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2Pac (Tupac)

Biography

2Pac became the unlikely martyr of gangsta rap, and a tragic symbol of the toll its lifestyle exacted on urban black America. At the outset of his career, it didn't appear that he would emerge as one of the definitive rappers of the '90s -- he started out as a second-string rapper and dancer for Digital Underground, joining only after they had already landed their biggest hit. But in 1991, he delivered an acclaimed debut album, 2Pacalypse Now, and quickly followed with a star-making performance in the urban drama Juice. Over the course of one year, his profile rose substantially, based as much on his run-ins with the law as his music. By 1994, 2Pac rivaled Snoop Dogg as the most controversial figure in rap, spending as much time in prison as he did in the recording studio. His burgeoning outlaw mythology helped his 1995 album Me Against the World enter the charts at number one, and it also opened him up to charges of exploitation. Yet, as the single "Dear Mama" illustrated, he was capable of sensitivity as well as violence. Signing with Death Row Records in late 1995, 2Pac released the double-album All Eyez on Me in the spring of 1996, and the record, as well as its hit single "California Love," confirmed his superstar status. Unfortunately, the gangsta lifestyle he captured in his music soon overtook his own life. While his celebrity was at its peak, he publicly fought with his rival, the Notorious B.I.G., and there were tensions brewing at Death Row. Even with such conflicts, however, 2Pac's drive-by shooting in September 1996 came as an unexpected shock. On September 13, six days after the shooting, 2Pac passed away, leaving behind a legacy that was based as much on his lifestyle as it was his music.

The son of two Black Panther members, Tupac Amaru Shakur was born in New York City. His parents had separated before he was born, and his mother moved him and his sister around the country for much of their childhood. Frequently, the family was at the poverty level, but Shakur managed to gain acceptance to the prestigious Baltimore School of the Arts as a teenager. While he was at the school, his creative side flourished, as he began writing raps and acting. Before he could graduate, his family moved to Marin City, CA, when he was 17 years old. Over the next few years, he lived on the streets and began hustling. Eventually, he met Shock-G, the leader of Digital Underground. The Oakland-based crew decided to hire him as a dancer and roadie, and as he toured with the group, he worked on his own material. 2Pac made his first recorded appearance on the group's spring 1991 record, This Is an EP Release, and he also appeared on their second album, Sons of the P. The following year, he released his own debut, 2Pacalypse Now. The album became a word-of-mouth hit, as "Brenda's Got a Baby" reached the R&B Top 30 and the record went gold. However, its blunt and explicit lyrics earned criticisms for moral watchdogs, and Vice President Dan Quayle attacked the album while he was campaigning for re-election that year.

Shakur's profile was raised considerably by his acclaimed role in the Ernest Dickerson film Juice, which led to a lead role in John Singleton's Poetic Justice the following year. By the time the film hit theaters, 2Pac had released his second album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., which became a platinum album, peaking at number four on the R&B charts and launching the Top Ten R&B hit singles "I Get Around" and "Keep Ya Head Up," which peaked at number 11 and 12, respectively, on the pop charts. Late in 1993, he acted in the basketball movie Above the Rim. Although Shakur was selling records and earning praise for his music and acting, he began having serious altercations with the law; prior to becoming a recording artist, he had no police record. He was arrested in 1992 after he was involved in a fight that culminated with a stray bullet killing a six-year-old bystander; the charges were later dismissed. 2Pac was filming Menace II Society in the summer of 1993 when he assaulted director Allen Hughes; he was sentenced to 15 days in jail in early 1994. The sentence arrived after two other high-profile incidents. In October of 1993, when he was charged with shooting two off-duty police officers in Atlanta. The charges were dismissed, but the following month, he and two members of his entourage were charged with sexually abusing a female fan. In 1994, he was found guilty of sexual assault. The day after the verdict was announced, he was shot by a pair of muggers while he was in the lobby of a New York City recordings studio. Shakur was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison on February 7, 1995.

Later that month, Shakur began serving his sentence. He was in jail when his third album, Me Against the World, was released in March. The record entered the charts at number one, making 2Pac the first artist to enjoy a number one record while serving a prison sentence. While he was in prison, he accused the Notorious B.I.G., Puffy Combs, Andre Harrell, and his own close friend Randy "Stretch" Walker of orchestrating his New York shooting. Shakur only served eight months of his sentence, as Suge Knight, the president of Death Row Records, arranged for parole and posted a 1.4 million dollar bond for the rapper. By the end of the year, 2Pac was out of prison and working on his debut for Death Row. On November 30, 1995 -- the one-year anniversary of the New York shooting -- Walker was killed in a gangland-styled murder in Queens.

2Pac's Death Row debut, All Eyez on Me, was the first double disc of original material in hip-hop history. It debuted at number one upon its February release, and would be certified quintuple platinum by the fall. Although he had a hit record and, with the Dr. Dre duet "California Love," a massive single on his hands, Shakur was beginning to tire of hip-hop and started to concentrate on acting. During the summer of 1996, he completed two films, the thriller Bullet and the dark comedy Gridlock'd, which also starred Tim Roth. He also made some recordings for Death Row, which was quickly disintegrating without Dre as the house producer, and as Knight became heavily involved in illegal activities.

At the time of his murder in September 1996, there were indications that Shakur was considering leaving Death Row, and maybe even rap, behind. None of those theories can ever be confirmed, just as the reasons behind his shooting remain mysterious. Shakur was shot on the Las Vegas strip as he was riding in the passenger seat of Knight's car. They had just seen the Mike Tyson-Bruce Seldon fight at the MGM Grand, and as they were leaving the hotel, 2Pac got into a fight with an unnamed young black man. The case was never solved, but it has been suggested that this was the cause of the drive-by shooting, and it has also been suggested that Knight's ties to the mob and to gangs were the reason; another theory is that the Notorious B.I.G. arranged the shooting as retaliation for 2Pac's comments that he slept with Biggie's wife, Faith Evans. Either way, Shakur was shot four times and was admitted to University of Nevada Medical Center. Six days later, he died from his wounds.

Hundreds of mourners appeared at the hospital upon news of his death, and the entire entertainment industry mourned his passing, especially since there were no leads in the case. Many believed his death would end the much-hyped East Coast/West Coast hip-hop rivalry and decrease black-on-black violence. Sadly, six months after his death, the Notorious B.I.G. was murdered under similar circumstances. As Shakur's notoriety only increased in the wake of his death, a series of posthumous releases followed, among them Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (issued under the alias Makaveli in 1996), R U Still Down? (Remember Me) (1997), Still I Rise (1999), Until the End of Time (2001), and Better Dayz (2002). ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Continued…

Selected Discography

Nu Mixx Klazzics Vol. 2 (Evolution: Duets And Remixes) (Explicit)
2007

Pac's Life (Explicit)
2006

The Rose, Vol. 2 (Explicit)
2005

2Pac Live (Explicit)
2004

Loyal To The Game (Explicit)
2004

Nu-Mixx Klazzics (Explicit)
2003

Resurrection (Explicit)
2003

Better Dayz (Explicit)
2002

Until The End Of Time
2001

Beginnings - The Lost Tapes: 1988-1991 (Explicit)
2000

Greatest Hits (Explicit)
1998

All Eyez On Me (Explicit)
1996

terrenceferg u s o n m f b says:

09-03-2008

i want to find the C D with the song violent the album is 2pacolipes now

isabel-macia s 7 4 says:

09-02-2008

Pac is the true real BigMac out there in this hype rap/hip-hop game ever...real peps last long...TUPAC

erjo.cruz says:

09-02-2008

Tupac will forever be leading the rap game. There is no rapper out there right now that does it like he did...true skill.

bonna261 says:

09-02-2008

how could anyone be happy about a man death hopefully your death want be soon!!!cts

eezloan says:

09-01-2008

If by "closet gay nigga" cts means one of the most creative, fire-spittin g , progressive late 20th century revolutionar y musicians to ever put his mouth to a mic, a guy that could give two f**ks about a silly comment like that of cts, then sure, he was a "closet gay nigga."

jonestown200 6 says:

08-29-2008

Tupac was and is still the greatest with albums still coming out sfter his death. He always had a messgae somewhere in his music.

eugene0922 says:

edited on 08-29-2008

That was a good song for there in that year in the past in this station is all I know.

cts says:

08-28-2008

I hate 2pac. I swear he was a closet gay nigga. its obvious he was raised by his mom and had no manly influence. glad hes dead

eugene0922 says:

edited on 08-28-2008

That was a good song in that year is all.

Dearquise Lamone Hines says:

08-19-2008

4 YOU IDIOTS who listen to so called real music.2Pac does make you think Brenda's gotta baby,keep ya head up,Thugs cry,uncondit i o n a l love and many more.Yall deaf if you cant hear facts in every thing the man said.you betta off dead point blank .

crystal says:

08-19-2008

Wasn't Tupac supposed to come back? Anyway much love to ya Tupac!

THE ONE says:

08-19-2008

THIS NUKKA DA S**TS F**K ALL YA HATERS!!!!!

cdogg2513 says:

08-18-2008

FUK ALL YALL .THUG LIFE AND THATS THAT ............ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

kyle_bogart says:

08-14-2008

Omari...don' t be ridiculous, Dre started this with NWA well before 2pac was around. To say there wouldn't be Dre without 2pac is both ridiculous and completely untrue. You're either too young to know what you're talking about or you're missing what's right in front of your face. I listed to real hip hop...the Roots, De La, etc. Rappers who actually make you think, which is why you probably don't listen to them.

chiconyaw says:

08-14-2008

2Pac will allways be the best R.I.P. YHWH see you at the resurrection .
http://megah o t b a r g a i n s . n e t

omari1stmass a g e says:

edited on 08-14-2008

kyle bogart your a fan of artist like Vanilla Ice and wanna be rappers like that. As for your opinion on 2Pac changing up on women with uplifting rap like KEEP YOUR HEAD UP! then changing up with club banger like I GET AROUND! you can't relate. Your a lame a.. mark who has not had a girlfriend or a homegirl your so alone you wish you could relate. Go find Vanilla Ice and work on his next album.

omari1stmass a g e says:

edited on 08-14-2008

For those who don't know what 2Pac meant to gangsta rap music if there were no 2Pac then there would not be any 50cent,Game, Dr. Dre and the list goes on... Whoever this lame trying to disrespect 2Pac saying he was not the greatest rapper of gangsta rap needs your a.. kicked. He was so influencial that his poetry has been used on college campuses across the country for his literary style and metaphors. Your an idiot to even attempt to uses his personal trials and challenges to discribe his music

kyle_bogart says:

08-13-2008

2pac is the most over rated rapper ever...he wasn't a poet, he was a hypocrite who told women to keep their heads up one minute, then is saying they ain't ish in the next breath. He's not a great man, he's not a poet, and he shouldn't be a hero. He's an alright rapper at best

Edwin Castaneda Cuevas says:

08-11-2008

2pac is, was, and still be the best influence to most people back before his shooting I hope that he rests in peace since he's still the best or the old school

LULU says:

08-11-2008

....2PAC WAS AND STILL THAT BEST...EVER. . . H E WAS MORE THAN A RAPPER: HE WAS A POET,A LIDER,A LOVER AND YET A GAISTA..AND WHAT I LOVE THAT MOST ABOUT HIM IS THE HE SING TO EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY... . L I K E FOR LADIES,AND B**CHES TO LOVE AND MOONEY TO HIS MAMA ,TO HIS FRIENDS,ABOU T LIFE IN THE GUEETO, TO THAT GOVERMENT AND THEIR TWISTED RULES CALL LAW..JUST THAT BEST.

firenzaxxx says:

08-10-2008

Just another dumb thug that got capped. Dre made 2pac what he was and that's all there is to it.

valerierlope z 4 2 0 says:

08-07-2008

lets see here after i heard alot of his music i real lized he's a really good poet and he knows whst hes talking about, also that he feels for others and makes them feel like they don't have to stress about the lil s**t theres biger fish to frie. he will always be remembered and loved R.I.P makavelle. lots of love to you and yours.

letesshab200 4 says:

08-07-2008

All I can say is that he was a great man and he will be missed, and I loved him.

tutu1121 says:

edited on 08-06-2008

tupac is da realiest that eva did it! he killed enyone who had somthin to say on the mic. when he went on gay-z i mean j-z, j couldnt come back wit s**t but he is better than tupac? thats bullshit. Biggie couldnt even come back wit s**t. his big a** was shook.

larservice6 says:

08-05-2008

every rapper today is tryin to copy his style

jnatro5 says:

08-05-2008

yall get off PAC"s nuts ...u f*gs!

TREMOR says:

08-04-2008

his 1 of the greatest rappers of all time no doubt!!!

lilrockerbab e 2 1 1 says:

08-04-2008

I agree with Tray Coop. For sure.

Tray Coop says:

edited on 08-04-2008

Like it or not, He was and still is the most influencial cat to ever spit over a microphone. He touched the lives of different generations, cultures and communities . He could make you fell his pain, rage, confusion, love, passion and hope in a way no other emcee has ever done it. That was his most amazing talent....

nosaM says:

08-02-2008

Not only a great hip hop artist, but one of the greatest street poets of our time. His music lives on, but he is sorely missed.

afattorini says:

08-02-2008

best rapper ever bige sux the only reason most people like em is cause of pdiddy and he never even had a single that was his own song.

dawn.allen says:

08-01-2008

OMG!! The BEST rap diss EVER!! HANDS DOWN!! Hit Em Up!! R.I.P

cdogg2513 says:

08-01-2008

thug for life on death row records "fuk suge"

sofiamsmith says:

07-31-2008

The GREATEST Rap Artist EVER!!!!!!

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