Tupac Amaru Shakur

Tupac was born on June 16th, 1971 to Afeni Shakur and Billy Garland in East Harlem, New York City. He was born into a family in which was notorious for their brushes with the law, which means violence was nothing new to him. The rapper, poet, and actor has sold 75 million albums to date, which makes him one of the top selling artists of all time.

Tupac began his music career to convey messages about injustices endured by African Americans. At the beginning of his career, he worked for the alternative hip hop group called the Digital Underground as a roadie and a backup dancer. He then went on to releasing his solo debut “2Pacalypse Now” which became very popular due to the violent nature of its lyrics. As he boomed in the music industry, he had also began to pursue a acting career by starring in movies such as Juice, Poetic Justice and many more. Unfortunately, on September 13, 1996 Tupac passed away due to a drive by shooting. Decades after his death, Tupac still remains one of the most recognizable and talented voices in the hip hop industry.

## Music

Tupac shakur was one of the most influential figures of his time. He used his platform to bring awareness about several societal issues in which were occurring within the 90s. For example, Shakur’s song *Trapped* had touched upon what it’s like living in a black community at his time. He talked about stereotypes, injustices, perceptions, and his reality. This song caught the attention of it’s listeners because it was completely relatable to those who were living Shakur’s reality as well.

Other well known songs including *Brenda’s Got a Baby*, *Holler If Ya Hear Me*, *Keep Your Head Up*, *Changes*, and *Dear Mama* were a few of the many songs that created conversation within communities during that time period. Shakur was the voice for many people who were too afraid to speak up.

## Death Row Records

When Tupac was released from prison in October 1995 and formed a group called Outlaw Immortalz, he had joining the Death Row label under which he released his most well known single “California Love.” On February 1996 Tupac released his fourth album “All Eyez on Me” which was two out of the three-album commitment that he agreed to while signing to Death Row.

## Death

Tupac Shakur died on September 13, 1996 six days after he was shot in a Las Vegas drive-by shooting. He was 25 years old. The shooting had occurred at around 11pm when the car that Tupac was in stopped at a red light. He was hit twice in the chest, in his arm and in his thigh.

Some people suspect that the motive behind the shooting was due to the beating of a Compton gang member which resides with the Southside Crips by Tupac a couple hours prior. The main suspect that was being looked at was Orlando Anderson who was the gang member that Tupac had previously attacked.Unfortunately while cops were looking into the case Anderson was killed two years later in an unrelated gang shooting. Recently, rapper Keefe D came forward and confessed to knowing who killed Tupac. However, Keefe refuses to name the shooter due to “street code.”

## Albums & Release Dates

* 2Pacalypse Now - November, 1991
* Strictly 4 My Niggaz - February, 1993
* Me Against the World - March, 1995
* All Eyez on Me - February. 1996
* How Do U Want It - June 1996
* Don Killuminati: The Seven Day Theory - November 1996
* R U still Down? (Remember Me) - November, 1997
* Still I Rise - December, 1999
* Until the End of Time - March, 2001
* Better Dayz - November 2002
* Loyal to the Game - December 2004
* Pac’s Life - November, 2006

## Top 10 Billboard Songs

* Stop The Gunfight - 1997
* So Many Tears - 1995
* Do For Love - 1998
* Brenda’s Got A Baby/ If My Homie Calls - 1995
* I Get Around - 1993
* Smile - 1997
* Thugz Mansion -2003
* Keep Ya Head Up - 1993
* Dear Mama/ Old School - 1995
* How Do U Want It/ California Love - 1996

## Movies

* Nothing but Trouble - 1991
* Juice - 1992
* Poetic Justice - 1993
* About the Rim - 1994
* Murder Was the Case - 1995
* Bullet - 1996
* Gridlock’d - 1997
* Def Jam’s How to Be a Player - 1997