The Top 50 Best 2Pac Songs of All Time

Tupac Shakur is the most influential rapper of all time, that’s just a fact. The late rapper’s unique blend of raw emotion, incisive societal commentary, and narrative mastery propelled him to the zenith of the rap game, leaving an enduring impact on global music culture that lives on to this day.

The New York-born, West Coast-raised legend’s catalogue, filled with vibrant stories of struggle and triumph, empathy and defiance, continues to captivate with its authenticity and soul-baring honesty. Songs like “Only God Can Judge Me,” for instance, stand out as breathtaking pleas for understanding amidst a narrative of unyielding defiance, exemplifying the fascinating contradictions that make Pac’s work so magnetic.

Songs like “Bomb First (My Second Reply)” and “Hit ‘Em Up” underline his unapologetic audacity, presenting his feuds in stark and often vitriolic detail. Yet, in the same vein, tracks like “I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto” and “Keep Ya Head Up” demonstrate his profound empathy and desire for societal equity, reflecting his multifaceted personality and ideals.

So let’s get into it. From defiant anthems like “Only God Can Judge Me” to introspective reflections such as “Changes,” and potent diss tracks like “Hit ‘Em Up,” we rank the top 50 best 2Pac songs of all time.

50. 2Pac feat. Treach, Apache & Live Squad — “5 Deadly Venomz”

This posse cut nods to the 1978 Hong Kong martial arts classic of the same name. The song’s main selling point is a sense of camaraderie—these are a bunch of old friends (Treach and Pac go back to when they were carrying bags for Queen Latifah and Digital Underground, respectively) playing off of each other and having fun.

49. 2Pac feat. Danny Boy, K-Ci & JoJo — “Toss It Up”

An otherwise unexceptional r&b crossover that is primarily notable for its vicious closing verse aimed at Dr. Dre. The song was recorded not long after Dre left Death Row and, according to Pac, was a no-show at Snoop Dogg’s murder trial. Make sure to listen through to the outro, where Biggie, Puff, and even Blackstreet catch stray shots.

48. 2Pac feat. Elton John — “Ghetto Gospel”

The original, non-Elton-sampling version of this song is slightly superior, for having two excellent extra verses. But this 2004 reboot, produced by Eminem and featuring one of Marshall’s then-ubiquitous martial beats, retains much of the original’s power, even with the puzzling decision to alter the timbre of Pac’s voice.

47. 2Pac — “No More Pain”

An All Eyez on Me standout that shows Pac’s affinity for the Wu—Method Man’s “Bring the Pain” is interpolated in the song’s hook. It’s also the most experimental Pac ever got with his vocal overdubs, using whisper tracks and Vincent Price-esque laughs, both of which go perfectly with Devonte Swing’s “eerie” music.

46. 2Pac — “Death Around the Corner”

Pac keeps coming back to the song’s titular phrase throughout its three verses. His fatalistic belief in his own early death was one of his main thematic obsessions, and it was rarely more powerfully expressed than here. The fact that he actually did die young only makes this song all the more haunting, even decades after his murder.

45. 2Pac feat. Anthem & Tena Jones — “Letter 2 My Unborn”

The title of this one is somewhat misleading. Though he provides some advice on the song’s outro, the majority of the rhymes are devoted to Pac questioning his readiness for parenthood (“Will I raise my kids in the right or the wrong way?”) while the cheerful beat provides dramatic irony.

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