Until the End of Time When you're watching MTV or any other music channel you see many rappers but Tupac Shakur was different. In many people's eyes he was more than a rapper he was an idol. Many people still think he is alive even though he was killed in 1996. Tupac was just a boy growing up in the hood but he discovered he was good at writing poetry. He decided to use his skills in poetry to make a living. Tupac's music and poetry changed many people's lives, but how? Tupac Amaru Shakur was born on June 16, 1971 in a New York hospital. He was born to Afeni Shakur and Billy Garland (Biography 1). Tupac's real name was Lesane Parish Crooks but Afeni changed it when he was born (Timeline 1). Tupac's family lived in New York City. They often moved from the Bronx to Harlem, living in different shelters.
Tupac Shakur at Madame Tussaud's New York
Tupac Shakur
“www.paolochiasera.org/paolochiasera.org/tupac_1...In 1983 Legs, a drug dealer, came to live with Tupac's family. Legs introduced Afeni to crack. Tupac claimed Legs as his father since he never met his real father. That same year Tupac enrolled in the 127th Street Ensemble, a Harlem theater group. He made his acting debut in A Raisin in the Sun. In 1986 Tupac's family moved to Baltimore. There, Tupac went to the Baltimore School of Arts. He studied acting and ballet. At that time Tupac wrote his first rap song. He went under the name MC New York. In June of 1988, Tupac and his family moved again to Marin City, California. Tupac went to Tampalais High School but dropped out. Later on in life he got a general equivalency diploma. Tupac left his home and moved in with a friend. He started selling drugs and writing poetry and music (Biography 1).
In 1988 Tupac's music career finally started. His first manager was Leila Steinberg. Tupac then formed a group called Strictly Dope with five other members. One member was Ray Luv. Strictly Dope recorded an album with TNT Records but it was never released. Steinberg introduced Tupac to Shock-G of Digital Underground. In 1990, Tupac auditioned to join Digital Underground. Shock-G made him a roadie and a dancer. The members of Digital Underground gave Tupac the nickname, Rebel of the Underground. In 1991 Tupac got to rap on Digital Underground's song "Same Song". That song was featured on their album This is an EP Release. Also in 1991 he released his first album, 2Pacalypse. One hit from that album was "Brenda's got a Baby". It went to number three on rap charts. In 1993 Tupac released his second album, Strictly 4 My N. I. G. G. A. Z. Some hit songs off that album were "Keep Ya Head Up" and "I Get Around". Also in 1993 Tupac and his stepbrother, Mopreme, formed the group Thug Life. Other members were Rated R, Big Syke, and Macadoshis. In 1994, Tupac released Thug Life Volume 1. It featured the hits "How Long Will They Mourn Me" and "Pour Out a Little Liquor". In 1995 he released Me Against the World. It debuted at number one with the hit "Dear Mama". Also in 1995 he signed a contract to join Death Row Records. He also released another album, All Eyez on Me, that same year. It was the first double CD rap album. One hit from that album was "California Love". In 1996 he formed the group, Outlawz. He also released the album, The Don Killuminati: The 7-Day Theory. It was released after he died. Tupac died on September 13, 1996 at 4:03 PM from being shot in Las Vegas. In 1997 R U Still Down was released. His greatest hits album was released in 1998 with four unreleased songs. Tupac and Outlawz's, Still I Rise, album was released in December of 1999 (Biography 1-2). In 2001 the double album Until the End of Time was released and went to number one (Timeline 2).
Tupac also had a movie career. In 1991 he auditioned for a role in the movie, Juice. He was expecting a small role but ended up getting the role of Bishop, a major role. Bishop was psychotic, insecure, violent, and short-tempered (Biography 1). Tupac got rave reviews for his performance in Juice even thought the movie had mixed reviews (Tupac Shakur 2). In 1993, he filmed Poetic Justice with Janet Jackson. He was asked to take an AIDS test but he wouldn't take it. For that reason Janet got scared and changed her phone number to avoid him (Biography 1). The movie Poetic Justice got poor reviews but Tupac again had rave reviews (Tupac Shakur 3). In 1994 he could only get a role in Above the Rim because he had troubles with the law (Biography 1). He also sang on that soundtrack (Timeline 2).
Tupac had many run ins with the law. In 1991 he was stopped by police for jaywalking in Oakland. He filed a ten million dollar lawsuit against the Oakland Police for brutality. On August 22, 1992 Tupac and some of his friends had a bad confrontation with a group of street acquaintances. It resulted in a six-year-old getting shot in the head. The weapon that shot the boy was traced to Tupac's stepbrother, Mopreme. In March of 1993 Tupac's limo driver accused him of using drugs in the limo. Tupac was arrested but the charges were later dropped. Later that year he got ten days of jail for swinging a baseball bat at other rappers. On October 31, 1993 he was arrested in Atlanta for shooting two off duty cops. The cops then turned and released fire on him. Tupac said he tried not to hit the two wives of the cops. In 1994 Tupac stormed off the set of a Hughes Brothers music video in Las Angeles. He then went after the Bothers with a baseball bat. He got 15 days in prison for that incident. Also in 1994, he went to Quad Recording Studios in New York City to record a song with Little Shawn. When he entered the building he was shot five times for taking 50,000 dollars worth in jewelry. He went to the hospital but he released himself the next day. Also that day he went on trial for sexual assault. Allegedly one of Tupac raped a 20-year-old woman in a hotel room. He was accused of sexual abuse and sentenced four and a half years in prison. While in prison he married Keisha Morris. He was bailed out of prison for one million dollars by Suge Knight, owner of Death Row Records (Biography 1-2).
There was also many books released about Tupac. Books about him sold better than books about any other rapper. Tupac also had poetry books released. Those sold because he wrote from his soul and the reader felt that Tupac was in their head. In his poetry books you could sense intellect and rage on how he was beaten down on by society. The hip-hop community wouldn't read a book unless it was real and raw. Tupac's books were real and raw (Fleming 2).
In 1998 a stage version of Tupac's life was made in remembrance. It was called "Judgement Day and The Search for the Invisible Man". It was based on interviews with Tupac. Tupac was played by Dirk Storm. It opened on September 25, 1998 at National Black Theatre in Harlem, New York City. The organizer hoped the musical to tour (Tupac Shakur Lives on in Musical 1).
Tupac had a positive and negative impact on people's lives. He had a negative impact because some people were crazy and started killing people saying Tupac's songs had influenced them. In 1992, 19 year old Ronal Ray Howard shot a Texas Trooper. He said Tupac's song "Souljah's Song" inspired him to do it (Biography 1). Also in 1994, two Milwaukee teens killed a cop. They too said "Souljah's Song" was their inspiration (Timeline 1). Vice-President Dan Quayle said that Tupac's CDs should be pulled off store shelves because of incidents like that (Tupac Shakur 2).
Tupac also had a positive impact on people's lives. Many people loved Tupac's music. People liked his music because he rapped about jealousy, pain, deceit, love, and rage. He also rapped about drinking and parties like most other rappers but he mostly rapped about growing up and tough times (Baker 1). Monique Patterson, editor at St. Martin's Press said "The music appeals to young people because it speaks candidly to their daily experiences and identity and interprets them in a larger concept."(Fleming 2) Also Pricilla Ochoa, a Long Beach, California resident said "I'm not really into Nelly and Jay-Z because all they talk about is being rich. I can't relate to that"æ.Tupac has songs that are about being a player, but a lot of his songs are about his life and what he went through, which is why I think people can relate to him."(Baker 1) People can relate to his music. People can realize they aren't the only ones who went through tough times. After Tupac died he launched into pop icon status. It's like a cult popped up. They believe he's still alive (Alexander 1). DJ Hi-Teck said, "He died too early, right at his peak. That's why I fell people can't let him go. Now that he's gone, people are embracing him more than ever because he was really saying something."(Baker 1) Tupac is compared to Elvis Presley. Fans still think both of them are still alive. They both inspired people. Tupac and Elvis became legendary in their genres. Tupac's career changed many people's lives positively and negatively. His music caused death and hope for a better life. Tupac's death reminds us that there is a possibility of our own fall.
Tupac Shakur Legacy book cover.
Dear Mama
Loyal to the Game