This probably was one of his most overlooked albums because radio refused to play anything off this damn album until he decided to release "I Get Around" & "Keep Your Head Up" months after releasing "Holla If Ya Hear Me" which MTV, BET, radio and other media outlets couldn't say no to because of demand by the audience. Though "Holla" was typical angry PAC, the radio had pretty much been on ignore PAC status. By this time also PAC had already incurred the wrath of our then Vice President Dan Quayle, was being accused of shooting two State Police Officers, and was being blamed for an individual killing a cop in Texas who said listening to this CD made him do it. So obviously, radio, corporate america and even all of white america made 2PAC to be villain number one on a level that P.E. nor Luke from 2 Live Crew or even N.W.A. could reach. If you have the Vice President of the U.S. calling you out by name, you must really really struck a wrong nerve :-). Though that helped this lp sell records, a lot of bangin tracks never got played like it should have. "I Get Around" and "Keep Your Head Up" was just something for the club, radio and video but the real head banger that got lost was the LP title "Strictly 4 My Niggaz". That joint just straight rocked and was lyrically tight. Eventhough Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys may have started that Rock n Roll and rap fusion, with that track, PAC took it to new levels. Strictly Representin '93 was definitely tight, Soulja's Revenge was a tad bit disappointing compared to Soldier Story pt 1, but then that's a lot to ask to follow up that classic track from 2PACOLYPSE NOW. "Holla If Ya Hear Me" started the album nicely "Something To Die 4" wasn't really a single (sadly, cuz the music to the track was nice) but more of a ghetto introspective on life was deep, "Last Wordz" with ICECUBE and ICE-T(sadly, ICE-T was lyrically challenged on this song but PAC wanted to work with both ICE's) was hype. "Papaz Song" for anybody who didn't have a real pops in their life, was deep and heartfelt and got much airplay in my rotation at the time. "The Streetz R Deathrow" w/ the ICECUBE hook in the chorus was just simply off da chain. 5 Deadly Venomz w/Treach and a weak azz Apache (could have left Apache off) had the potential to be much better without Apache. Overall, this was a nice sophmore album that should have done much better and lyrically, PAC wasn't really the same after this LP.

2pac remains one of the most realest artists of our time not only lyrically but overall as an artist (rapper, actor, dancer, writer). His humble beginnings ever apparent, we were never allowed to forget (nor would we allow him to) that he was a man who represented the forgotten, though not silent youth. It is in this particular album that 2pac really shows his versatility. No he is not a "gangsta" rapper as was the term used at the time. 2pac's consciousness of the world surrounding him and his peers was what allowed rappers (like Nas and others in the conscious rap genre) to come forth with lyrics that meant something. Lyrics that your mom could agree with without losing the realistic brutality of it all (ie Brenda's gotta baby, Papaz song). Yet he never let us forget the anger of the streets that would keep him from achieving all that he could have (Souljahz song, and among many others the albums title song). If you happened to miss 2pac's development as an artist then start with this album going all the way up to his most recent release and see if you dont find that raw emotion, that raw expression, and best of all the consciousness that it will not fall on deaf ears. If you witnessed but dont remember it like I do, then get this album and change your way of thought.

Thsi is a great 2pac cd. I think its his third best but its still 5 stars. The best songs are "holla if ya hear me", "Strictly 4 my N.i.g.g.a.z", "Keep ya head up", and "last words" I recommend this cd.

Tupac has had great singles on most of his LPs, but "Strictly 4 My..." was the best consistent LP in terms of themes and production values-- to be sure, there is somewhat of a laundry list of producers here, like on several of his albums-- sonically, Tupac is close to the Bomb Squad here, with screechy sounds and buzzing accompanying the rhythm tracks-- this is not the slower, mellow "G-Funk" that most West Coast heads are used to, but it's a more universal sound..

and his pre-death row albums (No, Tupac was NOT signed to Death Row for his first three LPs) weren't focused on the east-west drama that overwhelmed him in the end..

1. Holler If Ya' Hear Me

2. Pac's Theme (Interlude)

3. Point the Finga

4. Something 2 Die 4 (Interlude)

5. Last Wordz- Produced by DJ Bobcat (Ice Cube and Ice-T show up here)

6. Souljah's Revenge

7. Peep Game- another Bobcat banger, with guest Threat..

8. Strugglin'- Stretch appears here, on one of two cuts

9. Guess Who's Back- Brooklyn's Special Ed produced this cut, and it's a standout--

10. Representin' 93

11. Keep Ya Head Up-- Tupac's love letter to the ladies..

12. Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.- great funky guitar track, produced by Laylaw..

13. Streetz R Deathrow--

14. I Get Around-- his crossover radio breakthrough, produced by Shock G (miscredited to DJ Daryl)

15. Papa'z Song

16. 5 Deadly Venomz- naughty by nature and stretch appear here--

This was the first album that I bought of 2 Pac's and needless to say I wasn't disapointed at all. I remember the first time I saw "I get around" on MTV. I was stunned at first that someone could come from where he had and survived to make a name for himself. I bought the CD at first for "I get around" and "Keep ya head up" but as soon as I heard "Holla if ya hear me", I was HOOKED from his awesome portrait of what the hood looked like from the inside.

I was as sadened as most to hear that 2 Pac had been gunned down and his voice had been silenced. Thank God, he had so many tracks already laid down that he could come out with so many albums after his murder. It's like he's still among us chantin' "Thug til ya die".

For someone that is just jumping on the 2 Pac bandwagon, Strictly 4 my N.I.G.G.A.Z. is a must have.