Zack: The 2Pac and Biggie debate is one that dates back I believe to ancient cave paintings. I swear it's even involved in most debate team competitions. Well, it's time for me to bring an end to the controversy. 2Pac is better than Biggie. There, I said it. Want a reason why? Well, first off, when hipsters started getting into hip-hop to be ironic, they immediately sided with Biggie. That should be all the argument I need, since everyone knows hipsters are always wrong. But I will proceed anyway, because I think if I just stopped here it would sort of anti-climactic. 2Pac is the better lyricist. Both he and his East Coast counterpart spent most of their rhymes mining the deepest recesses of their self-doubt and fears, but only one seemed to be able to consistently take those raw emotions and put them into words that aren't featured in Big Poppa. Clearly, Pac wins there. Both had legendary partners-in-crime behind the production booth (Dre for Pac, Diddy for Biggie), but only one of those people has an entire generation of rap fans on their edge of their seats waiting for another installment to his discography. Need help narrowing it down? The other only makes real news now when he's surgically removing initials from him name. Finally, we come to flow. I will admit that Biggie is smoother than Pac. But keep in mind that neither of these emcees made their living off rapping about what classy individuals they were. Yes, the smooth delivery provides a striking contrast to the content, but this juxtaposition is only revolutionary for like 4 songs. Pac was limited by his own voice, but he did the most with what he could. Overall, Pac is just a more mature rapper. And Me Against the World, while I don't think it is his best work, is a mature album. It's about a man who has come to terms with his mortality and, to a lesser extent, his morality, and is trying to find the appropriate medium for it. Just look at the face on the cover. Does that look like a man who has his shit figured out? God no. But it's a man who has come to terms with the fact that his shit is not figured out, and is willing to admit that and move on with the randomness of life. I think Biggie comes to terms with the finality of life on Ready to Die, but not the randomness. He seems to treat it like it's destiny that he should tragically leave the world; maybe he believed that big figures like him need to go out in big ways. Pac, here, I believe has the epiphany that he might die tomorrow. He might die at 98 years old. There's no way for him to know, but he needs to get that uncertainty out. And from that complex notion stems a complex and layered album. That is definitely better than Biggie's stuff.
Favorite Tracks: If I Die 2Nite; Can U Get Away; Dear Mama
Emily: As diligent followers of the blog know, one of Zack's goals is to get me to appreciate rap, and perhaps even like it. More often than not he has succeeded, but this time I just wasn't feeling it. I guess I'm not a 2Pac person - maybe I'll be more of a Biggie fan, but I doubt it. I think part of it is the way I first listen to an album. As I've said many times, the lyrics are secondary to my ears the first time I listen to an album. I tend to focus on the beats, the instruments, the flow - just not lyrics. I need to listen to an album a few times to really appreciate its lyrical message, and I think that would definitely be true with 2Pac. His introspective, personal lyrics are the true focus of Me Against the World, and everything else is secondary. Maybe I just listened to it backwards and another few go-throughs would deepen or change my perspective, but I don't know if I'll have the initial interest to try.
Favorite Tracks: Can U Get Away; Dear Mama; Lord Knows
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