30 years ago today, Makaveli dropped “The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory”
Posthumous, recorded in seven days, debuted at No. 1 with 664,000 first-week sales. Hail Mary, To Live & Die in L.A., and a crucifixion cover that still unsettles.
Thirty years ago today, on November 5, 1996, Death Row, Makaveli Records and Interscope put out The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory. It was Tupac Shakur's first posthumous album, the only one released under the Makaveli name, and the last one that still carried his own creative input. He had been shot in Las Vegas on September 7 and died six days later. The record arrived less than two months after that.
Most of it was cut in the first week of August 1996 at Can-Am Studios in Tarzana, with more work at Ameraycan in North Hollywood. Roughly 21 songs were finished in those sessions; 12 made the album. Pac originally eyed it as something more underground, aimed at March 1997. After his death, Death Row rushed it out. Former label publicist George "Papa G" Pryce later said it hadn't been ready for a full rollout.
Johnny J, Pac's usual in-house producer, is largely absent. The beats came from Hurt-M-Badd (Tyrone Wrice), Darryl "Big D" Harper, QDIII on "To Live & Die in L.A.", and Dametrius Ship with Reggie Moore on "Toss It Up". Pac co-produced several tracks himself. Suge Knight was the executive producer. Outlawz members fill most of the guest spots. Bad Azz appears on "Krazy". Aaron Hall, Danny Boy and K-Ci & JoJo sing on "Toss It Up" (uncredited on some listings). Val Young is on "To Live & Die in L.A.". Hurt-M-Badd sings the hook on "Hold Ya Head", and Prince Ital Joe adds uncredited vocals.
- Released
- Nov 5, 1996 · Death Row / Makaveli / Interscope
- Recorded
- Mostly first week of Aug 1996 · Can-Am, Tarzana
- Producers
- Hurt-M-Badd, Big D Harper, QDIII, Dametrius Ship, Reggie Moore; Pac co-produced
- First week
- 664,000 · No. 1 Billboard 200 (chart dated Nov 23, 1996)
- RIAA
- 4× Platinum · June 15, 1999
The cover is a painting by Compton artist Ronald "Riskie" Brent. Pac is on a cross, head tilted, barbed wire on his hands and feet, a parental-advisory sticker covering the Thug Life tattoo. Cities with large Black populations are mapped onto the wood. At the bottom is the disclaimer Pac asked for: "In no way is this portrait an expression of disrespect for Jesus Christ. — Makaveli". Riskie had met him through Suge on the "California Love" remix video shoot; Pac saw his portfolio and later asked for the crucifixion portrait.
The Makaveli name came from Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince, which Pac read in prison. He took the spelling, not the idol worship. "I idolize that type of thinking where you do whatever's gonna make you achieve your goal," he said.
Where All Eyez on Me celebrated life, Killuminati is colder. "Hail Mary" is the hymn that stuck. "To Live & Die in L.A." is the West Coast love letter: QDIII has said Pac wrote his verses in about 15 minutes, Val Young cut her chorus in one take, and Ricky Rouse replaced the programmed bass and guitar with live parts. "Me and My Girlfriend" grew out of Nas's "I Gave You Power". "Bomb First (My Second Reply)" and "Against All Odds" swing at Bad Boy, Dr. Dre, Nas, Mobb Deep and others at the height of the East Coast–West Coast feud.
"Toss It Up", released September 26, 1996, was the last video Pac filmed, directed by Lionel C. Martin. The original beat leaned on Blackstreet's "No Diggity"; after a cease-and-desist, the production was replaced. "To Live & Die in L.A." followed on November 16. "Hail Mary" came as a single on February 11, 1997.
Commercially it hit hard. The album debuted at No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for the chart dated November 23, 1996, with 664,000 first-week sales. RIAA certified it 2× platinum on January 10, 1997, 3× on April 16, 1997, and 4× on June 15, 1999.
Contemporaneous reviews were mixed. AllMusic was cold; XXL later gave it five mics. Retrospectively it sits high on posthumous and '90s rap lists. J. Cole has called it his favourite album of all time: "Every year that I get older, I hear this album differently." 50 Cent praised its consistency: "You could put this on and clean your whole house."
Thirty years on, which track still hits hardest for you — "Hail Mary" or "To Live & Die in L.A."?
