A hip-hop legend, with explicit and controversial lyrics, Tupac Shakur was embroiled in a feud between East Coast and West Coast rappers.
Synopsis
Born in New York City in 1971, Tupac Shakur, known by his stage name 2Pac, was an American rapper. Shakur has sold more than 75 million albums worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world. Most of Tupac's songs are about growing up amid violence and hardship in ghettos, racism, other social problems and conflicts with other rappers during the East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry. Shakur was shot and killed in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1996
Early Life
Shakur has become a legend in hip-hop and rap circles for his talent, his violent behavior, and his brutal death. The son of Black Panther activists, Shakur was raised by his mother Afeni Shakur. She was actually in jail on bombing charges during her pregnancy with Tupac. She was later acquitted in the case. He had no contact with his biological father, Billy Garland, until he was an adult.
According to The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, Shakur was originally named Lesane Parish Crooks, but his moniker was soon changed to Tupac Amaru Shakur. "Tupac Amaru" means "shining serpent." He had a difficult childhood, moving frequently around in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and the Bronx. Shakur received an education in radical politics from his mother, but he also saw some of life's hardships through her struggles with substance abuse. In his youth, he explored acting by becoming a member of the 127th Street Ensemble, a Harlem-based theater company.
As a teenager, Shakur attended the Baltimore School for the Arts, where he took acting and dance classes, including ballet. While living in Baltimore, he discovered rap and began performing as MC New York. In the late 1980s, Shakur and his family moved to the West Coast. He joined the Oakland, California-based hip-hop group Digital Underground, which earlier had scored a hit with the song "The Humpty Dance." Shakur appeared on two of the group's recordings—1990's This Is an EP and Sons of the P before going solo.
Debut as 2Pac
In 1991, Shakur emerged as a solo artist—using the name 2Pac—with his debut album 2Pacalypse Now. The track "Brenda's Got a Baby" reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart. His second album, Strictly 4 My N. I. G. G. A. Z., crossed over to the pop charts, with singles "I Get Around" and "Keep Ya Head Up." The album went platinum, selling more than a million copies.
Around this time, Shakur made his film debut in the 1992 urban crime dramaJuice with Omar Epps, Samuel L. Jackson and Queen Latifah. He showed his softer side in Poetic Justice (1993), which was billed as "A Street Romance." Shakur starred opposite Janet Jackson in the film. The following year, he played a drug dealer in the basketball drama Above the Rim.
Controversy
2Pac became quite a sensation, earning praise for his musical and acting talent as well as condemnation for his explicit, violent lyrics. Many of his songs told of fights, gangs, and sex. He appeared to be living up to his aggressive gangster rap persona with several arrests for violent offenses in the 1990s. In 1994, he spent several days in jail for assaulting director Allen Hughes and was later convicted of sexual assault in another case. Shakur himself fell victim to violence, getting shot five times in the lobby of a recording studio during a mugging.
The next year, after recovering from his injuries, Shakur was sentenced to four and a half years in prison in the sexual assault case. His third solo album, Me Against the World (1995), started out in the number one spot on the album charts. Many critics praised the work, noting that tracks like "Dear Mama" showed a more genuine, reflective side to the rapper. The possibility of an early death runs through several songs on this recordings - something that many have seen as a chilling moment of foretelling.
After serving eight months in prison, Shakur returned to music with the albumAll Eyez on Me (1996). He was reportedly released after Death Row Records CEO Marion "Suge" Knight paid a bond of more than $1 million as part of Shakur's parole. In his latest project, Shakur as the defiant street thug was back in full force on this recording. The song "California Love" featured a guest appearance by famed rapper-producer Dr. Dre and made a strong showing on the pop charts. "How Do You Want It" also was another smash success for Shakur. It appeared to be a golden time for Shakur.
Besides his hit album, Shakur continued to pursue his acting career. He landed several film roles around this time. He co-starred with Mickey Rouke in the 1996 crime drama Bullet. Before his untimely death, Shakur completed work on two other projects—Gridlock'd and Gang Related—that were released in 1997.
Violent Death
During his career, Shakur had become embroiled in a feud between East Coast and West Coast rappers. He was known to insult his enemies on his tracks. On a trip to Las Vegas to attend a boxing match, Shakur was shot while riding in a car driven by Knight on September 7, 1996. He died six days later, on September 13, 1996, from his injuries at a Las Vegas hospital. Shakur was only 25 years old at the time of his death, and his killer has never been caught. Since his death, numerous albums of his work have been posthumously released, selling millions of copies.
Shakur's life has inspired numerous books and theatrical productions, including the 2012 musical Holler If Ya Can Hear Me. That same year, he made a posthumous appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival with the help of technology. A 2-D image of the late rapper accompanied Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg during one of their performances at the California event. Shakur's return to the stage from beyond the grave stirred up a new wave of interest in his videos and his music.
Top 10 reasons Suge Knight killed 2pac
1. 2Pac was about to leave Death Row Records. His album entitled "Don Killuminati : The 7 Day Theory" was the last album he had to do for Death Row Records. He was now going to work on his new record company called "Makaveli Records". Makaveli Records is the the new record company 2Pac planned on doing with "Tha Outlaw Immortalz". (In 1995, Suge Knight bailed 2Pac out of jail with the contract of 2Pac doing a double album and single album for Death Row Records. His contract was done and that's why he was suddently leaving Death Row Records.)
2. Basicly in a follow-up from # 1... With 2Pac gone, Death Row Records wasn't going to make any money off 2Pac. So, if they killed 2Pac ; everything related to him would get them a whole lot of cash! And, they would now have all of his unreleased songs which they would release under their lable on soundtracks, compilation albums and possibly even new 2Pac albums. Plus, it gets rid of the competition they'd recieve from Makaveli Records.
3. Death Row Records was very uncooperative with the police after 2Pac's death. They hardly told the police anything! In many occasions, the police and newsreporters couldn't even find people on Death Row Records to question. Here's another interesting fact... ABC interviewed Suge Knight after the shooting of 2Pac. He was asked, "If you knew who killed 2Pac, would you tell the police?". Suge then replied "Absolutly Not".
4. If you know about "Makaveli Records", you know about The Outlaw Immortalz. They are the rappers who would be working with 2Pac on "Makaveli Records". Anywayz, one of the members who went by the name "kadafi" was reportedly going to cooperate with the police. Well, soon after the death of 2Pac he turns up dead. Hmmmm....
5. Have you noticed how Death Row Records now goes by the name "New & Untouchable". What's with that?? This name started being used when the Makaveli album came out... Why are they so suddeny untouchable???
6. Death Row Records could have also done a lot of this stuff you're about that's proving 2Pac is Alive. They could be doing this stuff for publicity. EX : They could have made up that whole 7 Day Theory stuff. (Refer to Alive List). And, I'm almost sure they put 2Pac on the cover of the Makaveli album posed as Jesus Christ for publicity.
7. Of course lets not forget the mysterious "Suge Shot Him". If you turn the volume way up...... In the first 3 seconds of the Makaveli album your hear someone say "Suge Shot Him". You hear the voice right before the first bell. I wonder about this though... Is it someone from Death Row Records who knew what was going on with Suge Knight killing him or was it just some publicity stunt for more album sales????
8. Okay... Lets talk about that night at the Tyson fight when 2Pac was shot... You've all probably heard about Orlando Anderson and how Suge got in a fight and was caught on survalance cameras. So, I won't get into that. Anywayz... I've heard a "rumor". I've heard Suge Knight was caught on surveilance cameras at the fight telling 2Pac to take off the vest 'cause it was hot in there. If this is true, why would Suge Knight not want 2Pac wearing his vest??? (This rumor was brought to my attention when talking with the owner of Cash's 2Pac Page.)
9. What about what Suge Knight did after 2Pac was shot? Well, as you know 2Pac was shot 5 times and Suge's head was grazed by a bullet. I've heard 2Pac said to Suge, "Don't worry about me. You're shot in the head". Anywayz, as 2Pac lost 22 ounces of blood Suge drove 2Pac to the hospital as fast as he could... When at the hospital Suge said he had a long conversation with 2Pac. But how?? Would you be talking after being shot 5 times and heavily bleeding... What's with that???
10. For # 10 I'll talk about the alive thoery. First of all, I've found a lot more reasons that prove 2Pac is alive. A lot of these could be publicity stunts or just coincedences. But there's more evidence that point to him being alive. It's really tough to make a desision. You gotta really think.... Would 2Pac spend thousands & thousands of dollars in faking his death to get all the eyez off him?? Also, would Suge Knight actually kill 2Pac for money?? Take the life of his "friend" for money??? You really gotta think.
NOTE : As for Suge Knight having possesion of all 2pac's unheard songs... 2pac's mom sued Death Row Records and won. She now has possesion of the tapes. Death Row Records can no longer make money off 2pac's music. All of 2Pac's unreleased singles will now be featured on new albums under the label "Amaru Records / Jive Records".
