Originally Posted by Mankycaaant

aside from making sweeping generalizations about his fan base and resorting to childish insults, why is he overrated?

Pretty sure he polarizes opinion, as many dislike him as like him, I don't think that's the definition of overrated.

As for who is actually overrated.

1. 2Pac: A better ambassador than he ever was rapper. How many people who consider this guy GOAT, are doing so because of his legacy and influence.
Fair enough, these can't be doubted and he's a real icon for the underprivileged black population (despite going to drama school) as well as hip-hop as a whole. He provided positive messages to not only the black population, but also single mothers, the unemployed and the otherwise oppressed.
He's not only an inspiration to many as an influential figure but he also helped legitimize hip-hop's gangster image with his feud with Biggie and subsequent(?) death. So there's many pros to point to, but how many of them are due to his actual music?

Aside from the inspiring messages within, his music wasn't particularly great or unique. Some of the hooks he used were atrocious, Brenda's Got a Baby is absolutely unlistenable to me.
As a rapper, his flow was decent, hardly anything to get excited over though. In terms of lyrical content, people may derive meaning or fulfillment from his songs, but the lyrics themselves by in large aren't articulate in and of itself.
And that's his gimmick, he's seen as the Jesus of rap. And like Jesus his teachings don't translate well outwith his environment, nor have they particularly stood the test of time on a musical level.
Listening back now, the production and rap content is very of its time and sounds woefully dated.
His songs were at times one dimensional, repetitive and borderline preachy.

Aside from this, I'm not sure he put out one wholly consistent project, be it mixtape or album.
Sure 2Pac has his moments, and I don't doubt his impact not just on hip hop but on pop culture and even on social history but as a rapper, the guy's nothing spectacular.