "Ba Da Ba Ba Ba, I'm Lovin' It!" (of course, Tupac didn't know Sleepy Brown either), while he did know E.D.I., it doesn't help the fact that what was probably a perfectly great song untouched, it was remixed twice for this album in a horrific form.
A Crooked Nigga, Too (Raphael Saadiq Remix) is yet another example of how oil and water don't mix. Raphael Saadiq is an R&B artist and the rugged anti-police thuglyrics to the Crooked Ass Nigga sequal does not fit with a mellow beat and R&B hook.
Big Syke appears in the other remix of Loyal To The Game by DJ Quik, which even though it's still a remix at least it has Big Syke (someone Pac knew and worked with before) and it beats hearing G-Unit desecrate Tupac's memory. However, it's still a remix of a released song that was just fine on the Above The Rim Soundtrack cassette, so what's the use in releasing two remixes of a released song from 1994 on an album of new material? I don't get this at all.
I was hoping the non-Eminem remixes would save the album but nothing about this album is acceptable. Eminem should never be in the position to have an influence over any Tupac material, this is a great injustice in a number of ways. He ruined everything good this album could have had in original form. Many of the originals of these songs are out there and are far superior than this weak drivel Eminem assembled. If a soulless tracklisting of remixes, yes, remixes wasn't bad enough, Tupac's lyrics were edited to say things he never said. He calls out rappers he never knew by name when it should already be disrespectful enough to appear on a track with a rapper who is dead, a deadman they never met also has to be their friend? Unbelievable. I'm not a fan of remixing but since they're clearly releasing Tupac material like this for modernization and to make the most money no matter how much it disrespects the legacy of Tupac, then they should officially release the originals as well so true fans can see how he wanted it to be released, not his greedy mother. We get two remixes of songs never released and one of those remixes could have been an original! Why remixes?! I can edit this album to Acapella free of Eminem's influence, but another slain rapper, Stretch appeared on the original versions of many of these songs and he is really being disrespected by being removed from tracks no one has even heard. If you buy this album you are not Loyal to Tupac at all, those who made this album should be ashamed but I doubt they could feel it consumed by greed. Get all the unreleased originals of the songs that were leaked to the public and you will see what a lousy album this is if you can't see it already. I will conclude this review by quoting a Tupac lyric "What's Next?" and if you ask me the answer is "I can't bear to imagine".
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Track Listings (17) - Disc #1