The Life of 2pac Shakur

Essay by bri1232001High School, 11th gradeA+, September 2004

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Many people know of Tupac Shakur's musical talent but few know of his talent as an actor, and the true story of his death. Tupac showed his talent at the age of 12 with his songs and poetry. Tupac also faced very hard times, he was shot five times in a robbery and amazingly recovered, he was accused of sexual assault and brought to a court of law, and on September 13, 1996 Tupac was shot and killed. Even after his death Tupac's record label is still releasing his previously recorded tracks.

In 1971 a woman named Afeni Shaker, a member of the Black Panther party, is arrested and charged with conspiracy to bomb a number of public places in New York. While out on bail Afeni met a fellow Black Panther member named Billy Garland. Months later Afeni is acquitted of all charges and released from jail. A short time after Lesane Parish Crooks is born.

Lesane's name was soon after changed to Tupac Shakur by his mother. The name Tupac Shakur was Arabic for "Shining Serpent, Thankful to God." Tupac's father Billy Garland was not present at Tupac's birth and isn't a part of his life until nearly twenty years later, but Afeni moved in with Mutulu Shakur who became the father of Tupac's half sister Sekyiwa and his half brother Mopreme. Tupac came to accept Mutula as his father.

The Shakur family moved between the Bronx and Harlem and sometimes was forced to stay homeless shelters just to have a place to sleep. At twelve years old Tupac joined a theater group in Harlem. In his performance, Tupac played Travis in Lorraine Hansberry's play, "A Raisin in the Sun." In 1985 the family moved to Baltimore, Maryland. In Baltimore Tupac attended the, "Baltimore School for the...