Wikipedia

Tupac Shakur

American rapper (1971–1996)

Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996) was an American rapper and singer, also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, who sold many records. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2010.[1] Shakur began his career as a roadie, backup dancer, and MC for the alternative hip hop group Digital Underground as "MC New York". He eventually branched off as a solo artist.[2][3][4]

Tupac Shakur
Shakur, 1995
Born
Lesane Parish Crooks

(1971-06-16)June 16, 1971
New York City, U.S.
DiedSeptember 13, 1996(1996-09-13) (aged 25)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Cause of deathMurder (drive-by shooting)
Resting placeCremated, ashes given to family.:
Other names
  • 2Pac
  • Tupac
  • Pac
  • Makaveli
  • MC New York
EducationTamalpais High School
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
  • actor
  • activist
  • poet
Years active1989–1996
Spouse
Keisha Morris
​
​
(m. 1995; div. 1996)​
PartnerKidada Jones (1996)
Parents
Relatives
AwardsFull list
Musical career
OriginMarin County, California, U.S.
Genres
Labels
Formerly of
Websitewww.2pac.com Edit this at Wikidata
Signature

On June 7, 2023, Tupac was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[5]

Shakur was convicted of assault and sexual assault in separate incidents.[6]

In 2014, a biographical movie about Tupac was announced.[7][8]

Early life

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He was born as Lesane Crooks in East Harlem, New York. Crooks was later renamed Tupac Amaru Shakur after Túpac Amaru II, a ruler in Peru. His family later moved to Marin City, California when Tupac was 17. Tupac went to the Baltimore School for the Arts, where he found it interesting to read Shakespeare's poems. He got very affected by the beauty of rhyming, choosing the word and expression. He studied poetry, acting, jazz, and ballet.

Music career

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In 1990, Shakur joined with the Oakland, California-based alternative hip hop group Digital Underground. He appeared on two of the group's albums in 1991: This Is an EP Release and Sons of the P. Later that year he produced and released his first solo album, 2Pacalypse Now. The album protested problems such as racism, and made him much more popular.

His second album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., was released in 1993. It contained the hit singles "I Get Around" and "Keep Ya Head Up."

His third album, Me Against the World, was released in 1995. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. He was incarcerated (in prison) at the time.

His fourth album, All Eyez on Me (1996), was the last album released during his lifetime. All Eyez on Me included the Billboard Hot 100 number one singles "How Do U Want It?" and "California Love."

Shakur won the Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap Album in 1996 for ‘Me Against the World’. He received the American Music Award for the Favorite Rap/Hip Hop artist posthumously in 1997.

Several of Shakur's albums were released posthumously. It contained previously recorded material from when he was alive.

Assassination

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On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times in a drive-by shooting by someone in a Cadillac car at the intersection of Flamingo Road and Koval Lane in Las Vegas, Nevada.[9] He died six days later at the Southern Nevada University Medical Center.[10] His murder is still unsolved.[11]

Shakur's friend and labelmate from Death Row Records, Marion "Suge" Knight, was in the car with Shakur. Knight survived the shooting.[11]

In 1998, a prime suspect in Shakur’s murder, Orlando Anderson (aka Baby Lane) was killed in another drive-by shooting. Shakur once attacked Anderson. [source?]

In 2002, reporter Chuck Phillips wrote in the Los Angeles Times that another rapper called Biggie Smalls (The Notorious B.I.G.) could have paid members of the Crips street gang to kill Shakur and that he could have given them the gun.[11]

A suspect arrested in 2023

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On September 29, 2023, Duane "Keefe D" Davis was named as a suspect and was arrested by the Las Vegas Police Department in connection with the murder of Shakur.[12] Keefe D had previously admitted to killing Tupac on July 2, 2018 when he [thought that he was going to die soon, or] was dying from cancer.[13] A trial against Davis is scheduled to start in June 2024.[14]

There were four people in the car that was used by the suspects during the murder, according to the media. Three of the suspects are dead as of 2023.[15]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Released Album Peak chart

positions[16][17][18][19][20]

Certifications[21][22][23][24]
US 200 US R&B US CAN
November 12, 1991 2Pacalypse Now 64 13 Gold
February 16, 1993 Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. 24 4 Platinum
March 14, 1995 Me Against the World 1 1 5× Multi-Platinum
February 13, 1996 All Eyez on Me 1 1 10x Diamond. 42 Million copies sold Worldwide Platinum
November 5, 1996 The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (as Makaveli) 1 1 9x Platinum. 35 Million copies sold Worldwide Platinum

Studio albums after death

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Released Album Peak chart positions[20][25][26] Certifications[21][21][23]
U.S. U.S. R&B U.S. CAN
November 25, 1997 R U Still Down? (Remember Me) 2 1 6× Multi-Platinum
March 27, 2001 Until the End of Time 1 1 8× Multi-Platinum 4× Platinum
November 26, 2002 Better Dayz 5 1 2× Multi-Platinum 3× Platinum
December 14, 2004 Loyal to the Game 1 1 Platinum
November 21, 2006 Pac's Life 9 3 3× Multi-Platinum

Collaboration

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Album Artist Released Album Peak chart positions Certifications[21][27]
U.S. U.S. R&B U.S. CAN
Thug Life September 26, 1994 Thug Life: Volume 1 42 6 Gold
2Pac + Outlawz December 14, 1999 Still I Rise 6 2 Platinum Gold

Compilations

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Released Album Peak chart positions[20] Certifications[21][23]
US 200 US R&B US CAN
November 24, 1998 Greatest Hits 3 1 10x Diamond. 38.5 Million copies sold Worldwide Platinum
October 17, 2000 The Rose That Grew from Concrete 89 28
2003 The Prophet: The Best of the Works
October 7, 2003 Nu-Mixx Klazzics 15 5
August 6, 2004 2Pac Live 54 16
September 20, 2005 The Rose, Vol. 2
October 3, 2005 Live at the House of Blues 159 48
June 12, 2007 Beginnings: The Lost Tapes 1988-1991
August 14, 2007 Nu-Mixx Klazzics Vol. 2 45 8
December 4, 2007 Best of 2Pac 65 13

Soundtrack appearances

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Released Album Chart position RIAA Certification[28][29][30][31][32] Songs
June 29, 1993 Poetic Justice 23 Gold "Definition of a Thug Nigga"
March 22, 1994 Above the Rim 1 2× Multi-Platinum "Pour out a Little Liquor", "Pain"
August 15, 1995 The Show: The Soundtrack 4 Platinum "My Block"
November 7, 1995 One Million Strong 4 "Runnin'"
April 23, 1996 Sunset Park (soundtrack) 1 "High 'Til I Die "
January 17, 1997 Gridlock'd soundtrack 1 "Wanted Dead or Alive", "Out the Moon (Boom, Boom, Boom)", "Never Had a Friend Like Me", "Life's a Traffic Jam"
October 7, 1997 Gang Related soundtrack 1 2× Multi-Platinum "Life So Hard", "Starin' Through My Rear View", "Made Niggaz", "Lost Souls"
November 11, 2003 Tupac: Resurrection 2 Platinum "Runnin' (Dying to Live)", "One Day at a Time", "Ghost", "The Realist Killaz"

Singles

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Year Song Chart positions[33] Album RIAA Certification[34]
U.S. Hot 100 U.S. R&B U.S. Rap UK
1991 "Brenda's Got a Baby" — 23 3 — 2Pacalypse Now
"If My Homie Calls" — — 3 —
1992 "Trapped" — — — —
1993 "Holler If Ya Hear Me" — 110 — — Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.
"I Get Around" (featuring Digital Underground) 11 5 8 — Gold
"Keep Ya Head Up" 12 7 2 — Gold
1994 "Papa'z Song" (featuring Wycked) 87 82 24 —
"Cradle to the Grave" (featuring Thug Life) — 91 25 — Thug Life: Volume 1
"Pour Out a Little Liquor" (featuring Thug Life) — — — —
"How Long Will They Mourn Me?" (featuring Thug Life) — — — —
1995 "Dear Mama" 9 3 1 27 Me Against the World Platinum
"Can U Get Away" A — 70 — —
"So Many Tears" 44 21 6 —
"Temptations" 68 35 13 —
"Runnin' (Dying to Live)" (featuring The Notorious B.I.G. & Stretch) 81 57 13 15 One Million Strong
"California Love" (featuring Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman) 1 1 1 1 6 All Eyez on Me 5× platinum
"How Do U Want It" (featuring K-Ci and JoJo) 1 17
1996 "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" (featuring Snoop Dogg) A — 46 — —
"Hit 'Em Up" (featuring Outlawz) — — — — Greatest Hits
"All Bout U" (featuring Nate Dogg, Hussein Fatal & Yaki Kadafi) — — — — All Eyez on Me
"Life Goes On" — — — 15
"I Ain't Mad at Cha" (featuring Danny Boy) A 58 18 — 13
"Toss It Up" (featuring Danny Boy, K-Ci & JoJo and Aaron Hall) A — 34 — 15 The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
1997 "To Live & Die in L.A." — — — 10
"Hail Mary" A — 12 8 43
"I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto" 67 14 18 21 R U Still Down? (Remember Me)
"Do for Love" 21 10 2 12 Gold
1998 "Changes" 32 12 1 3 Greatest Hits
"Happy Home" — — — 17 Until the End of Time
1999 "Unconditional Love" — — — — Greatest Hits
2000 "Baby Don't Cry (Keep Ya Head Up II)" (featuring Tha Outlawz) 72 36 — — Still I Rise
2001 "Until the End of Time" (featuring R.L.) 52 21 — 4 Until the End of Time
"Letter 2 My Unborn" — 64 — 21
2002 "Thugz Mansion" (featuring Nas) 19 10 4 24 Better Dayz
2003 "Still Ballin (Nitty remix)" (featuring Trick Daddy) 69 31 15 —
"Runnin' (Dying to Live)" (featuring The Notorious B.I.G.) 19 11 5 17 Tupac: Resurrection
"One Day at a Time (Em's Version)" (featuring Eminem & Tha Outlawz) — 50 51 22 —
2004 "Thugs Get Lonely Too" (featuring Nate Dogg) 98 55 — — Loyal to the Game
2005 "Ghetto Gospel" (featuring Elton John) — — 1 1
2006 "Untouchable" (featuring Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony) — — — — Pac's Life
"Pac's Life" (featuring T.I. & Ashanti) — 104 — 21
2008 "Playa Cardz Right" (featuring Keyshia Cole) 63 9 —
  • A Did not chart on the Hot 100 or Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts (Billboard rules at the time prevented album cuts from charting). Chart peak listed here represents Hot 100 Airplay and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts data.
  • 1 Double-A-Side in the U.S.

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1991 Nothing But Trouble Himself (Brief appearance)
1992 Juice Bishop First starring role
1992 Drexell's Class Himself Season 1: "Cruisin'"
1993 A Different World Piccolo Season 6: "Homie, Don't You Know Me?"
1993 Poetic Justice Lucky Co-starred with Janet Jackson
1993 In Living Color Himself Season 5: "Ike Turner and Hooch"
1994 Above the Rim Birdie Co-starred with Duane Martin, Last movie before Shakur's death
1995 Murder Was the Case: The Movie Himself (Uncredited)
1996 Bullet Tank Released one month after Shakur's death
1997 Gridlock'd Ezekiel 'Spoon' Whitmore Released four months after Shakur's death
1997 Gang Related Detective Rodríguez Shakur's last performance in a movie
2003 Tupac: Resurrection Himself Official documentary film
2009 Notorious Himself (archive footage) Portrayed by Anthony Mackie
20?? Live 2 Tell Screenwriter (Written in 1995)[35]

References

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  1. ↑ O'Malley, Zack (November 1, 2010). "Tupac Shakur's Ghastly Halloween". Forbes. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
  2. ↑ Tupac Shakur – Thug Angel (The Life of an Outlaw). 2002.
  3. ↑ "Tupac Shakur". Hotshotdigital.com. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  4. ↑ Edwards, Paul, 2009, How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC, Chicago Review Press, p. 330.
  5. ↑ "Tupac Shakur posthumously receives star on Hollywood Walk of Fame". CBS News. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Bio". Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Tupac Biopic Set to Roll Film in Spring 2014". Billboard.
  8. ↑ "Tupac Shakur biopic to be filmed in 2014". Entertainment Weekly. September 20, 2013. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  9. ↑ Antonio Planas (April 7, 2011). "FBI outlines parallels in Notorious B.I.G., Tupac slayings". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
  10. ↑ Tupac Shakur's death certificate details Archived 2012-05-23 at Archive.today reported by Cathy Scott. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Famous Unsolved Crimes: The death of Tupac Shakur". CBS. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Man Tied to Suspected Shooter in Tupac Shakur's 1996 Killing Arrested in Las Vegas, AP Sources Say". Associated Press. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  13. ↑ "The 'Keffe D' Tapes: 10 Highlights of Confession From Gangster Who Says Sean Combs Hired Him to Kill Tupac". LA Weekly. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  14. ↑ https://pitchfork.com/news/trial-date-set-in-tupac-shakur-murder-case/. Retrieved 2023-11-09
  15. ↑ https://www.vg.no/rampelys/i/wAGqbL/tupac-siktet-i-retten-for-drap-var-shotcalleren. VG.no. Retrieved 2023-10-05
  16. ↑ "Discography entry for 2Pacalypse Now at Billboard.com". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 7, 2009. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  17. ↑ "Discography entry for Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. at Billboard.com". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 7, 2009. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  18. ↑ "Discotraphy entry for Me Against the World at Billboard.com". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 7, 2009. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  19. ↑ "Discography entry for All Eyez on Me at Billboard.com". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 7, 2009. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 allmusic (((2Pac > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums))). Allmusic. Accessed May 11, 2008.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 "RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for albums by Tupac Shakur". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on March 2, 2012. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  22. ↑ "RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for albums by Makaveli". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 "CRIA Gold and Platinum database". Archived from the original on January 11, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  24. ↑ http://www.hitemup.com/tupac/lawsuit-agnant.html Archived 2008-11-20 at the Wayback Machine (The official legal documents)
  25. ↑ "Discography entry for RU Still Down? (Remember Me) at Billboard.com". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 7, 2009. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  26. ↑ "Discography entry for Until the End of Time at Billboard.com". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 7, 2009. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  27. ↑ "RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for albums by Thug Life". Recording Industry Association of America.[permanent dead link]
  28. ↑ "RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for albums titled Poetic Justice". Recording Industry Association of America.[permanent dead link]
  29. ↑ "RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for albums titled Above the Rim". Recording Industry Association of America.[permanent dead link]
  30. ↑ "RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for albums titles The Show". Recording Industry Association of America.[permanent dead link]
  31. ↑ "RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for albums titled Gang Related". Recording Industry Association of America.[permanent dead link]
  32. ↑ "RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for albums titled Tupac Resurrection". Recording Industry Association of America.[permanent dead link]
  33. ↑ Artist Chart History Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine. Billboard. Accessed September 26, 2007.
  34. ↑ "RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for singles by Tupac Shakur. RIAA". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 11, 2008.[permanent dead link]
  35. ↑ alex (April 21, 2018). "Billboard biz". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 6, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2019.

Other websites

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