Earlier this year (February 13), Tupac’s magnum opus, All Eyez On Me, turned 20-years old. The LP was historic, as Rap’s first double album, and it embodied all sides of the enigmatic Tupac that made him beloved to many. There were political statements (“Only God Can Judge Me“), odes to fallen friends (“I Ain’t Mad At Cha“) and straight party-starters (“California Love“).

Why Tupac’s “All Eyez On Me” Remains The First & Last Flawed Classic Album

Beyond the album’s lyrical content, it’s diverse sonic texture is what distinguished All Eyez On Me from all other albums in Pac’s catalog. Producers Dr. Dre, Daz, DJ Quik, Bobcat, Johnny J and others mixed together a gumbo of Funk, Hip-Hop, Classic Soul and more. To celebrate those sounds, Power 106’s VinRican put together a special edition of his Wax Only series, where he explores the samples that powered the tracks on classic albums.

During the video, Vin mixes the original records side by side with the Tupac tracks that sampled them. Songs like Cameo’s “Candy,” Joeski Love’s “Pee-Wee’s Dance” and DeBarge’s “A Dream” showcase the deep 80s Hip-Hop and R&B influences that colored the album, throughout. Records like Bootsy Collins’ “I’d Rather Be With You” (also sampled by N.W.A.) and Linda Clifford’s “Never Gonna Stop” extend back to the 70s. Hearing the records in their original form brings to the fore the deep musicality that informed much of the G-Funk of the 90s Death Row Records era.