R U Still Down? (Remember Me)


R U Still Down? is the sixth studio album by American rapper, 2Pac, released in November 25, 1997, and the first to be finished without his creative input. Tupac left a large body of work behind, this was the first release from his mother's imprint, Amaru Entertainment, set up to control 2Pac's posthumous releases. The album contains previously unreleased material from the time period of his albums Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., and Me Against the World. The album title was named after several handwritten tracklist by 2Pac from 1993 and 1994 that featured both unreleased songs and material that would be issued on "Me Against The World" & "Thug Life Vol. 1".
Interscope also planned a 1995 version of "R U Still Down" album that also included a different tracklisting. However, this version was never released due to 2Pac signing to Death Row Records.
The first release on Amaru, R U Still Down? was overseen by 2Pac's mother, Afeni Shakur. This album airs his views on life from a time before he became involved in the controversial East Coast–West Coast rivalry. His lyrics foreshadow his death in songs like "Open Fire" and "Thug Style." "Definition of a Thug Nigga" also appears on the soundtrack of the 1993 film, Poetic Justice. It spawned two hits, "Do for Love" and "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto", of which "Do for Love" was certified Gold by the RIAA. R U Still Down? sold 549,000 copies in its first week. The album reached multi-Platinum status under a month on December 15, 1997, a trend followed by some of his subsequent posthumous albums. It topped the R&B charts in the United States for three weeks.

Critical reception

"As always, there's ample self-destructive bullshit," noted Spin, "but as a whole the album's eerie and undeniable."
Matt Diehl of Entertainment Weekly give a mixed review, observing how "many of the 26 tracks are barely demo-worthy gangsta pap... Still, 2Pac's raw talent burns through when his voice goes hoarse with rage his blend of charismatic confidence and Travis Bickle paranoia is a bittersweet reminder of a gifted yet contradictory artist lost in the rap wars."

Track listing

Leftover tracks

Definition of a Thug Nigga
Ready 4 Whatever
R U Still Down
Hellrazor
Do for Love
F*** All Y'all
I Wonder if Heaven Got a Ghetto
Let Them Thangs Go
Nothin' but Love
Nothing to Lose
When I Get Free II
Where Do We Go From Here
Black Starry Night
I Wonder if Heaven Got a Ghetto
Lie to Kick It
Only Fear of Death
On his 2008 album, Untitled, Nas sampled "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto" on his song, "Black President".

Charts

Certifications