EARLY LIFE
Tupac Amaru Shakur was born Lesane Parish Crooks on June 16,1971 in Harlem,New York City,New York,U.S.His mother changed his name a year later from Lesane Parish Crooks to Tupac Amaru Shakur.She named him after Tupac Amaru II,a 18th Century Peruvian Revolutionary.
His parents were Afeni Shakur(1947-2016) and Billy Garland,who were both active members of the Black Panther Party of the late 1960s and early 1970s.Tupac had a stepbrother,Mopreme Shakur,and a half-sister,Sekyiwa Shakur born 1973.
SCHOOL
In 1986 Pac’s family moved from New York to Baltimore,Maryland where Tupac transferred to the Baltimore School For The Arts He studied and excelled in acting,poetry,jazz and ballet.
In 1988 Pac and his family moved from Baltimore to Marin City,California where he attended Tamalpas High School and contributed greatly to the school’s drama department.
CAREER BEGINNINGS.
In 1989 Tupac met Leila Steinberg,who organized a concert where Pac had a performing group called ‘Strictly Dope‘.Leila would later become his manager.
Tupac’s professional career took off in the early 1990s when he joined Digital Underground and debuted in Digital Underground’s ‘Same Song‘.
In November 1991 Tupac released his debut solo album called 2Pacalypse Now which had an underground feel.
TUPAC DISCOGRAPHY
His 2nd studio album was called Strictly For My N.I.G.G.A.Z released Feb 1993.
His 3rd Studio album was Me Against The World released March 1995.
His 4th studio album was All Eyez On Me released Feb 1996
His 5th album was The 7 Day Theory released Nov 1996,two months after his death.
TUPAC FILMOGRAPHY.
Juice 1992
Poetic Justice 1993
Above The Rim 1994
Bullet 1996
Gridlock’d 1997
Gang Related 1997.
ARTISTRY
His music was rooted in American,African-American and World entities such as the Black Liberation Army.
As a poet he was influenced by William Shakespeare
His music was ‘protest music’-plus he was unafraid to write about his vulnerabilities.
PERSONAL LIFE
Tupac wasnt religious but believed in God.
He married Keisha Morris in April 1995 divorced March 1996.
Tupac was friends with Mike Tyson,Jim Carrey,Marlon Wayans,Rosie Perez,Chuck D ….
Tupac’s favourite colour was green.
He had a tattoo across his stomach bearing the words THUGLIFE which he said meant ‘The Hate You Give Little Infants Fucks Everybody’
Tupac studied Philosophy,Philosophy Of War & Military Strategy while in prison in 1995.
Last known photo of Tupac Shakur
DEATH
Tupac was shot 4 times while driving on a Las Vegas strip with his boss Marion ‘Suge’ Knight on September 7 1996..he was rushed to the hospital where he stayed for 6 days and pronounced dead on September 13,1996 at 4:03am.
The official cause of his death was due to respiratory failure.
LEGACY.
Tupac is an international martyr.He helped elevate rap from a crude street fad to a complex art form,setting the stage for the current global hiphop phenomenon.
His death left a ‘leadership void’ amongst hiphop artists.
Tupac was a prolific artist who was driven by a terrible sense of urgency in a quest to unify mind,body and spirit.
Tupac’s fans have succeeded in resurrecting him as an ethereal life force.
Source : Tha Spectacular Virtual Library (an affiliate of MMG Kenya🇰🇪)
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