Greatest Hits (Tupac Shakur album)

Last updated
Greatest Hits
2PacGreatestHits.jpg
Greatest hits album by
ReleasedNovember 24, 1998
Genre
Length114:43
Label
Producer
2Pac chronology
R U Still Down? (Remember Me)
(1997)
Greatest Hits
(1998)
Still I Rise
(1999)
Singles from Greatest Hits
  1. "Changes"
    Released: October 13, 1998
  2. "Unconditional Love"
    Released: January 26, 1999

Greatest Hits is a posthumous double-disc greatest hits album by American rapper 2Pac, released by Amaru Entertainment, Death Row Records, Interscope Records, and Jive Records on November 24, 1998.

Contents

The album's non-chronological sequence focuses on the highlights of 2Pac's career. 21 of his tracks are accompanied by four previously unreleased songs: "God Bless the Dead", "Unconditional Love", "Troublesome '96", and "Changes". Some tracks have alternate mixes, while the original mix of "California Love" makes its first proper album appearance after initially only being available as a single.

"Changes" earned 2Pac the first and only posthumous Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance. This is one of two 2Pac releases—and one of only nine hip hop albums—to have been certified Diamond in the United States. [1]

Commercial performance

Greatest Hits debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 268,000 copies in its first week. In January 1999, the album reached its peak at number three on the chart. It has spent 433 weeks on the Billboard 200. [2] On October 16, 2000, it was certified 9× platinum. Nearly 11 years later, in June 2011, it was certified by the RIAA for shipments of over 10 million, the late rapper's first RIAA Diamond award. [3] [4] With 5.33 million units sold which is 10.66 million in RIAA sales, [5] it remains the best-selling rap greatest hits compilation of all time and the twentieth best-selling rap album since Nielsen Soundscan began tracking record sales in 1991. [6]

Tupac Shakur's virtual appearance at the annual Coachella Festival on April 15, 2012, spurred a re-entry for the album on the Billboard 200 chart; it jumped in at No. 129 with 4,000 copies sold according to Nielsen SoundScan (a gain of 571% over the previous week). [7]

The album was certified Platinum by the BPI on 16 August 2002, making it 2Pac's highest selling album in the UK. [8]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [9]
Christgau's Consumer Guide Five Pointed Star Solid.svg [10]
Entertainment Weekly A− [11]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [12]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [13]

Track listing

Disc 1
No.TitleFromLength
1."Keep Ya Head Up" (features uncredited vocals by Dave Hollister) Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... (1993)4:22
2."2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" (featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) All Eyez on Me (1996)4:07
3."Temptations" Me Against the World (1995)5:00
4."God Bless the Dead" (features uncredited vocals by Stretch)Previously unreleased4:22
5."Hail Mary" (features uncredited vocals by Outlawz and Prince Ital Joe) The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (1996)5:12
6."Me Against the World" (featuring Dramacydal)Me Against the World4:39
7."How Do U Want It" (featuring K-Ci & JoJo) (Some lyrics are censored from the original album version)All Eyez on Me4:48
8."So Many Tears"Me Against the World3:58
9."Unconditional Love" (features uncredited vocals by Nanci Fletcher)Previously unreleased3:59
10."Trapped" (Some lyrics are censored from the original album version) 2Pacalypse Now (1991)4:44
11."Life Goes On"All Eyez on Me5:01
12."Hit 'Em Up" (featuring Outlawz)"How Do U Want It" single (1996)5:12
Total length:55:24
Disc 2
No.TitleFromLength
1."Troublesome '96"Previously Unreleased4:36
2."Brenda's Got a Baby" 2Pacalypse Now (1991)3:53
3."I Ain't Mad at Cha" (featuring Danny Boy) All Eyez on Me (1996)4:53
4."I Get Around" (with Digital Underground) Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. (1993)4:19
5."Changes" (features uncredited vocals by Talent)Previously unreleased4:29
6."California Love" (featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman)"California Love" (Long Radio Edit) from "How Do U Want It" single (1996)4:45
7."Picture Me Rollin'" (featuring Danny Boy, CPO, Syke)All Eyez on Me5:14
8."How Long Will They Mourn Me?" (featuring Nate Dogg and uncredited vocals by Thug Life) Thug Life: Volume 1 (1994)3:52
9."Toss It Up" (A new mix with some altered lyrics featuring uncredited vocals by K-Ci & JoJo, Danny Boy, Aaron Hall) The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (1996)4:42
10."Dear Mama" Me Against the World (1995)4:40
11."All About U" (featuring Nate Dogg, Top Dogg, Dru Down and uncredited vocals by Hussein Fatal and Yaki Kadafi)Non-album remix of "All Bout U", made for Greatest Hits(Snoop Dogg is replaced by Top Dogg)4:36
12."To Live & Die in L.A." (featuring Val Young)The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory4:32
13."Heartz of Men"All Eyez on Me4:43
Total length:59:14

Charts

Certifications

[5]

Certifications and sales for Greatest Hits
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [67] 2× Platinum140,000^
Belgium (BEA) [68] Gold25,000*
Canada (Music Canada) [69] Platinum100,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [70] 2× Platinum40,000
France (SNEP) [71] Gold100,000*
Germany (BVMI) [72] Gold250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI) [73] Platinum100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [74] Platinum15,000^
Poland (ZPAV) [75] Gold50,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [76] Gold25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [77] 3× Platinum900,000
United States (RIAA) [78] Diamond5,330,000 [6]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

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