Tupac Shakur

Tupac Shakur (2Pac) was a New York for, West Coast rapper. As of 2007, even over a decade after his death, has sold 75 million records worldwide.

2Pac was born in East Harlem, and both of his parents were members of the Black Panther Party, so he had social activism in his blood. 2Pacs career starting around 1987 in the group Digital Underground. His first solo album was 2Pacalypse Now, which is acclaimed for its underground feel. 2Pac is quoted saying, "I just wanted to rap about things that affected young black males." 2Pac received much criticism from mainstream America because of his controversial lyrics, but he tried to stay true to who he was. His second album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. was a larger success and contained much more of his political and social views.

2Pacs third album was his largest. Me Against The World is considered one of the greatest and most influential hip hop albums of all time, selling over 3.5 million copies in the United States alone. "Dear Mama" was the first single off of the album. The song was a tribute to his mother, in which 2Pac details his life as a child in poverty and his mother's addiction to cocaine, but also speaks to his deep respect and love for his mother.

In his fourth studio album, All Eyez on Me, 2Pac now partnered with Death Row Records. The album was a double album which sold over 9 million copies. Shakur was acclaimed for this album which won many awards. All Eyez on Me was released in February of 1996 and in November of 1996 2Pac was shot and killed. 2Pac influenced so many people, including artists in the hip hop arena and his life being taken at such a young age was truly a tragedy. He could have left an even larger impact on social issues if he hadn't been killed.

Check out his "Dear Mama" below, which will undoubtedly get your mind racing.

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