Rappers insulted include The Notorious B.I.G., Junior M.A.F.I.A., Puff Daddy, De La Soul, Jay-Z, Mobb Deep, Nas, Xzibit and former Death Row label mate Dr. Some songs on the album contain both subtle and direct insults to Shakur's rivals at the height of the East CoastвЂ“West Coast feud. Shakur's rapping is still emotional, but is intensified throughout. While All Eyez on Me was considered by Shakur 'a celebration of life', The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory is much darker. The song 'Me and My Girlfriend' was inspired by the rapper Nas' song, ' I Gave You Power' Lyrical themes That was his way of motivating us like, 'If y'all ain't ready, then you don't make the song.' We had already been on a million 'Pac songs. 'Pac was like, 'Who got something? Bad Azz you got something?' and it fit perfect, so it was meant for Bad Azz to be on that song.

Young Noble of the Outlawz recalled: We had started writing the shit and we was taking long. The only verse that was not from one of the Outlawz was from Bad Azz. Most of the guest verses are supplied by Shakur's group the Outlawz. The album did not feature the star-studded guest list that All Eyez on Me did. During those days 21 songs were completed, 12 of which made the final product. The album was recorded at Can-Am Studios in Tarzana during August 1996. Mean of the Outlawz recalls: 'At the time Hurt-M-Badd, who was just an up-and-coming producer at Death Row, and Darryl Harper, who was an R&B producerВ вЂ“ Suge had him working on all the R&B projectsВ вЂ“ they had a green room up in Can-Am which everybody around Death Row called the 'wack room' because they said 'Ain't nothing but wack shit come out of there.' But we was up in the studio one day and we trying to get music doneВ вЂ“ ain't none of us producersВ вЂ“ we see them two niggas in the 'Wack room' and 'Pac like, 'Go get them niggas.' So niggas go bring them, 'Pac just putting niggas to work like, 'I need a beat here, I need y'all to do this, do that.' And these are niggas that nobody at Death Row was fucking with.

The other two producers were Hurt-M-Badd and Darryl 'Big D' Harper. Shakur also co-produces four tracks on the album. The only producer with whom Shakur had worked prior to this album was QD3, the son of Quincy Jones and half-brother of Shakur's girlfriend Kidada Jones. Many of Shakur's usual producers were not involved in the project. Before that, it was going to be a sort of an underground. George 'Papa G' Pryce, former head of publicity for Death Row, claimed that 'Makaveli which we did was a sort of tongue-in-cheek, and it was not ready to come out, after Tupac was murdered, it did come out. The album cover, which features Shakur on the cross in an attempt to convey his crucifixion by the media, was created in mid-August 1996. Ronald 'Riskie' Brent is the creator of The 7 Day Theory cover painting. Tupac wanted the album to be called Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, with Makaveli the Don as the artist name. Mean of the Outlawz and Ronald 'Riskie' Brent revealed in an August 2014 interview that the official name of the album was mixed up in the rush to release the album following Tupac's death. The album's preliminary title was 'The 3 Day Theory', (originally consisted of around 14 tracks). These are the last songs Shakur recorded before he was shot on September 7, 1996. The lyrics were written and recorded in only three days and mixing took an additional four days. The album was completely finished in seven days during the first week of August 1996. The album was supported by three singles: ' Toss It Up', ' To Live & Die in L.A' and ' Hail Mary'. By 1999, it was certified 4Г— Platinum by the Recording Association Industry of America ( RIAA). The album peaked at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 664,000 copies within its first week. The album features guest appearances from rap group Outlawz and rapper Bad Azz, as well as R&B singers Aaron Hall, Danny Boy, K-Ci and JoJo and Val Young, along with reggae musician Prince Ital Joe. It is his only album released under a new alternative stage name, Makaveli, and it is the last Tupac album released with his creative input. It was released on November 5, 1996, almost two months after his death, and was released through Death Row Records, Makaveli Records and Interscope Records.

The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (commonly shortened to The 7 Day Theory or Makaveli) is the fifth studio album and first posthumous album by American rapper Tupac Shakur, credited as the alias Makaveli.

Makaveli album tracks