Guess who’s back? 2PAC’s back. He’s been dead eight years but he won’t shut the fuck up. Now from beyond the grave he’s enticed such luminaries as Eminem and 50 Cent to collaborate on this latest missive for his money-hungry massive.

In fact Shady’s back too, as if Eminem‘s presence might bring comfort to those who feel that there’s a bit of exploitation going down here. In fact, you could nearly treat it as a Mathers album, as he towers over the whole Shady project to the point that 2Pac’s reverential posse may be not be too happy. Right from the off he’s all over ‘Soldier Like Me’ and again on the lumbering ‘Black Cotton’, but then Elton John also shows up to ruin the sombre mood of ‘Ghetto Gospel’. ‘Hennessey’ (yes, a rap track about a brandy brand!) features a prominent French accordion, perhaps a posthumous stab by 2Pac at the chanson market?
But drop the metaphorical needle in the occasional groove and such reservations temporarily melt away. ‘Thug 4 Life’ has a seductive mid-eastern sway to it that demands immediate repeat plays. The energetic beats of ‘Loyal To The Game’ generate real force, and ‘NIGGA’ proves to lingering doubters why rap has replaced the blues as the current channel of choice for black Americans to express their anger and fears.

Of course the advantage with dead rap acts is that you can store their phone messages, pizza orders, laundry lists and interviews, then underdub all manner of rhythm tracks until kingdom come, or the fans decide they’ve had, or been had, enough. It’s time to let the ol’ bastard rest in peace.