What does “The 7 Day Theory” refer to? The total length of time it took to write, record, mix AND master this album. I personally refer to it as "Makaveli" because had Pac continued on, that would have been his new alias. There’s a printed sleeve that says “Exit 2pac: Enter Makaveli” and then the track title being “The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory”, some just call it “Makaveli” some “The Don Killuminati” and others simply “The 7 Day Theory”, and all are correct. This album has a few different names and is one of the reasons why it works to create these theories. Let’s get right into it.įirst off let’s look at album title and cover art. Even though a majority of it has featured MC’s, it’s still fantastic. Here we are today, taking a look at the twelve track, short and perfectly put together album and appreciating the brilliance of an artist that will forever be remembered for his contributions to rap and literature. It was as if Tupac was “speaking from the grave”. Although he had just released “All Eyez On Me”, the album we were patiently waiting for suddenly hits shelves 4 months earlier than expected and we saw his first posthumous release in November that same year. Rumors started flying, and every person had a theory as to who was behind it. Reading the headlines “Wounds from drive-by shooting kill gangsta rap superstar” or “Tupac Shakur dies of gunshot wounds” seemed like a sick and twisted joke and the world was waiting for answers. Denial was almost a reflex and the shock and profound sadness seemed to be never ending.
I won’t get into the details or theories surrounding Tupac’s fatal shooting, but ultimately on September 13, 1996, it would be the day hip hop had to say farewell to someone who became a pillar of the genre. It was an entirely new approach and we knew it would sound different than anything before it. To say that fans were ecstatic was an understatement. We had just seen an album release from Pac, when almost suddenly news hit that there was one in the making, under his new alias “Makaveli” it would be called “The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory” and scheduled for release March of 1997. Tupac never held back and was outwardly speaking his mind on the east coast, on BIG, on Bad Boy, Nas, Mobb Deep and anyone who represented New York. Gangster rap was just emerging, violence was being outwardly spoken about and although most “rap beefs” would surface on diss tracks, this one was different. This created the most divisive and most tumultuous time in hip hop. If you weren’t supporting the West, you were automatically supporting the East. Every rap fan anywhere on the earth who was at an age of comprehension will remember the East/West Coast feud that would involve almost every rapper at the time. This would be both the rise and fall of Tupac. Whether in interviews, his lyrics or his poetry, fans were guaranteed to hear unfiltered, uncensored thoughts and opinions, no matter how controversial. As his popularity grew so did his audience and Pac used this platform to speak on any and all issues he believed in, those that upheld the values and morals he stood for. With his parents being in the Black Panther Party for 10 years, Tupac came into hip hop with strong sense of appreciation and a profound amount of knowledge for his African-American roots as well as an unwavering belief in the equality and fair treatment of his people.
What we didn’t know then was that Tupac was just starting. Tupac Shakur would release his debut album “2pacalypse Now” that same year and he would also grace film with his cameo appearance in “Nothing But Trouble”, as well as a role in "Juice".
It wouldn’t be until 1991 when the nation would get to hear the first installment of yet another unmatched mind in hip hop. Although I just named legends of unmatched caliber, a great thing about this genre is each one of these legends is in a category of their own for a unique reason. We’ve heard and seen the impact Slick Rick, N.W.A, Ice Cube, KRS-One, Rakim and so many others had on the culture. Many would do this the only way they knew how, which was through music. Over the years, hip hop has produced some legends, those who would uphold the essence of the culture, who would bring awareness and shed light on struggles that were taking over neighborhoods across the nation. As hip hop fans, we already know the culture is filled with history, dating back to 1972 when DJ Kool Herc essentially created/founded the entire culture.
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