Better Dayz

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Better Dayz is the eighth studio album and fourth posthumous album by the late American rapper 2Pac, the third to be released without the artist's creative input and is the last to be a double-album.

It was released on November 26, 2002, debuting at number 5 on the Billboard 200. This album is the second of two albums (The first being Until the End of Time) that consists of a collection of previously unreleased material by way of remixed songs from Tupac's "Makaveli" period while signed to Death Row Records, and was produced by Johnny "J", Jazze Pha, Frank Nitty, and E.D.I. of Outlawz. It includes "Military Minds" which features Boot Camp Clik members Buckshot and Smif-n-Wessun (credited as Cocoa Brovaz) which was supposed to be part of a collaborative album between Shakur and BCC titled One Nation but was never officially released due to Shakur's death. Better Dayz has no censored references to Death Row Records unlike the previous album Until the End of Time. The only track on the album pre-Death Row era is "My Block (Remix)", which was recorded in 1994–1995 during Shakur's time with Interscope Records, and which the original version can be found on The Show.

It features 23 unreleased recordings from the 1994–1996 period, the majority of which are remixed. Others retain their original form or are complete finished mixes, such as "Fuck 'Em All", "Late Night", "Ghetto Star", "Better Dayz", "Who Do U Believe In?" and "They Don't Give a Fuck About Us". The album features appearances by Outlawz, Ron Isley, Nas, Mýa, Jazze Pha, Tyrese and among others. The hit single, "Thugz Mansion," comes in two versions: an acoustic version featuring Nas, on which the music video is based, and a hip hop version featuring Anthony Hamilton.

Reception

John Bush from AllMusic wrote: "Though it was released on the eve of the busiest year in 2Pac's posthumous career, Better Dayz shouldn't be overlooked—and with the schedule including a feature documentary (with soundtrack), plus two books and another double album, it might be easy for this one to slip from the radar. A lengthy two-disc set, it benefits from a raft of still-compelling material by one of the two or three best rappers in history, as well as excellent compiling by executive producers Suge Knight and Afeni Shakur, 2Pac's mother. Organizing the set roughly into one disc of hardcore rap and one of R&B jams makes for an easier listen, and the R&B disc especially has some strong tracks, opening with a remix of 1995's "My Block" and including quintessentially 2Pac material—reflective, conflicted, occasionally anguished—like "Never Call U Bitch Again," "Better Dayz," "Fame," and "This Life I Lead." Most of the tracks are previously unreleased, the rest coming from scattered compilations like Knight's Chronic 2000: Still Smokin' or 1995's The Show soundtrack. It's 2Pac's best album since his death, and bodes well for future material by, and concerning, rap's most legendary figure.[2] Kludge magazine included it on their list of best albums of 2002.[3]

The track "Ghetto Star" has appeared on the soundtrack to the video game 25 To Life.

Commercial performance

Better Dayz sold 366,000 copies in its first week on the charts.[4][need quotation to verify] It has sold 1,765,597 copies in the United States as of 2011.[5] On January 31, 2003, it was certified Platinum in the U.S., and reached 3x Platinum in July 2014.[6] The album was also certified 3x Platinum in Canada in May 2003.[7]

Track listing

Disc 1
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Intro"7 Aurelius0:56
2."Still Ballin'" (featuring Trick Daddy)Original by Johnny "J", Remix by Nitty2:50
3."When We Ride on Our Enemies"Original by Johnny "J", Remix by BRISS2:54
4."Changed Man" (featuring T.I. & Johntá Austin)Original by Johnny "J", Remix by Jazze Pha3:52
5."Fuck Em All" (featuring Outlawz)Johnny "J"4:26
6."Never B Peace" (featuring E.D.I. & Kastro)Original by Johnny "J", Remix by Nitty4:59
7."Mama's Just a Little Girl" (featuring Kimma Hill)Original by Johnny "J", Remix by Kip "KP" Wilson4:58
8."Street Fame"Original by Daz Dillinger, Remix by BRISS4:30
9."Whatcha Gonna Do?" (featuring Outlawz)Original by Johnny "J", Remix by E.D.I.3:39
10."Fair Xchange" (featuring Jazze Pha)Original by Johnny "J", Remix by Jazze Pha3:52
11."Late Night" (featuring DJ Quik & Outlawz)DJ Quik4:18
12."Ghetto Star" (featuring Nutt-So)Go-Twice4:15
13."Thugz Mansion (Acoustic Version)" (featuring Nas & J. Phoenix)Original by Johnny "J", Remix by A. "Pitboss" Johnson, Aulsondro "Emcee N.I.C.E." Hamilton, and Claudio Cueni4:13
Disc 2
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."My Block (Remix)"Original by Easy Mo Bee, Remix by Nitty5:22
2."Thugz Mansion" (featuring Anthony Hamilton)Original by Johnny J, Remix by 7 Aurelius4:07
3."Never Call U Bitch Again" (featuring Tyrese)Johnny J4:38
4."Better Dayz" (featuring Ron Isley)Johnny J4:17
5."U Can Call" (featuring Jazze Pha)Original by Johnny J, Remix by Jazze Pha3:49
6."Military Minds" (featuring Cocoa Brovaz & Buckshot)Original by Darryl “Big D” Harper, Remix by E.D.I. Mean5:29
7."Fame" (featuring Bad Azz & Outlawz)Hurt M Badd4:50
8."Fair Xchange (Remix)" (featuring Mýa)Original by Johnny J, Remix by Troy Johnson3:56
9."Catchin' Feelins" (featuring Outlawz)E.D.I. Mean4:54
10."There U Go" (featuring Big Syke, Outlawz & Jazze Pha)Johnny J5:30
11."This Life I Lead" (featuring Outlawz)Johnny J5:21
12."Who Do U Believe In?" (featuring Yaki Kadafi)Johnny J5:30
13."They Don't Give a Fuck About Us" (featuring Outlawz)Johnny J5:08
14."Outro" 0:13

Samples

  • "Better Dayz"
  • "Catchin Feelins"
  • "Late Night"
    • "Have Your Ass Home by 11:00" by Richard Pryor
    • "Wind Parade" by Donald Byrd
    • "Last Night Changed It All (I Really Had a Ball)" by Esther Williams
  • "This Life I Lead"
  • "Who Do U Believe In"

Personnel

  • 2Pac – vocals
  • Johnta Austin – featured artist
  • Rob "Fonksta" Bacon – guest artist, guitar
  • Bill Bennett – assistant engineer
  • Big Syke – featured artist
  • Ian Blanch – assistant engineer, engineer
  • Warren Bletcher – assistant engineer
  • Ian Boxill – engineer, mixing
  • Leslie Brathwaite – engineer, mixing
  • Briss – instrumentation, producer
  • Buckshot – featured artist
  • Coco Brothers – featured artist
  • Courtney Copeland – background vocals
  • Kevin Crouse – engineer
  • Claudio Cueni – digital editing, engineer, mixing, producer
  • Chris DeLaPena – assistant engineer
  • DJ Quik – engineer, producer
  • E.D.I. – featured artist, mixing, Music Supervisor, remixing
  • Steve Fisher – assistant engineer
  • G Mack – guitar
  • Brian "Big bass" Gardner – mastering
  • A. Gobi – photography
  • Anthony Hamilton – featured artist
  • Darryl Harper – producer
  • Kimmy Hill – featured artist
  • Ronald Isley – guest artist
  • Jazze Pha – featured artist, producer
  • Johnny J – arranger, mixing, producer
  • Troy Johnson – instrumentation, producer
  • Kadafi – featured artist
  • Kasbro – featured artist
  • Kastro – performer
  • Ronnie King – keyboards
  • Suge Knight – executive producer
  • Mr. Biggs – featured artist
  • Chicu Modu – photography
  • Molly Monjauze – project director
  • Mussamill – featured artist
  • James Musshorn – assistant engineer
  • Mya – featured artist
  • Napoleon – featured artist
  • Nas – featured artist
  • Duane Nettlesbey –
  • Nutso – featured artist
  • Outlawz – featured artist
  • J. Phoenix – featured artist,
  • Frank Nitty Pimentel – drum programming, Keyboards, producer
  • Will Pyon – digital editing
  • Chuck Reed – digital editing
  • R.J. – bass, guitar
  • 7 Aurelius – instrumentation, producer
  • Afeni Shakur – executive producer
  • Shorty B. – bass, guitar
  • Dexter Simmons – mixing
  • Alex Stiff – bass, guitar
  • T.I. – featured artist
  • Ellis Taylor – background vocals
  • Trick Daddy – featured artist
  • Tyrese – featured artist
  • Mark Vinten – assistant engineer
  • Corey Williams – assistant engineer
  • Jasmine Wilson – background vocals
  • Keston Wright – engineer
  • Young Noble – featured artist

Chart positions

Album

Chart Peak positions
Billboard 200 #5[8]
Canadian Charts #7[8]
Deutsche Charts #45[9]
Dutch Charts #36[10]
French Charts #52[11]
Irish Charts #40[12]
New Zealand Charts #20[13]
Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums #1[8]
Switzerland Chart #60[14]
UK Chart #68[15][16]
UK R&B chart #7[17]

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[18] 3× Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[19] 3× Platinum 1,500,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Gold 100,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. ^ Ford, Robert (2003-01-03). "Better Dayz Review". Entertainment Weekly: 64. Retrieved 2012-10-12.
  2. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/better-dayz-mw0000663367
  3. ^ "The Best of 2002". Kludge. Archived from the original on July 22, 2004. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  4. ^ David Jenison (Dec 4, 2002). ""Up" over McGraw, 2Pac, J.Lo". E!.
  5. ^ "Tupac Month: 2Pac's Discography". Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  6. ^ RIAA database search, 23 February 2017
  7. ^ "Gold & Platinum Certification – May 2003". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 2009-02-12. Retrieved 2010-08-20. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ a b c "2Pac". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
  9. ^ "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche". musicline.de. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
  10. ^ Steffen Hung. "2 Pac – Better Dayz". dutchcharts.nl. Archived from the original on 2012-10-25. Retrieved 2012-01-16. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ Steffen Hung. "2 Pac – Better Dayz". lescharts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
  12. ^ "GFK Chart-Track". Chart-track.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
  13. ^ Steffen Hung. "2 Pac – Better Dayz". charts.org.nz. Archived from the original on 2012-11-02. Retrieved 2012-01-16. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Steffen Hung. "2 Pac – Better Dayz". hitparade.ch. Archived from the original on 2012-11-11. Retrieved 2012-01-16. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ "2Pac – Better Dayz". Chart Stats. 2002-12-14. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
  16. ^ "2PAC | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
  17. ^ http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/r-and-b-albums-chart/20021208/115
  18. ^ "Canadian album certifications – 2Pac – Better Dayz". Music Canada.
  19. ^ "American album certifications – 2Pac – Better Dayz". Recording Industry Association of America.
  20. ^ "British album certifications – 2Pac – Better Dayz". British Phonographic Industry. 2002. Retrieved December 8, 2011. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Better Dayz in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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