By [Author Name]
In the sprawling, often chaotic aftermath of Tupac Shakur’s murder in September 1996, the hip-hop world faced an impossible question: How do you honor a voice that refused to be silenced, when that voice can no longer speak?
The answer, for the surviving members of the Outlawz—Napoleon, Young Noble, E.D.I. Mean, Kastro, Yaki Kadafi, and Hussein Fatal—was not to mourn in whispers, but to roar. Their 1999 album, Still I Rise, is not merely a “leftovers” compilation or a cash-grab postscript. It is a raw, defiant, and deeply spiritual bridge between the living and the ghost. It is the sound of a crew holding a fallen general’s lyrics like holy scripture, walking through gunfire, and refusing to let his vision die.
One of the album’s quiet triumphs is how it transforms the Outlawz from “Tupac’s hype men” into legitimate lyricists. Without Pac’s gravitational pull, many predicted the crew would dissolve. Instead, they rose.
“Secretz of War” featuring Kurupt and Chang Gotti is a six-minute onslaught of pure lyrical brutality. Pac starts the fire, but by the second verse, Young Noble burns the house down. “Tears of a Clown” —a haunting metaphor for depression masked by fame—remains a deep-cut classic, with Pac reflecting on suicidal thoughts with terrifying clarity: “When I smile, don’t believe my face / It’s just a clown’s way of coping with pain.”
And then there’s the gut-punch: “Black Jesus.” Over a soulful, almost gospel-tinged beat, Pac reimagines Christ as a revolutionary street prophet. It’s controversial, unapologetically Black, and deeply human. It’s the kind of song that could only exist in the messy, beautiful chaos of a posthumous album—too raw for radio, too real to ignore.
Upon release, Still I Rise received mixed to negative reviews from major publications. The Source gave it two mics (out of five), and Rolling Stone called it a "half-baked patchwork." The central complaint was always the same: It’s not a real 2Pac album.
Critics argued that the Outlawz (except for the late Yaki Kadafi) weren’t strong enough to carry a full project. More damning was the accusation that Afeni Shakur and Death Row Records (who still controlled much of the material) were "feeding Pac’s corpse to the fans." There was also controversy regarding the remixing—some verses were taken from original songs and placed onto entirely new, unrelated beats.
Yet, despite the critical snubs, the album was a commercial success. It debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200 and #2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, eventually going Platinum. Why? Because the fans didn't care about the politics. They wanted to hear Tupac’s voice. They wanted the catharsis.
Is Still I Rise a classic album? No. Is it essential listening for any 2Pac fan? Absolutely. 2pac and outlawz still i rise album
The album matters because it captures a specific moment in Hip-Hop history—the chaotic, grief-stricken, commercially voracious posthumous era. It matters because it preserves the voices of Yaki Kadafi and the raw potential of the Outlawz. And most importantly, it matters because the message still resonates.
In a world still plagued by systemic oppression, police brutality, and economic despair, the command to "keep ya head up" and the promise that "still I rise" are not corny platitudes. They are survival tactics.
Still I Rise is not the album Tupac would have made. But it is the album his family and friends needed to make to process his loss. It is a fractured, imperfect, golden monument to what happens when a dream is interrupted by a bullet.
Play it loud. Play it for the fallen. And then, like Tupac said, rise.
Final Rating: 7.5/10 Essential for: "Letter 2 My Unborn," "Secretz of War," "Baby Don’t Cry." Skip if: You demand pristine, perfectly sequenced concept albums.
Still I Rise is a collaborative posthumous album by 2Pac and The Outlawz, released on December 21, 1999, through Interscope Records and Death Row Records. It was certified Platinum in February 2000 and reached #6 on the Billboard 200. Key Features of the Album
Posthumous Release: It is 2Pac's third posthumous studio album, released three years after his death in 1996.
Outlawz Debut: While the group appeared on earlier 2Pac projects, this was the first full album released under their name as a group.
Track List: The 15-track album features 2Pac on every song, using previously unreleased and remixed material mostly recorded during his time at Death Row. Notable Singles & Tracks: By [Author Name] In the sprawling, often chaotic
"Baby Don't Cry (Keep Ya Head Up II)": The only single released from the album, featuring the female group H.E.A.T..
"Letter to the President": A politically charged track later featured in the 2001 film Training Day.
Other fan favorites: "The Good Die Young," "As the World Turns," and "Secretz of War". Artist Lineup & Production
Featured Members: The album includes original Outlawz members Yaki Kadafi, E.D.I. Mean, Kastro, Napoleon, and Young Noble.
Omissions: Hussein Fatal is notably absent from the final release as he had left the group after refusing to sign with Death Row Records, though his verses appeared on original versions of some tracks.
Guest Appearances: Includes veteran West Coast collaborators like Nate Dogg, Big Syke, Storm, and Val Young.
Production Team: Production was led by 2Pac's close collaborators, including Tony Pizarro, Johnny "J", QDIII, Daz Dillinger, Soulshock, and Darryl "Big D" Harper.
When you hear the name 2Pac, certain albums immediately come to mind: the raw fury of Me Against the World, the double-disc opus All Eyez on Me, or the poetic introspection of The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory. However, nestled in the catalog of releases that arrived after his tragic passing in 1996, there is a record that often gets overlooked by casual fans but is revered by the loyalists: 2Pac & Outlawz – Still I Rise.
Released on December 14, 1999, this album was more than just a collection of leftover verses. It was a mission statement. It was the sound of a movement refusing to let the flame die out. Final Rating: 7
Still I Rise is ultimately the Outlawz’s finest hour—and their curse. They proved they could rap. Young Noble’s frantic energy, E.D.I. Mean’s poignant clarity, and Hussein Fatal’s menacing delivery (Fatal actually left the group before the album’s release due to contract disputes, but still features heavily) are all on display.
However, the album’s title became ironic. The Outlawz never fully "rose" to the level of mainstream success after this. They continued to release music (including Novakane in 2001), but they would forever live in the shadow of their fallen leader. Still I Rise remains their most visible monument—a group album that is catalogued in history as a 2Pac album.
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In an era of 15-second attention spans and disposable music, Still I Rise stands as a monument to resilience.