Original by Artist
About This Song
“Changes” was released in 1998 on 2Pac’s posthumous Greatest Hits album, two years after his death. Built around a sample of Bruce Hornsby’s “The Way It Is,” the song has 2Pac confronting racism, poverty, police violence and drug abuse in Black communities. All while calling for change without pretending to have easy answers.
First Impressions
That piano loop sets a somber tone before a single verse hits and it never lets up.
My Reaction
What stands out is how direct 2Pac is willing to be. He’s not romanticizing the struggle or offering a tidy resolution, he’s naming the problems plainly and admitting how hard they are to fix. Pairing that honesty with the Hornsby sample gives the song a weight that’s held up long after its release.
Rating
84/100