Pac's Life

Ten years after Tupac's death, Amaru brought unreleased vocal tracks from the Death Row era straight into the hip-hop of 2006. On Pac's Life, historic vocal recordings met beats by Swizz Beatz and Sha Money XL, alongside verses from T.I., Ashanti, and Ludacris. As of October 2026, the project remains the last regular posthumous studio album featuring new material.

Only One Song Remained in Its Original Form

Following Loyal to the Game, Amaru continued the series of releases from the estate. Afeni Shakur's label once again oversaw the selection of verses, which originated from Tupac's years at Death Row. According to the information compiled on Wikipedia, however, only a single song was preserved in its original form: Soon As I Get Home featuring Yaki Kadafi. All other tracks received new instrumentals and new guest features.

On older fan sites and in early timelines, an incorrect release date of June 2006 circulated at the time. In fact, the advance single Untouchable was released in February 2006, and the album followed in November.

The Guest List Reflects 2006 US Rap

The guest list reads like a cross-section of US rap in 2006. The title track Pac's Life, produced by L.T. Hutton and featuring T.I. and Ashanti, was released as a single in October 2006, and a remix version with Snoop Dogg closes the album. Untouchable appears twice on the record: as a remix by Swizz Beatz with Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, and in a version with Hussein Fatal and Yaki Kadafi of the Outlawz.

Playa Cardz Right comes in two versions: a "female" one with Keyshia Cole and a "male" one with Ludacris. On International, the then largely unknown Nipsey Hussle makes an appearance, and Jay Rock appears on What'z Next. At the end stands a remix of Dear Mama with Anthony Hamilton.

No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and No Gold in the US

Pac's Life debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200, falling short of its predecessors. The album received no RIAA certification; in the UK, it reached silver status. The third single, Playa Cardz Right, was not released until 2008.

The Final Chapter of the Regular Studio Albums

Reviews were mixed. While critics praised Tupac's verses, they criticized a production that seemed to many too commercial and overly geared toward contemporary radio. For the reception of the estate, Pac's Life marks a turning point: after this album, only compilations, remix collections, and reissues followed, but no further studio album featuring newly assembled material.