2Pacalypse Now Review

2Pacalypse Now was rapper Tupac Shakur's debut album, released in November 1991. Though less polished and lacking the hard-hitting produced beats of his later albums, it was his most overtly political work. He addresses social problems such as police brutality, poverty, teenage pregnancy, and drug use, some issues giving a lyrical glimpse into the world of a young black person on the urban streets of the United States.

The album generated significant controversy stemming from Dan Quayle's public criticism of it after a youth in Texas shot a state trooper and his defense attorney claimed he was influenced by 2Pacalypse Now and its strong theme of police brutality. Quayle made the statement, "There's no reason for a record like this to be released. It has no place in our society," to which journalist Marcus Leshock asks, "was it really the record that Dan Quayle thought had no place in our society, or was it Tupac?"

It understandably lacks the commercial success of many of his later albums due to it's rough construction and sometimes repetitive beats, but it is still significant in showcasing the depth of his political conviction, as well as the raw talent he had even at an early age. It featured two hit singles, "Brenda's Got a Baby" and "Trapped", and has reached gold status.

"Brenda's Got a Baby" is perhaps the most moving song of the album. It is a chronicle of the suffering caused by teen pregnancy, and is one of Tupac's many odes to black women.