Pac's Life
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{more citations needed|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Pac's Life
| type = studio
| artist = 2Pac
| cover = 2pac-Pac's_Life.jpg
| border = yes
| alt =
| released = {{start date|2006|11|21}}
| recorded = * 1995–1996 (vocals: 2Pac & Yaki Kadafi) (production: "Soon As I Get Home")
- 2005–2006 (production, guest vocals)
| studio = Can-Am Studios (Tarzana, Los Angeles)
| genre = {{hlist|West Coast hip hop|gangsta rap|R&B}}
| length = {{Duration|m=55|s=6}}
| label = {{hlist|Amaru|Interscope}}
| producer = {{hlist|Swizz Beatz|Canei Finch|E.D.I.|Karma Productions|L.T. Hutton|QDIII|Salih|Sha Money XL|Tom Whalley}}
| prev_title = Live at the House of Blues
| prev_year = 2005
| next_title = Best of 2Pac
| next_year = 2007
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Pac's Life
| type = studio
| single1 = Untouchable
| single1date = February 27, 2006
| single2 = Pac's Life
| single2date = October 21, 2006
| single3 = Playa Cardz Right
| single3date = October 21, 2008
}}
}}
Pac's Life is the tenth and final studio album, and sixth posthumous album by American rapper 2Pac, released on November 21, 2006 on Amaru Entertainment. The album debuted at number nine on the US Billboard 200 chart.
Background
Shakur's vocals were recorded during his time spent on Death Row Records, excluding the two bonus tracks found on the UK and JP editions of the album. Of all the songs featured on the album, including the bonus tracks, only one song—"Soon As I Get Home"—is in its original, un-altered form, all others being remixes with updated beats and features. A broad range of artists contributed to the album, including Outlawz, Krayzie Bone, Snoop Dogg, Chamillionaire, Ludacris, A-3, Big Syke, Papoose, Keyshia Cole, Jay Rock, Young Buck, Ashanti, T.I., Lil' Scrappy, Nipsey Hussle, three posthumous appearances by Kadafi, and Jamal Woolard, who became famous for portraying The Notorious B.I.G. in the 2009 biopic Notorious and in the 2017 biopic All Eyez on Me.
The album's title track and lead single features singer Ashanti and fellow rapper T.I.. The two featured artists also participated in the filming of the song's music video, filmed at the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts. The World Premiere of "Pac's Life" was on at 7:30 PM on BET's Access Granted on Wednesday, November 22. The video was also featured on BET's behind-the-scenes filming of "Pac's Life".
Promotion
The album was recorded in Van Nuys, California. A week of events was conducted for the celebration of the release. It kicked off on Saturday November 11 at the Vaknin Gallery with "All Eyez On Me: Hip-Hop's Legendary Performers and Photographers," where photographers displayed their material. On Tuesday November 14, at the same venue, a VIP party previewing Pac's Life took place from 7:00pm – 10:00pm. The events were then shifted to the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts (TASCA) where coat drives were held on Wednesday, November 15 and Friday, November 17 everyone who brought a winter coat received two admission tickets to the Pac's Life album release party. On Monday November 20, a "Pac's Life Teen Art" competition took place from 6-8 PM, where children ages 13–17 competed in an art exhibit contest.
Critical reception
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/pacs-life-mw0000567769 |title=2Pac - Pac's Life |website=AllMusic |access-date=December 7, 2017 |last=Brown |first=Marisa}}
| rev2 = About.com
| rev2Score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://rap.about.com/od/albumreviews/fr/2PacPacsLife.htm |title=2Pac - Pac's Life (Amaru / Interscope) - 2Pac - Pac's Life Review |publisher=About.com |access-date=December 7, 2017 |last=Rott |first=Ivan |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171736/http://rap.about.com/od/albumreviews/fr/2PacPacsLife.htm |archive-date=March 3, 2016 }}
| rev3 = Drowned in Sound
| rev3score = 3/10{{cite web|url=https://drownedinsound.com/releases/9315/reviews/1565917-|title=2Pac - Pac's Life|website=Drowned in Sound|last=Diver|first=Mike|date=31 January 2007|access-date=5 April 2025}}
| rev4 = HipHopDX
| rev4score = 3.5/5{{cite magazine |url=https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.723/title.2pac-pacs-life |title=2Pac - Pac's Life |magazine=HipHopDX |access-date=December 7, 2017}}
| rev5 = Pitchfork
| rev5Score = 4.1/10{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/9663-pacs-life/ |title=2Pac - Pac's Life |website=Pitchfork |access-date=December 7, 2017 |last=Breihan |first=Tom}}
| rev6 = PopMatters
| rev6Score = 8/10{{cite magazine |url=https://www.popmatters.com/2pac-pacs-life-2495756765.html |title=2pac: Pacs Life |magazine=PopMatters |access-date=December 7, 2017 |last=Huff|first=Quentin B.}}
| rev7 = RapReviews
| rev8 = Rolling Stone
| rev8Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/pacs-life-20061127 |title=Tupac Shakur: Pac's Life |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=December 7, 2017 |last=Serpick |first=Evan}}
| rev9 = Slant Magazine
| rev9score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/2pac-pacs-life/|title=Review: 2Pac, Pac’s Life|website=Slant Magazine|last=Sousa|first=Len|date=27 January 2006|access-date=5 April 2025}}
}}
Reviews from critics and fans were mixed, with the general consensus being that while 2Pac's vocals were undoubtedly strong, the modern production sounded commercialized. AllMusic wrote: "This isn't to say that there is not some great material on Pac's Life, because there is ..., but the power of 2Pac's words is often lost behind the modern production ... and new verses from artists like Ludacris, Lil Scrappy, Ashanti, and Young Buck."{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/pacs-life-mw0000567769|title=Pac's Life - 2Pac|website=AllMusic|access-date=December 2, 2018}}
Commercial performance
Pac's Life debuted at number nine on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 159,000 copies in its first week.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/56552/jay-z-reclaims-his-kingdom-with-no-1-debut|title=Jay-Z Reclaims His 'Kingdom' With No. 1 Debut|magazine=Billboard|date=November 29, 2006|access-date=March 1, 2020}} This became 2Pac's tenth US top-ten album and his seventh posthumous album to reach the top-ten.
Track listing
{{tracklist
| total_length =
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = Untouchable
| note1 = Swizz Beatz Remix) (featuring Krayzie Bone
| writer1 =
| extra1 = Swizz Beatz
| length1 = 4:16
| title2 = Pac's Life
| note2 = featuring T.I. & Ashanti
| writer2 =
| extra2 = L.T. Hutton
| length2 = 3:38
| title3 = Dumpin{{'-}}
| note3 = featuring Hussein Fatal, Papoose & Carl Thomas
| writer3 =
| extra3 = Sha Money XL
| length3 = 4:27
| title4 = Playa Cardz Right
| note4 = Female) (featuring Keyshia Cole
| writer4 =
| extra4 = Ivan "Orthodox" Barias & Carvin "Ransum" Haggins
| length4 = 4:33
| title5 = What'z Next
| note5 = featuring A3 & Jay Rock
| writer5 =
| extra5 = Salih Williams
| length5 = 4:18
| title6 = Sleep
| note6 = featuring Young Buck & Chamillionaire
| writer6 =
| extra6 = Sha Money XL
| length6 = 4:10
| title7 = International
| note7 = featuring Nipsey Hussle & Young Dre
| writer7 =
| extra7 = Capital L.S
| length7 = 4:02
| title8 = Don't Sleep
| note8 = featuring Lil' Scrappy, Nutso, Yaki Kadafi & Stormy
| writer8 =
| extra8 = E.D.I. Mean
| length8 = 3:36
| title9 = Soon As I Get Home
| note9 = featuring Yaki Kadafi
| writer9 =
| extra9 = QD3
| length9 = 3:40
| title10 = Playa Cardz Right
| note10 = Male) (featuring Ludacris & Keon Bryce
| writer10 =
| extra10 = Sha Money XL
| length10 = 4:54
| title11 = Don't Stop
| note11 = featuring Big Syke, Yaki Kadafi, Hussein Fatal, E.D.I., Young Noble & Stormy
| writer11 =
| extra11 = L.T. Hutton
| length11 = 5:25
| title12 = Pac's Life
| note12 = Remix) (featuring Snoop Dogg, T.I., Ashanti & Chris Starr
| writer12 =
| extra12 = L.T. Hutton
| length12 = 3:39
| title13 = Untouchable
| note13 = featuring Yaki Kadafi, Hussein Fatal & Gravy
| writer13 =
| extra13 = Sha Money XL
| length13 = 4:25
}}
{{tracklist
| headline = UK Edition/iTunes Bonus Track
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title14 = Dear Mama
| note14 = Remix) (featuring Anthony Hamilton
| writer14 =
| extra14 = Frank Nitty
| length14 = 5:42
}}
{{tracklist
| headline = Japanese Edition Bonus Track
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title15 = Scared Straight
| note15 =
| writer15 =
| extra15 = Ivan "Orthodox" Barias & Carvin "Ransum" Haggins
| length15 = 3:29
}}
Charts
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2007)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2007/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2007|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 5, 2018}}
| 124 |
| scope="row"| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2007/rap-albums|title=YEAR-END CHARTS RAP ALBUMS 2007|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 30, 2019}}
| 43 |
| scope="row"| US Top Rap Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2007/rap-albums|title=YEAR-END CHARTS RAP ALBUMS 2007|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 30, 2019}}
| 21 |
{{col-end}}
Release history
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Country
! Release date |
|---|
| Australia
| November 18, 2006 |
| Europe
| November 20, 2006 |
| United States
| November 21, 2006 |
| Japan{{cite web|url=http://www.hmv.co.jp/product/detail/1213183|title=Pac's Life}}
| December 13, 2006 |