Concrete-Grown Rose for Urban Dwellers

This tribute album, another chapter in the long series of material churned out by the "keep Tupac alive" cottage industry, makes his private thoughts (written during his adolescence) available for mass consumption. Will Pac-friendly consumers get played as his estate gets paid, again? Not really, as thankfully these renditions are carried out by a multi-generational crew of pop-culture heroes.

When the cast of The Lion King form a dreamy a cappella backdrop to Danny Glover and Afeni's reading of "A River that Flows Forever," it's like heavenly bliss. The same goes for the numbers interpreted by a holy trinity of spoken-word goddesses: Sarah Jones's "Why Must U Be Unfaithful", Sonia Sanchez's acoustic number, "When Ure Heart Turns Cold," and Nikki Giovanni's R&B-tinged interpretation of the title poem.

However, there are moments on the disc that are as dodgy as the investigation to find his killer. In light of Pac's socialist revolutionary swagger, how raving capitalist Russell Simmons ended up on this disc is anyone's guess. While some of Pac's thugged-out constituency will want to upchuck violently when they hear sentimental tunes like Tre of the Pharcyde's "What of a Love Unspoken," the material blessed by dead prez, Mos Def, and percussionist Babatunde Olatunji deserves a serious listen by music lovers across the board.

The material on this tribute album, blessed by dead prez, Mos Def, and percussionist Babatunde Olatunji, deserves a serious listen by music lovers across the board. However, there are moments on the disc that are as dodgy as the investigation to find Tupac's killer, such as the inclusion of raving capitalist Russell Simmons, which is puzzling given Pac's socialist revolutionary swagger.

Furthermore, while some of Pac's thugged-out constituency may react negatively to sentimental tunes like Tre of the Pharcyde's "What of a Love Unspoken," the renditions by the holy trinity of spoken-word goddesses – Sarah Jones, Sonia Sanchez, and Nikki Giovanni – are truly captivating. The cast of The Lion King also forms a dreamy a cappella backdrop to Danny Glover and Afeni's reading of "A River that Flows Forever," creating a sense of heavenly bliss.

Ultimately, this tribute album, another chapter in the long series of material churned out by the "keep Tupac alive" cottage industry, makes his private thoughts (written during his adolescence) available for mass consumption. Whether Pac-friendly consumers will feel played as his estate gets paid, again, is debatable, but the diverse and talented artists featured on the album provide an engaging and thought-provoking listening experience for music lovers.

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