Greatest Hits [PA] (Cassette - 1998)

Personnel includes: 2Pac, Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Dru Down, Top Dogg, Syke, CPO, The Outlawz (rap vocals); Val Young, Nate Dogg, The Black Angel, Danny Boy, K-Ci & JoJo, Dave, Roniece, Roger Troutman (vocals); Eric "Kenya" Baker (guitar); The Piano Man (keyboards); Puff Johnson, Thug Life, Digital Underground, Stretch, Stacey Smallie, Shock-G (background vocals).

Producers include: D.J. Daryl, Dat Nigga Daz, Easy Mo B, Hurt-M-Bad, Dr. Dre.

Samples include "Computer Love" (as performed by Zapp), "A Dream" (E. Jordan), "Winter Sadness" (as performed by Kool & The Gang), and "Friends" (as performed by Whodini).

"Changes" was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance.

Greatest Hits is a strange release. Sure, Tupac Shakur had more than enough hits to make a terrific compilation, but its appearance in the fall of 1998 felt a bit like another opportunity to milk his catalog, simply because of the plethora of releases, from previously unheard recordings to interview discs and bootlegs. Even with these misgivings taken into account, it has to be said that Greatest Hits does its job well. Given that it runs 25 tracks and two CDs, some may argue that it does its job a little too well, but the fact of the matter is, this contains all of his big hits, from "Keep Ya Head Up" and "Dear Mama" to "California Love" and "I Ain't Mad at Cha." Some may argue that it would have been more effective if it was sequenced in chronological order, but this remains the best place for casual listeners to get all the 2Pac they need. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Though posthumous albums are often only a record company's vision of how to make more money, 2PAC's GREATEST HITS is just what it promises; a collection of all his hottest tracks, chart toppers, and street jams. Tracks from his time spent on both Interscope Records and Death Row Records are included, as are three previously unreleased tracks, "Unconditional Love," "God Bless the Dead" and "Troublesome '96."

Among the numerous hits from 2PAC on this generous two-CD set are "Brenda's Got a Baby"; "Keep Your Head Up"; "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted," featuring Snoop Dogg; and "How Do You Want It," featuring K-Ci & JoJo. Among the other standouts are "I Get Around," featuring Digital Underground; "California Love," featuring Dr. Dre; and "Dear Mama." 2PAC's GREATEST HITS leaves you with the sad feeling that one of the world's greatest performers left the planet way too early. minimize