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2PAC

Artist profile

Tupac Amaru Shakur a.k.a. 2Pac, Makaveli

Born: June 16, 1971 in New York City, New York, U.S.
Died: September 13, 1996 in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.

Years active: 1988 - 1996

“For every dark night, there’s a brighter day”

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.

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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.

JUICE, from left: Omar Epps, Tupac Shakur, 1992. Paramount/courtesy Everett Collection

JUICE, from left: Omar Epps, Tupac Shakur, 1992. Paramount/courtesy Everett Collection

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. Shakurwas 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.

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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 | Allmusic) Official site: 2Pac

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Discography

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Movies

Last Man Standing: Suge Knight and the Murders of Biggie and Tupac

Last Man Standing: Suge Knight and the Murders of Biggie and Tupac

Last Man Standing takes a look at Death Row and how L.A.’s street gang culture had come to dominate its business workings, as well as an a...

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Tupac: Resurrection

Tupac: Resurrection

Home movies, photographs, and recited poetry illustrate the life of Tupac Shakur, one of the most beloved, revolutionary, and volatile hip-h...

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Tupac Assassination Conspiracy Or Revenge

Tupac Assassination Conspiracy Or Revenge

Tupac: Assassination is a documentary film about the unsolved murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. The film is produced by Frank Alexander (Tupac'...

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Biggie & Tupac

Biggie & Tupac

In 1997, rap superstars Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace (aka Biggie Smalls, The Notorious B.I.G.) were gunned down in separate incident...

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Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel

Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel

Documentary examining the politics, music, and life of Tupac Shakur....

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Poetic Justice

Poetic Justice

Still grieving after the murder of her boyfriend, hairdresser Justice writes poetry to deal with the pain of her loss. Unable to get to Oakl...

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Gridlock'd

Gridlock'd

After a friend overdoses, Spoon and Stretch decide to kick their drug habits and attempt to enroll in a government detox program. Their effo...

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The Life and Death of Tupac Shakur

The Life and Death of Tupac Shakur

Tupac Shakur endures as one of hip-hop's most iconic figures and its most potent enigma - he elevated rap, changing it from a passing trend ...

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Gang Related

Gang Related

Two corrupt cops have a successful, seemingly perfect money making scheme- they sell drugs that they seize from dealers, kill the dealers, a...

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Bullet

Bullet

A tough, Jewish ex-con just released from prison crosses a powerful drug dealer and former prison rival in his return to a life of crime....

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Juice

Juice

Four Harlem friends -- Bishop, Q, Steel and Raheem -- dabble in petty crime, but they decide to go big by knocking off a convenience store. ...

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Tupac: Live at the House of Blues

Tupac: Live at the House of Blues

Tupac Shakur’s final performance, the July 4, 1996 concert at the House of Blues. Tupac: Live at The House of Blues is an all out hip hous...

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You're Watching Video Music Box

You're Watching Video Music Box

The untold story of the world’s longest running video show, Video Music Box. A hip hop mainstay since 1983, VMB gave a platform to artists...

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Welcome to Death Row

Welcome to Death Row

The record label Death Row Records has, since its creation in 1993, been synonymous with the American hip-hop climate. Formed by ex-bodyguar...

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Above the Rim

Above the Rim

Story of a promising high school basketball star and his relationships with two brothers, one a drug dealer and the other a former basketbal...

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Tupac Uncensored and Uncut: The Lost Prison Tapes

Tupac Uncensored and Uncut: The Lost Prison Tapes

As Tupac's interviewer announces, 'Tupac, this interview is not about your trial, or your court appeals it is about Tupac, the inner man, th...

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Death Row Uncut

Death Row Uncut

Between 1993 (with the release of Dr. Dre's The Chronic) and 1996 (when 2Pac dropped both All Eyez on Me and The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day ...

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Hyperfate

Hyperfate

An interstellar exploration of rap stardom told through digital artifacts, personal memories and cosmic reveries....

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Who Killed Biggie and Tupac?

Who Killed Biggie and Tupac?

25 years of contempt, controversy, and conspiracy all lead to the same single question: who killed Biggie and Tupac? Now, with exclusive int...

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Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’

Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’

A provocative look into the seven-year history of the series that gave hip hop a voice and broke color barriers, integrating MTV with rap. "...

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Nothing but Trouble

Nothing but Trouble

While attempting to seduce gorgeous lawyer Diane Lightson, wealthy gadabout Chris Thorne agrees to drive her to Atlantic City, N.J. But, whe...

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Fame Kills - Tupac

Fame Kills - Tupac

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Ice Cube: The Making of a Don

Ice Cube: The Making of a Don

A true-life tale of the Great American Dream, this movie showcases one man's rise from the streets of South Central L.A. to the hills of Hol...

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Tupac: Live at Club 662

Tupac: Live at Club 662

This special film brings a live performance by Tupac Shakur from the never before seen show at Club 662 in Las Vegas. Filmed on October 12th...

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Who Killed Tupac?

Who Killed Tupac?

“Who Killed Tupac?” is a six-hour limited series, focusing on the investigation, twenty years after the death of the prolific and influe...

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Tupac Vs.

Tupac Vs.

In Tupac Vs., director Ken Peters has assembled a compelling portrait of controversial hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur, featuring never-before-see...

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One Night in Vegas

One Night in Vegas

On the evening of Sept. 7, 1996, Mike Tyson, the WBC heavyweight champion, attempted to take Bruce Seldon’s WBA title at the MGM Grand in ...

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And You Don't Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop

And You Don't Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop

The film documents the development of hip hop culture since its inception in the 1970s. With interviews from various figures in the communit...

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Murder Rap: Inside the Biggie and Tupac Murders

Murder Rap: Inside the Biggie and Tupac Murders

Two of the most notorious unsolved cases in the history of American crime – the murders of renowned rap stars Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smal...

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American Dream/American Knightmare

American Dream/American Knightmare

Documentary that delves deep into the life and storied exploits of the iconic Death Row Records co-founder Suge Knight, as well as the volat...

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Beef

Beef

A documentary on the evolution of MC battles from verbal one-upmanship to street warfare....

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Hip Hop Don't Stop

Hip Hop Don't Stop

This film gives us the definitive chronicle of hip-hop from its beginnings. See the evolution of music with vintage footage, live performanc...

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Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme

Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme

From neighborhood ciphers to the most notorious MC battles, "Freestyle: the Art of Rhyme" captures the electrifying energy of improvisationa...

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Snoop Doggy Dogg: Smokefest 1996 Tour Video

Snoop Doggy Dogg: Smokefest 1996 Tour Video

Home made documentary (by Snoop Dogg) about Snoop Dogg and several other rappers and friends in day to day activities during 1996 tour....

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Tupac Shakur: Thug Immortal

Tupac Shakur: Thug Immortal

THUG IMMORTAL is an intimate look at Tupac's life told through never-before-seen footage and interviews with his close friends, revealing an...

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Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell

Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell

Christopher Wallace, AKA The Notorious B.I.G., remains one of Hip-Hop’s icons, renowned for his distinctive flow and autobiographical lyri...

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Tupac Shakur: Clinton Correctional Facility Prison Interview

Tupac Shakur: Clinton Correctional Facility Prison Interview

Tupac's Interview in Clinton Correctional Facility Prison. Approximate date is September - October 1995. He mentions having just signed to D...

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Tupac Shakur: Before I Wake

Tupac Shakur: Before I Wake

A look back on Tupac's final years through the eyes of Tupac's personal bodyguard, Frank Alexander. Featuring never-before-seen footage....

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