In the first of two Source cover appearances in 1996, Tupac opens up with one of his best interviews at that time. I won’t spoil it by saying anything about it here but I had a few things on my mind after reading the interview again. First, how many songs had he recorded by this time? Knowing that the label was trying to milk him as much as possible after bailing him out, he must have been in the studio just about every day even after completing All Eyez On Me. I’m guessing he recorded at least 100 songs over the first two months after release and eventually probably recorded at least 250 songs. Second, why didn’t Suge send out a copy of the album to be reviewed in The Source? Was he afraid of a less than 5 mic review that might hurt overall sales? If so, the strategy worked. Hasn’t that album sold at least ten million copies by now? And last, since All Eyez On Me was supposed to be reviewed back then, what rating would you give it? 3 mics? 4 mics? 5 mics? I ended up buying it in October 1996 and I still give it the same rating today as I did back then: 3.5 mics (mostly for effort). The music just didn’t impact me much but his effort alone during that time period is still unmatched. In fact, it’s his fourth best album, in my opinion, after Me Against the World, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, and Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.
Record Report:
The Fugees – The Score (4 mics)
The Conscious Daughters – Gamers (3.5 mics)
Darksun Riders featuring Brother J – Seeds of Evolution (3 mics)
Suga T – Paper Chasin’ (Here Hustlin) (3.5 mics)
Da Youngstas/Illy Funkstas – I’ll Make U Famous (3 mics)
VA – Guru Presents Illkid Records (2.5 mics)
Dr. Octagon (Kool Keith) – Dr. Octagonecologyst (3.5 mics)
VA – The Next Chapter (2.5 mics)
DJ Krush – Meiso (3.5 mics)
Celly Cel – Killa Kali (2.5 mics)
Source March 1996 issue
March 1996 fat tape
~Vincent~
THIMK 
Once again it’s on! Thank you sooo much, Vincent!!!!!!!!!!
By: psycho on February 1, 2009
at 10:34 am
Finally something about Ganksta Nip! It’s just a commercial for Psychotic Genius, but that’s still a progress! I hope I’ll find interview or something with Nip in upcoming numbers….
By: psycho on February 1, 2009
at 12:26 pm
Now i remember when this issue came out, my friend had it and he let me read it during a class in 10th grade. The stuff Tupac was talking about on there was pretty good, but he was still dissing Jay, nas & BIG. And that to me just made mad, cause i still couldnt figure out why that he start off this beef. It was unneccesary at the time man. And ill put that on Suge, cause he was the main one behind this whole beef. He’s the one behind Pac & Big’s murder! And thats common sense, if u dont know the facts then do ur reseach people.
Now All Eyes On me was a nice album in retrospect, i was happy at least he had Red & Meth on the LP. But when this LP was released, i refused to listen to it cause Pac fallen out of favor with me cause with the beef he started. But i remember everybody and their mama had the cd and if they didnt have that, they had 2 tapes and walkman jammin it. But now retrospect ill give it a 4 or 4.5. It was crazy times back then in ’96, i remember it was just hectic at school cause that was the topic we all taked about 24/7, east vs. west. it wasnt a game back then, it was serious.
and no way in hell Fugees- The Score LP is 4 mics that gotta be 4.5 or borderline 5!!
By: brandan on February 1, 2009
at 1:12 pm
Thank you vincent!!!!!!!!!!
Once again.
By: anthony on February 1, 2009
at 1:19 pm
When “All Eyez On Me” came out I was disappointed at first, i liked “Strictly..”, “Me Against..” and also the Thug Life album more.
But over the years “All Eyez On Me” grew. I would give it 4 Mics in retrospect.
By: Krisch on February 6, 2009
at 1:32 pm
wow great read
By: Hiphopsamplez on February 13, 2009
at 8:37 pm
Nah, I think All Eyez On Me deserves 5 mics, even if the album went a bit sour at the second disc. It’s probably my favorite 2Pac album.
Had great tracks like Ambitionz Az A Ridah (fav. 2Pac song of all time), 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted, Got My Mind Made Up, California Love and Heartz of Men.
Though it did feel like Suge ‘forced’ him to take a different direction in his Death Row debut.
Gangsta rap at it’s best! Only Straight Outta Compton and The Chronic are better.
Also, The Score deserves 5 mics as well. WTF? The first 5 songs are da bomb!
By: OabAli on February 15, 2009
at 5:22 am
Just wanted to say thanks for remembering and appreciating the work we all put in as a team way back then. I can’t find these covers anywhere but here and in my personal archives, nice to see them again with commentary.
You have a few covers posted that particularly touch my memory in a big way, at some point I might get around to telling some of the untold adventures that went into producing some of those stories. I am supportive of the new crew running the mag today (2009), so maybe they’ll take a cue from you and get all the archives up on their official site as well. Cheers!
By: Adario Strange (fmr. editor/writer) on February 27, 2009
at 9:57 am
Damn, Adario Strange man. I used to rush home everyday towards the end of the month prayin’ that my new Source had came in, and even then, I’d have to wait for my older brother, who got off work before I got home from school, to get done reading it, which would take(what seemed like) forever. Huge props to you and the guys from the “golden era”.
Anyway, “All Eyes On Me” isn’t the best or my favorite Pac record, but it is the one that had the biggest and greatest impact on Hip-Hop, and for that, you have to give it an imperfect 5 mics.
Every rapper has tried to make that record for 12 years now and none have come close to matching the impact of the first time any of us saw the video for “California Love” or heard “No More Pain” bump through car speakers at an unhealthy volume. Pac was at the height of his powers as a rapper and icon at this point.
There’s never been anything like him in that era(95-96), and there never will be.
By: HG on March 1, 2009
at 4:14 am
all eyes on me was the most prolific album of all-time..first double disc and still no cd has top the all eyes on me by another rapper. me against the world was the greatest.
By: eric on July 24, 2011
at 4:33 pm
Why wasn’t All Eyez on me or MAkeveli rated in the Source?
By: Ed Flavorz on November 6, 2022
at 8:00 pm