2Pac

Nearly half of the songs from the second disk of Pac's greatest hits comp were released after the rapper's death, calling into question the traditional wisdom concerning the inferiority of his posthumous material. Throughout, Pac wrestles with his soul. On "Until the End of Time," the West Coast's finest lyricist asks for forgiveness from his mother and requests, "Remember me, as an outcast, outlaw." By "Thugz Mansion," Pac has seemingly come to terms with both his fate and his legacy, and imagines death as "quiet nights, time to unwind." Few artists balanced vulnerability and power as well.