..VERY TRICKY QUESTION: Is 2Pac Overrated?...

[guzi815]

I'm not too heavy into the Rap game, I'm more into Hip-Hop, I grew up with The SugerHill Gang, Kurtis Blow, Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five, Love Bug Starsky....but I will tell you this....

Tupac was one of the most "Gifted" and talented Rapper's that ever took the Mic. That boy used spurt things out his mouth off the top of his head, and alot of what he said was "Real". A great deal was the beats his producers chose, (Dear Momma, and "I Ain't Mad at Ya") you can't tell me, while driving home on late, late nite...that didn't hit home! he took on different beats, rythym's, and tempo's. That boy was "Real". I'm not one to judge how he lived his life. R.I.P homeboy.

[res]

I've always thought that 2pac was overrated, sometimes it gets pretty ridiculous, just like Elvis worship does ( Elvis was overrated too).

Tupac was not that technically skilled, and he wasn't really that deep in my opinion either. He did talk about social and political issues but other rappers have as well, and many have done it with deeper lyrical content. I suppose 2pac connects with people emotionally on some level which is fine with me, he certainly wasn't one of those rappers whose material was all just a gimmick.

[THe TRiNiTY]

I always thought he was rated fairly, for one reason. His ability to connect with virtually ANY person, in at least one way or another. I had a WHITE AS DAY teacher, who listened to The Beach Boys on a regular basis during class. We begged him to put on the radio, and California Love came on, and the dude flipped out. With The Beach Boys and California Love, I think it had a lot to do with the California aspect of it. Nonetheless, the connection was there. It was the song, too. We actually had to tell him who made the song, and that he had been dead for years. That's impressive. Not many rappers/artists can do that.

His songs had staying power, too. Some of this was helped by his beats, but they are still amazing today. Keep Ya Head Up, Dear Mama, I Ain't Mad At'cha, are never going to be old songs.

He touched on a lot subjects, and made it commercially viable. Was he the best lyricist? No. But he had a captivating voice, with INCREDIBLY underrated storytelling abilities and a knack for writing CIRCLES around most rappers. He could write AMAZING songs, with good lyrics. While most struggle to write great lyrics, forgetting the SONG part. I put myself in his shoes, and I'd much rather write great songs with really good lyrics, then pretty good songs, with great lyrics. Just me. Legacy wise, and how it touches peoples lives, the pay off in the end is just far greater.

2Pac was one of a kind, in the fact that you had an opinion on him, no matter what. He got people so far removed from the genre like Tony Danza and Madonna interested in him and his struggle. He wasn't a TRUE gangster, in the sense, but he was also the perfect example for what this industry can turn you into.

Died so young. Not underrated in any way, in my eyes. Some take it overboard, but in the general view, he's held above the majority of rappers. Right where he belongs, to be honest.

[Mushashi]

Pac didn't always write the most intricate perplexing rhyme schemes, knockout punch-lines or witty wordplay, he wasn't that kind of lyricist.

But what he did give you were great songs. As others have mentioned already, he was an amazing songwriter. You can sense HIS truth in songs like Dear Mama, Life Goes On, Only God Judge Me, Hit 'Em Up...

No other rapper in my mind is able to deliver a song quite like 2pac, whatever he was spitting he'd make you feel it. Much like a singer will bring up their emotions into their vocals, Pac had that uncanny ability to replicate this in his voice when he rapped.

There is a great deal of sincerity in a lot of his music, which by contrast seems to be lacking amongst many rappers around today. You don't believe half the **** MC's come out with these days, let alone have an emotional attachment to it.

So I guess in this respect this is what separates 2pac from almost everybody else and what made him unique.

[ROSEWOOD]

One second he's flowin about loving his mama and beautiful black women then the next track he's destroying the entire East Coast...The man was a great artist..

[Tuggers1986]

I've always thought that 2pac was overrated, sometimes it gets pretty ridiculous, just like Elvis worship does ( Elvis was overrated too).

Tupac was not that technically skilled, and he wasn't really that deep in my opinion either. He did talk about social and political issues but other rappers have as well, and many have done it with deeper lyrical content. I suppose 2pac connects with people emotionally on some level which is fine with me, he certainly wasn't one of those rappers whose material was all just a gimmick.

I remember Sway once said that if Tupac told you the sky was green he could make you believe him. Apparently there wasn't many people who disliked him after speaking with him.