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2 PAC
Loyal to the Game Amaru/Interscope
**

By my count, this is the 48th posthumous album to have been released since Tupac Shakur was shot dead in Las Vegas in 1996. (I could be wrong - it could be the 49th.) While there are a few subtle differences to separate Loyal to the Game from the many cash-ins instigated by Death Row chief gombeen Suge Knight (it's on a different label, for a start), the main ingredients haven't changed much. Co-executive produced by Eminem, the string of "new" and "exclusive" tracks feature vocal contributions by Mr Em, Nate Dogg, 50 Cent, Obie Trace and various G-Unit grunts. While it's interesting to note that Shakur now shares songwriting credits with some of these lads, it's more painful to note that the rapper now sounds like a pale imitation of the poet who articulated his worldview on Thug Life. It really is time to stop. www.tasf.org

Jim Carroll