Tupac's Continuing Legacy

by Monique Quarrles

The question for many people is "why"? Why were Biggie and Tupac shot? Why was there a major conflict between East Coast and West Coast? All this drama led to only one thing: death. Death comes to all, but it doesnt have to be so soon. In sunny Las Vegas in 1996, we lost one of the most talented and passionate rap artists of all time.

Tupac Shakur was born on June 16, 1971 in Brooklyn, New York. His mother, a member of the Black Panthers, had been incarcerated while pregnant for taking part in a bombing. Tupac spent his early years in Harlem where he acted and wrote poetry for a Harlem theater group. When his family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, in 1986, he attended the Baltimore School of Performing Arts where he wrote his first raps under the alias 'MC New York.'

Later he moved to California where he was raised, and became the man that we now remember as '2Pac.' While he was in California, he started hanging around with different kinds of people, and he began his professional rap career. In 1991, his debut album, 2Pacalypse Now, featured the hit song Brendas Having a Baby. His lyrics were very powerful and oftentimes included controversial topics like fighting back against the police. Former Vice President Dan Quayle even tried to outlaw certain types of rap music, mainly because of Tupac and his growing popularity in American culture.

In the mid 1990s a lot of conflict arose between East Coast and West Coast. The main players in this battle were Tupac and Biggie (Notorious B.I.G.), for the West and East, respectively. Tupac survived five bullets in 1994 outside from a New York recording studio and in turn, he blamed Biggie. Trials and tribulations continued to erupt between the two. Old friends turned to new enemies. There was also a scuffle at the Soul Train Awards in 1995 between Bad Boy (Biggie's record label) and Death Row Records (Tupac's label). The conflict further erupted when Pac recorded Hit Em Up, among other 'diss tracks.' On September 7, 1996, Tupac was shot outside of the Mike Tyson fight in Las Vegas while riding in the passenger seat of a car. On September 13th, he died in the hospital. Within less than a years time, Biggie was also gunned down. Over what? Hate.

So, what has Tupac left behind? Well, he has sold over thirty-five million albums, most of which were after his death. He left behind so much unreleased music that of his thirteen total albums, eight have been released after he died. He also leaves behind six films that he starred in, including his infamous debut, Juice. Because of his continued popularity and the mass amount of music that has been released since 1996, many people wonder if Tupac is really dead. But dead or alive, his hard work and devotion to hip-hop has made a lasting impression. That's why he still sells. Even right now, there's a major Hollywood movie in theaters titled Tupac Resurrection, which tells his story though his own words.

But anyone can leave behind lots of material, so why is Tupac still so celebrated and embraced? Because he was passionate and powerful. He depicted life the way he saw it, and didn't care what conservative white America thought. He was real. He was untouchable. For female hip-hop fans, he holds a special place in their hearts; he's the true essence of a sexy thug. For men, he's known as one of the realest, most elite lyricists we've ever seen. Many love him, some even try to be himbut there will never be another Tupac Shakur.