New Video for the Double Album 'R U Still Down?'

Original: “New Tupac Video To Accompany Double CD” · MTV News · no byline · October 29, 1997

Not Death Row, but Interscope

The previous Tuesday, MTV had reported on a new Tupac double album and stated that the material came from Death Row’s archives. With the follow-up report, the network corrected itself: that was wrong. R U Still Down? (Remember Me) contains recordings from 1991 to 1994, when Tupac was still under contract with Interscope.

The first single was I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto. The accompanying video was directed by Lionel C. Martin, who had previously directed Tupac’s Dear Mama.

The album was the first release from Amaru Records, Afeni Shakur’s label, as a joint venture with Interscope and Jive. Part of the new agreement: Jive took over exclusive distribution of Tupac’s four Interscope albums, 2Pacalypse Now, Thug Life: Volume 1, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., and Me Against the World.

Tupac’s Family Takes Control

The report marked a turning point. For the first time, Tupac’s family had direct control over what was released. Until then, posthumous releases had been handled by Death Row: The Don Killuminati in November 1996 and the soundtracks to Gridlock’d and Gang Related.

R U Still Down? was released on November 25, 1997, featuring 26 songs on two CDs; in the US, it was later certified quadruple platinum. The Los Angeles Times remained skeptical: much of it was filler from Tupac’s weakest phase, and only I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto lived up to his legacy.

For fans, the album remains interesting because it shows the early Tupac, before Death Row and before All Eyez on Me. Amaru remained the central home for Tupac’s posthumous music for years.