American rapper Tupac Amaru Shakur, who was shot four times 21 years ago, is commemorated. So who is Tupac Amaru Shakur? Why was Tupac killed?
The Life and Death of American Rap Legend Tupac Amaru Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur, one of the most important names of American rap music, died after being attacked with a gun in Las Vegas 21 years ago today. So who is Tupac Amaru Shakur? Why was he killed? Here is the life story of the rap legend…
Tupac Amaru Shakur's Childhood and the Beginning of his Music Career
Tupac Amaru Shakur was born on June 16, 1971 in New York. His mother, Afeni Shakur, was a black rights activist and member of the Black Panther Party. His father left the family shortly after Tupac's birth. Tupac lived in poverty with his mother and had to move house frequently.
Tupac was interested in music from an early age and began writing poems. In 1988, she entered the Baltimore School for the Arts, where she studied dance, theater and music. He became popular among his friends at school and started making rap music.
Moving to Oakland in 1990, Tupac joined the rap group Digital Underground and sang his first official song, Same Song. Tupac, who attracted attention with this song, released his first solo album 1991Pacalypse Now in 2. The songs on the album dealt with the problems experienced by black people, police violence, poverty and racism.
Film Career and Prison Days of Tupac Amaru Shakur
Tupac was successful not only in music but also in cinema. In 1992, he starred in the movie Juice and received praise from critics. In the same year, he starred with Janet Jackson in the movie Poetic Justice.
In 1993, he released his second album, Strictly 4 My NIGGAZ. Songs from the album, such as Keep Ya Head Up and I Get Around, became hits and increased Tupac's fame.
However, bad events also occurred in Tupac's life that same year. He was arrested for allegedly raping a woman and was sentenced to prison by the court. He was also attacked outside his New York studio and suffered five gunshot wounds. Tupac claimed that his former friend and rival rapper Biggie Smalls was behind this attack.
Tupac, who went to prison in 1995, released his album Me Against the World while he was there. The album hit number one on the charts and is considered Tupac's best album.
Tupac Amaru Shakur's Agreement with Death Row Records and His Death
While in prison, Tupac signed with Death Row Records owner Suge Knight. Suge Knight paid Tupac's bail, and Tupac agreed to produce three albums for the company. In 1996, Tupac released his album All Eyez on Me with Death Row Records. The album was released on double CD and sold over 10 million copies.
On September 7, 1996, Tupac went to Las Vegas to watch the boxing match between Mike Tyson and Bruce Seldon. After the match, he got into a fight and got into the car with Suge Knight to go to the nightclub Club 622. While they were stopped at a red light on the road, a white Cadillac approached them and Tupac was hit by four bullets. Tupac was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. He died on September 13, 1996, after a six-day struggle for life.
Tupac's death shocked the rap world. Tupac's killers were never caught and the real reason behind his death is still unknown. According to some theories, Tupac's death was a result of a rap war between the East Coast and West Coast. Others claim that Tupac was not actually dead and was in hiding.
Tupac Amaru Shakur continued to release albums after his death. Tupac, who has sold more than 75 million albums to date, is remembered as one of the most influential and most loved artists of rap music.
