Tupac Shakur
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Tupac Shakur is an American rap artist dubbed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the World's Most Successful Rapper due to his massive album sales and his ability to confront social and national issues in his works. Thus, the name 2pac, Makaveli and Pac equates to one person that is everything from a rapper, actor, activist and poet.
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[edit] About
Born Tupac Amaru Shakur, on June 16, 1971, he was also later known as 2Pac, Makaveli and Pac. He lived with his family who moved their residence from one place to another, later on, he settles in California and lived his entire life there.
His career wasn't promising in any way as he started to be a second-string rapper and dancer in then famous group Digital Underground, since he joined the group after they already achieved their biggest hits. Two years later he surprises the audiences by releasing highly applauded album, 2pacalypse Now.
He became as controversial as he can be, attracting various legal troubles and lawsuits, similar to Snoop Doggy Dog who also had his trips to the prison and back. He manages to release Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.S and high selling album Me Against The World in a span of two years despite his legal conflicts and involvement. Truly an example of the passion for music!
Simultaneous with all the musical achievements, he was charged for sexually assaulting a woman in 1993, an accusation he denied terribly. He was shot 5 times in a Manhattan hotel before the guilty verdict was read. He became extremely paranoid and thought that the shooting was planned and nobody warned him. This controversial suspicion led to the East Coast-West Coast feud. He was remarked to be one of few artists to record an album while serving his life sentence. Marion "Suge" Knight, then CEO of Death Row Records bailed the rapper out in exchange for three album releases under the mentioned record label.
On September 7, 1996, Tupac’s marvelous career was ended via a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was shot badly and brought to the hospital in a critical condition. Five days following the shooting incident, Tupac dies of respiratory failure and cardiac arrest as declared by the hospital he was confined to.
Tupac’s creations were remarkable and so was his life; he dealt with poverty, racism and feuds with his fellow rappers. He conveys a message that pervades the listener’s minds towards racial equality, political and economic issues. His short stay in this world was well-spent, for he was able to communicate the bitter realities of his life.
[edit] Awards & Certifications
| Year | Awards |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Nominated: Favorite Rap/HipHop artist in the American Music Awards |
| 2002 | Tupac was inducted into the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame |
| 2003 | MTV's "22 Greatest MCs" countdown listed Tupac as the "number 1 MC", as voted by the viewers. |
| 2004 | at the VH1 Hip Hop Honors Tupac was honored along with DJ Hollywood, Kool Herc, KRS-One, Public Enemy, Run-DMC, Rock Steady Crew, and Sugarhill Gang. |
| 2004 | a VIBE magazine poll rated Tupac "the greatest rapper of all time" as voted by fans. |
| 2005 | Top Soundtrack Song of the Year: "Runnin' (Dying To Live)" from Tupac: Resurrection by Tupac featuring The Notorious B.I.G. at the 18th Annual [SCAP Rhythm and Soul Music Awards. |
| 2005 | MTV listed Tupac's The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (released under the pseudonym "Makaveli") as one of the "Top 10 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time. |
[edit] Chart Toppers
| Year | Title | US Billboard | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Keep ya head up | 14 | Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. |
| I get around | 11 | Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. | |
| 1995 | Dear Mama | 1 | Me against the world |
| 1996 | California love | 1 | All eyez on me |
| How do u want it | 1 | All eyez on me | |
| 1998 | Changes | 1 | Greatest Hits |
| 2002 | Thugz mansion | 1 | Better Dayz |
| Still ballin | 4 | Better Dayz |
[edit] News
[edit] Announcements
Tupacs latest album!
Loyal to the game was released in 2004, which containing tracks Tupac made before his untimely death in September of '96(Rap/Hip-Hop)!
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
 November 12,1991 |
 February 13,1993 |
 September 26,1994 |
 March 14,1995 |
 February 13,1996 |
 November 5,1996 |
 November 25,1995 |
November 24,1998 |
 December 14,1999 |
 March 27,2001 |
 November 26,2002 |
 November 11,2003 |
 December 14, 2004 |
November 21, 2006 |
[edit] Singles
 Released: February 13,1996 |
 Released: March 14,1995 |
Released: November 28,1998 |
 Released: November 26,2002 |
[edit] Compilation
 November 28,1998 |
 October 7,2003 |
[edit] Other artists
[edit] Similar artists
[edit] Influences
[edit] Contemporaries
[edit] Trivia
- He predicted that his and biggie's death months before the killings.
- 2Pac's mother and biggie's mother reconciled at the MTV awards despite all the controversy.
- He has been regarded as the No.1 emcee in MTV's Best emcee's Count down.
- His parents were both members of the Black Panther organization.
- His contract was about to be over with Death Row Records the year he died.
