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 4× 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 tracklist