Back In The Thug Life Again

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By Newsweek Editors

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TUPAC SHAKUR SEEMS TO love trouble. He courts it, thrives on it. If there's a feud to be had, Tupac will dive in. How about a feud with Biggie Smalls, a rival gangsta rapper whom Tupac just doesn't like? "It's obvious that Biggie stole my sound," he gripes. "He picked up all my flava." How about feuds with Wendy Williams, a New York deejay, and Donnie Simpson, a host on Black Entertainment Television, who Tupac claims have made light of his "thug life" existence? "They're just begging for me to whip their ass," he says. In the always-controversial world of gangsta rap, Tupac is setting a new standard. He's been shot, jailed, accused of shooting two policemen (charges were dropped) and convicted of sexual abuse (he's out on $1 million bail while awaiting appeal). Tupac relishes his notoriety. What's the title of his new album? "All Eyez on Me."

The first double album in rap history, the release may grab even more attention than Tupac's tough talk. With guests like Snoop Doggy Dogg -- who's awaiting the verdict in his murder trial this week -- it's expected to debut near No. 1. An ambitious, audacious chronicle of the gangsta life, full of "bytches," "ho's," danger and cash, "All Eyez on Me" follows through on a primary Tupac rule: say what's on your mind, and say it loud and strong. "I'd rather die like a man than live like a coward / There's a ghetto up in heaven and it's ours," he raps in one tune. Producer Dr. Dre says Tupac's one of the most gifted lyricists in rap. "You put down the music and he hands the words to you in a flash," he says. "I've never seen anyone work that fast." "When I sat down to write this album, I thought a lot about the night I got shot and how I thought I was going to die and s--t," says Tupac. "I thought about the kids I'd never have. The words began to flow."

Don't let those sentiments throw you. Tupac is concerned enough about his skin that he brought bodyguards when he performed on "Saturday Night Live." Of course, trouble only enlarges his myth. The bigger it gets, the bigger he gets.

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