"This may be the first hip-hop blues LP," observed Matt Hall in "Select". "Not so much in the music, although the harp blasts owe more to Howlin' Wolf than Tupac's previous two solo efforts, but more with Shakur's vocals, which are at once rebellious and resigned ... "Me Against the World" is a statement of intent, a note from the depths of America, and a fine, thoughtful LP." In "The Guardian", critic Caroline Sullivan observed a "surprisingly optimistic" and thoughtful 2Pac on display on the album, deeming it "worth a listen" despite criticizing the presence of "anodyne" beats and predictable samples.