NationMaster - Encyclopedia: The Outlawz

Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996) was an influential, best-selling hip hop artist. Some of his aliases include 2Pac, Pac, and Makaveli. The aliases 'Tupac Amaru' and 'Shakur' mean Shining Serpent in Quechua and Thankful to God in Arabic, respectively. Tupac Shakur's name was adopted the alias "Tupac" from Tupac Amaru, the last Inca royal heir in the captured Inca Empire in western South America, which resisted Spanish imperialism in what is now Peru. Tupac Amaru's great-grandson was also called Túpac Amaru II, and spearheaded the first major anti-Spanish military campaign after colonization. Contrary to rather popular belief, Tupac Amaru was not Tupac's first birth name or a name he chose for himself; his mother re-named him shortly after birth. Publicity photo, under fair use This work is copyrighted. ... Publicity photo, under fair use This work is copyrighted. ... June 16 is the 167th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (168th in leap years), with 198 days remaining. ... 1971 is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Hip hop music is a style of popular music. ... Quechua (Quechua, Runa Simi) is an American Indian language native to South America and related to Aymará, both members of the Quechumaran linguistic stock. ... Arabic (العربية) is a Semitic language, closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... This article refers to the Inca Túpac Amaru who died in 1572, see Túpac Amaru II for the man whose Christian name was José Gabriel Condorcanqui. ... For other meanings of Inca, see Inca (disambiguation). ... This article is in need of attention. ... Inca Túpac Amaru II Túpac Amaru II (March 19, 1738 Peru – May 1781) was the leader of an indigenous uprising in 1780 against the Spaniards in colonial Peru. ...

Early life

Tupac Shakur was born Lesane Parish Crooks in the Bronx, New York City on June 16, 1971 to Afeni Shakur, a member of the Black Panthers. Serving jail time on bombing charges while pregnant with Tupac, she faced a possible sentence of up to three hundred years in prison. Acting as her own attorney, she beat the charges and was released one month before Tupac was born. The Bronx is one of the five boroughs of New York City in the United States. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... June 16 is the 167th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (168th in leap years), with 198 days remaining. ... 1971 is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ... Afeni Shakur, mother of the famous American rapper Tupac Shakur, was a very significant member of the Black Panther Party. ... The Black Panther Party (originally called the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense) was a revolutionary Black nationalist organization in the United States that formed in the late 1960s and grew to national prominence before falling apart due to factional rivalries stirred up by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. ...

Shakur said, "I never knew where my father was or who my father was for sure." His godfather, Geronimo Pratt, was also a high-ranking Panther. His step-father, Mutulu, was a drug dealer who, according to Shakur, was not always around to give him the discipline he needed. Geronimo Pratt was a high ranking member of the Black Panther Party. ...

Much of Tupac's upbringing revolved around the Black Panther philosophy. Impoverished during most of his childhood, Tupac, with his mother and half-sister, Sekyiwa (pronounced Setchua), moved around to homeless shelters and various places around New York City. As a result, he retained few friends and relied on writing poetry and diary entries to keep himself busy. At the age of 12, Shakur joined a Harlem theatre group and acted as Travis in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun. Bust of Homer, one of the earliest European poets, in the British Museum Poetry (ancient Greek: ποιεω (poieo) = I create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ... A diary is a book for writing discrete entries arranged by date. ... This article is about the Harlem neighborhood in New York City. ... Lorraine Hansberrys 1959 A Raisin in the Sun was the first play written by a black woman to be produced on Broadway. ...

In 1984 Tupac's mother brought him and his sister to live in Baltimore, Maryland. The Shakurs lived on Greenmount Ave., in East Baltimore where Tupac was intensely despised because of his looks, name, and lack of trendy fashionwear of the 80s. However, he made a few friends while staying there. Tupac attended Roland Park Middle School. The following year he spent his freshman year at Paul Lawrence Dunbar High. For his sophomore year Tupac was accepted to the Baltimore School for the Arts. And it was there he "loved [his] classes" and had the opportunity to study theater, ballet, and other arts. Even at this age, Shakur was outspoken on the subject of racial equality. His teachers remembered him as being a very gifted student. He was an avid reader, delving into books about eastern religions, and even entire encyclopedia sets. Shielding his love of literature from his peers, he gained the respect of Baltimore kids by acting like a tough guy. Shakur composed his first rap in Baltimore under the name "MC New York". The song was about gun control and was inspired by the killing of one of his close friends. City nickname: Charm City Location in the state of Maryland Founded 30 July 1729 County Independent city Mayor Martin OMalley (Dem) Area - Total - Water 1,214. ... Baltimore School for the Arts (BSFA) is part of Baltimores public school system. ... This article needs cleanup. ... The following is a list of religions. ... 1913 advertisement for Encyclopædia Britannica. ... The phrase Gun politics refers to the views of different people within a particular country as to what degree of control (increased gun rights vs. ...

Two years later, a drug-addicted Afeni was having significant trouble finding work. Tupac later claimed it was because of her Black Panther history, but it was probably more a result of her drug use. She uprooted the family again and brought Tupac and Sekyiwa to live with a family friend in Marin City, California. Tupac described this move away from Baltimore and the arts school as "where I got off track". He displayed a strong contempt for law enforcement and was hassled occasionally for playing music loudly. Shakur's discontent with law officials clearly was rooted in his Black Panther/revolutionary upbringing. In August of 1988, Shakur's stepfather Mutulu was sentenced to sixty years in prison for armed robbery after being on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list for several years. Marin City, California is an unincorporated area in Marin County, the first county north of San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge. ... For the band, see The Police. ... 1988 is a leap year starting on a Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a Federal police force which is the principal investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ...

Shakur soon moved in with a neighbor and started selling drugs and hustling on the street, but he also made friends who helped spark his interest in rap music. He made friends with Ray Luv, and with a mutual friend named DJ Dize (Dizz-ee), they started a rap group called Strictly Dope. Their recordings were later released in 2001 under the name Tupac Shakur: The Lost Tapes. Their neighborhood performances brought Tupac enough acclaim to land an audition with Shock G of Digital Underground. Ray Luv formed a rap group named Strictly Dope with Tupac Shakur. ...

In 1990, Shakur joined as a roadie and dancer for Digital Underground. His early lyrics were unremarkable, and he was viewed ambivalently for his tendency to act like a diva and for his occasionally violent personality. On a song for the Nothing But Trouble movie soundtrack, Same Song, Tupac was given his first opportunity to rap on a big-time record. In the song, Shock G leads into Tupac's verse by advising Shakur to "Go ahead and rock this." 1990 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Digital Underground is an alternative hip hop group from Oakland, California, known for outrageous costumes and live shows, their musics humorous tone and an endless parade of identities for member Shock G, whose Humpty Hump proved especially memorable after the hit 1990 (see 1990 in music) The Humpty Dance... Lyrics are the written words in a song. ...

Rise to fame

As a child, Tupac had dreams of becoming a Shakespearean actor. While never achieving that particular dream, Shakur did become a talented actor, drawing from his theatre roots. He starred in Juice in 1991, to much critical acclaim. He was hailed by Rolling Stone 's Peter Travers as "The film's most magnetic figure." Shakur went on to star in Poetic Justice, Above the Rim, Gridlock'd, Bullet, and Gang Related. Taken from http://www. ... Taken from http://www. ... All Eyez on Me is an album by American rapper Tupac Shakur, released on February 13, 1996 (see 1996 in music). ...

In 1991, Tupac had trouble shopping his solo-debut, 2Pacalypse Now. Eventually, Interscope records agreed to distribute the record; one can credit executives Ted Field and Tom Whally for giving Tupac the chance. Although produced with the help of his Digital Underground crew, the intent of the album was to showcase his individual talent. While Shakur claimed (http://www.alleyezonme.com/interviews/5.phtml) his album was aimed at the problems facing young black males, it was also filled with images of violence by and against police. 2Pacalypse Now quickly attracted public criticism, especially after a young man who killed a Texas Trooper claimed he was inspired by the album. Former Vice President Dan Quayle, as part of his zealous push for morals, publicly denounced the album as having "no place in our society". 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2Pacalypse Now is Tupac Shakurs debut album which was released in 1991. ... James Danforth Quayle III (born February 4, 1947) was the 44th Vice President of the United States under George H. W. Bush (1989-1993). ...

The album did not do as well as Tupac had hoped on the charts, sparking no number one hits. In confidence, Shakur told Shock G that he wanted Shock to pick the beats. Shakur was a talented rapper; producing was not his forte.

His second CD, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z..., was heavily produced by Shock G, and spurred two number one hits: the emotional Keep Ya Head Up and the playful I Get Around. Shock G would go on to produce the Shakur hits So Many Tears and Temptations.

Along with Shakur's rise to fame came a series of altercations with the law that further complicated his public image. Before he started his recording career, Tupac had no criminal record. In Oakland in October of 1991, Tupac was stopped by two officers for allegedly jaywalking. When he told the police "fuck y'all," he was choked, beaten, and had his head smashed on the pavement. He subsequently raised a ten million dollar lawsuit against the Oakland police department, which was eventually settled for $42,000.

In October 1993, Shakur came upon two off-duty police officers whom he perceived as harassing a black motorist on the side of the road in Atlanta. Shakur got into a fight with them and shot both officers (one in the leg, one in the buttocks). He faced serious charges until it was discovered that both officers were intoxicated during the incident and were using weapons stolen out of an evidence locker. The charges against Shakur were dismissed. 1993 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003) Events Media:January January 1 - Czechoslovakia divides. ...

In 1994, he formed the group Thug Life with a few of his friends, including Big Syke, Macadoshis, his half-brother Mopreme, and Rated R. The group released their first album Thug Life: Volume 1 on Interscope in 1994 with moderate success. The group's lyrical strength undoubtedly lay primarily with Tupac, as the group has had little success after his death. Thug Life Vol. ...

A troubled end

In December, Tupac Shakur was charged with sexually abusing a woman in his hotel room. According to his account, he met a female fan at a club, Nell's, who was described to him as wanting to "more than meet [him]". She allegedly gave him oral sex on the dance floor before Shakur took her back to his hotel room. The next night, she visited him before he was set to do a show and was giving him a massage in a hotel room. Some friends who were with him that night interrupted the couple, wanting to enjoy the woman's attentions themselves. Shakur claimed to have left the room disgusted and went to take a nap. The girl, disagreeing with his account, accused him of encouraging the three men, pulling her hair, and sodomy. On February 7, 1995, Shakur was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for "forcibly touching the buttocks", though he vehemently denied any wrongdoing. Picture of Tupac Shakurs police mugshot, March 8, 1995. ... Picture of Tupac Shakurs police mugshot, March 8, 1995. ... Al Capone. ... March 8 is the 67th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (68th in Leap years). ... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sexual abuse is physical or psychological abuse that involves sexual behavior. ... Oral sex consists of all those sexual activities that involve the use of the mouth, tongue, etc. ... Sodomy is a term of religious origin to characterise certain sexual acts and behaviours as a perversion of the human capacity for union through sexuality. ... February 7 is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Shot five times in a robbery

Shortly before his verdict was announced, in an apparent robbery attempt outside a music studio in New York, Shakur was shot five times. Tupac recalled the circumstances in an interview shortly afterwards with Vibe. He was with his close friend Stretch, manager Freddie Moore, and one other friend on the night of November 30, 1994. For the Pontiac brand car Vibe, see Pontiac Vibe. ... November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ...

They arrived at a studio so Shakur could do some recordings for an acquaintance, Booker, whom he didn't quite trust. When they got to the studio, Tupac was suspicious of two black men in their thirties, both dressed in army fatigues, because neither of them seemed to acknowledge his presence. He noted that he was less wary of them than he should have been because he "had just finished smoking chronic". Shakur simply assumed they must be security for The Notorious B.I.G. (aka Biggie), whom he was still friends with at the time. Marijuana leaves Some home-grown marijuana, or more precisely, cannabis bud, which is well-cured, i. ... Christopher Wallace (May 21, 1972 - March 9, 1997), also known as Biggie Smalls (after a stylish gangster in the 1975 comedy, Lets Do it Again), but best known as The Notorious B.I.G. (Business Instead of Game). ...

The two men, who Shakur described as looking like they were from New York, came at him with identical 9mm handguns, and forced him and his friends to the floor. Their aggression was focused almost exclusively on Tupac, although they did threaten to shoot Stretch as well. Tupac alone was shot a total of five times while he played dead on the ground and also robbed of thousands of dollars of gold jewelry he was wearing. ball and hollowpoint 9mm Luger rounds are popular handgun ammunition. ... A handgun is a firearm small enough to be carried and used in one hand. ...

He was dragged into an elevator and taken upstairs to safety, where his then-friends Biggie, Puffy, Little Caesar, and others were waiting. Shakur described his friends as acting very strange, almost surprised at his being alive. His first words after realizing how severe his wounds were, having been shot in the head and testicles, were "Oh, shit. Roll me some weed." A modern elevator has buttons to allow passengers to select the desired floor. ... Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969 aka P. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Sean Puffy Combs) is an African-American record producer, CEO, and rapper. ... Little Caesar is a 1930 crime drama which tells the story of a man who works his way up the ranks of the mob until he reaches its upper heights. ... Human male anatomy The testicles, known medically as testes (singular testis), are the male generative glands in animals. ...

He survived, and left the hospital a day after, against doctor's orders because he was feeling harassed by phone calls and the doctors. He showed up in court soon afterwards in a wheelchair to face his verdict in the sexual assault case. Wheelchair seating A wheelchair is a device used for mobility by people for whom walking is difficult or impossible, due to illness or disability. ...

Prison sentence

Shakur began serving his prison sentence later that February. Soon after, his multi-platinum album, Me Against the World, was released. Shakur has the distinction of being the only artist with an album at number one on the charts while serving a prison sentence. From jail, he married his long-time girlfriend, Keisha Morris. He also had time to pursue reading, delving into the works of Niccolò Machiavelli, and even wrote a screenplay titled Live 2 Tell while incarcerated. Me Against the World is a rap album by Tupac Shakur, released on March 14, 1995 (see 1995 in music). ... Detail of the portrait of Machiavelli, ca 1500, in the robes of a Florentine public official Niccolò Machiavelli ( May 3, 1469 – June 21, 1527) was a Florentine statesman and political philosopher. ...

In October, after almost eight months in prison, Shakur was released on parole largely due to the help of Suge Knight, the head of Death Row Records. Suge posted a $1.4 million bail for Shakur, and in exchange Shakur was obliged to release three albums under Death Row. The singer was unrepentant and grew even more embittered against the authorities, which showed in his music. Parole can have different meanings depending on the context. ... Suge (pronounced like sug[ar]) Knight, born Marion Knight in Compton, California to a custodian father and schoolteacher mother, is an entrepreneur in the hip hop music industry and co-founder of Death Row Records with Dr. Dre. ... Death Row Records (also known as Tha Row Records) is a record company that was founded by Suge Knight and Dr. Dre in 1991, under the parent label of Jimmy Iovines Interscope Records. ...

After prison

Immediately after his release from prison, Shakur began work on his next album. In 1996, he released his fourth solo album, All Eyez on Me. It was the first double-disc of original material in hip-hop history. It went on to sell more than nine million copies and is considered by many to be among the best albums in the genre. 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... All Eyez on Me is an album by American rapper Tupac Shakur, released on February 13, 1996 (see 1996 in music). ... Hip hop is a cultural movement that began among urban African American and Latino youth in New York City and has since spread around the world. ...

He continued his prolific recordings, despite the impending troubles at Death Row as Dr. Dre left his post as house producer and Suge Knight became more involved in illegal activities. Dr. Dre (born Andre Young on February 18, 1965 in Los Angeles, California) is an African-American record producer, rapper, and record executive, one of the most successful and well-known producers in the field of hip hop music. ...

Shakur's last album created while alive was The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory. Released two months after his death, this album was portentous and dark, and it predicted his own death in many songs. The entire album is said to have been created in only seven days, and one of the more popular songs off this album, "Hail Mary", was reportedly made in only thirty minutes. The album has sold over five million copies. Taken from http://www. ... Taken from http://www. ... Makaveli: The Don Killuminati: 7 Day Theory was the final album recorded before Tupac Shakurs death. ...

Acting career

At the time of his death, Tupac was also building on his acting career. John Singleton wrote the film Baby Boy with Shakur in mind for the leading role, but Shakur died before it was made. It was eventually filmed with Tyrese Gibson in his place and released in 2001, five years after Shakur's death. From 1991-1996, Shakur acted in seven films, including the critically acclaimed Juice, Poetic Justice with Janet Jackson, and Gridlock'd with Tim Roth. He had also been slated to star in the Hughes brothers' "Menace II Society" but was replaced by Larenz Tate after assaulting the directors. John Daniel Singelton (born January 6, 1968) is a notable African-American film director, producer, and screenwriter. ... Film refers to the celluloid media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as part of the entertainment industry. ... Baby Boy (2001) is a film written, produced, and directed by John Singleton. ... Tyrese Darnell Gibson (born 30 December 1978), often known simply as Tyrese, is an R&B artist, actor and model. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Janet Jackson (born Janet Damita Jo Jackson May 16, 1966 in Gary, Indiana) is an African-American pop, R&B and soul singer-songwriter and the baby of the hugely successful Jackson music family. ... Tim Roth, British actor and director Tim Roth (b. ... Menace II Society is a 1993 movie starring Tyrin Turner, Larenz Tate and Jada Pinkett Smith. ... African American Actor Larenz Tate, born September 8, 1975 in Chicago, has starred in movies such as Menace II Society, The Inkwell, A Man Apart and Dead Presidents. ...

Rivalries

During his life, Shakur had a number of rivals. Most famous of all is probably his rivalry with The Notorious B.I.G. and his cohorts at Bad Boy Records. The two were originally close friends when Biggie was still largely unknown. After the robbery, though, Tupac publicly accused Biggie, Puff Daddy, and Andre Harrell of having a hand in his attempted murder. Christopher Wallace (May 21, 1972 - March 9, 1997), also known as Biggie Smalls (after a stylish gangster in the 1975 comedy, Lets Do it Again), but best known as The Notorious B.I.G. (Business Instead of Game). ... Bad Boy Records is an East Coast hip hop record label founded by producer and rapper Sean P. Diddy Combs in 1992 after his internship at Uptown Records was terminated by the then CEO Andre Harrell. ... Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969 aka P. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Sean Puffy Combs) is an American record producer and CEO and founder of Bad Boy Entertainment, one of the driving forces in hip hop in the mid to late 1990s. ...

While Shakur was in jail, he was incensed by Biggie and Puffy's derogatory remarks about him in Vibe Magazine. After all his legal troubles, Tupac claimed he "wanted to get out the [rap] game", but Biggie's remarks spurred him to come back.

While filming Poetic Justice with Janet Jackson, Tupac created quite a stir when he refused to take an AIDS test as a prerequisite for a love scene with Janet. Shakur stated that other men had love scenes with Janet on stage before without taking a test, and he didn't feel it necessary. He also stated that if they were going to have sex in the scene he would have taken the test. However, Janet took offense, and stopped talking to him immediately after the filming was completed. In a later interview, Shakur said that he had met Janet in an immature time of his life, and hoped that he could one day make amends with her. Janet Jackson (born Janet Damita Jo Jackson May 16, 1966 in Gary, Indiana) is an African-American pop, R&B and soul singer-songwriter and the baby of the hugely successful Jackson music family. ... AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, sometimes written Aids) is a global, human epidemic. ...

As part of the ongoing feud between Shakur and his former friend Biggie, Pac bragged about having slept with Biggie's estranged wife, Faith Evans, in "Hit 'Em Up". After Biggie's death six months after Shakur's, Faith and Puffy released a hit single in memory of Biggie called "I'll Be Missing You". Faith Evans (born Faith Renee Evans, June 10, 1973 in Lakeland, Florida but grew up in Newark, New Jersey) is an American R&B singer-songwriter who rose to fame even while under the shadows of her famous late husband, rap icon The Notorious B.I.G.. After several years...

In addition to his enemies at Bad Boy Records, Shakur suspected his former friend Stretch (real name Randy Walker) of being involved in the robbery. On November 30, 1995, exactly one year after the shooting of Shakur in New York, Walker was gunned down and killed in Queens, New York. Bad Boy Records is an East Coast hip hop record label founded by producer and rapper Sean P. Diddy Combs in 1992 after his internship at Uptown Records was terminated by the then CEO Andre Harrell. ... November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Queens is geographically the largest of the five boroughs of New York City in the United States, and the most ethnically diverse county in the U.S. It is coterminous with Queens County in the State of New York and is located on western Long Island. ...

Pac also had some disputes with Dr. Dre, who was, for a while, the in-house producer for Death Row. Pac claimed that Dre did nothing at Death Row and was taking credit for other people's work. Shakur got angry when Dre refused to show up and testify in defense of his friend, Snoop Doggy Dogg, in a trial. In addition, Shakur made hints in songs that he thought Dre was gay, and Suge Knight concurred in the Thug Immortal documentary. Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus (born October 20, 1971 in Long Beach, California) is a rap musician and actor. ... Gay, in addition to meaning happy, also means, simplistically, preferring the same sex in current usage, though to tie down the word to a specific cultural meaning might be to misrespresent a huge community of individuals who find themselves described by the word gay. The term gay, or lesbian for...

Shakur disliked LL Cool J, whom he thought was a poser and had had an album produced by Puff Daddy. There was also some animosity between Tupac and others. Nas and Jay-Z were both attacked in the seven day theory album. Shakur also mocked Mobb Deep for snubbing him at a concert and remarked on their small stature in the controversial track Hit 'Em Up, remarking, "Don't one of you niggaz got sickle cell or something?". After his death, Mobb Deep changed tack and apparently showed respect for Shakur. LL Cool J James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968) is an American hip hop artist better known by his stage name, LL Cool J (an abbreviation of Ladies Love Cool James). He is best known for romantic ballads like I Need Love as well as hardcore rap like I... Posers (or, more correctly, Poseurs) is a derogatory term used to describe individuals who are perceived as pretending to sympathize and identify with a particular subculture in order to gain social status within it. ... Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969 aka P. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Sean Puffy Combs) is an African-American record producer, CEO, and rapper. ... Mobb Deep, also known as The Infamous Mobb Deep, is a hip hop crew from Queensbridge, New York. ... Sickle-shaped red blood cells Sickle cell anemia (American English), sickle cell anaemia (British English) or sickle cell disease is a genetic disease in which red blood cells may change shape under certain circumstances. ...

2Pac also frequently insulted popular New York rapper Jay Z, Chino XL, Lil Kim, Junior Mafia and other artists of Bad Boy Records, of which the Notorious B.I.G. was member. State nickname: Empire State Other U.S. States Capital Albany Largest city New York Governor George Pataki Official languages None Area 141,205 km² (27th) - Land 122,409 km² - Water 18,795 km² (13. ... Jay-Z (aka the Jigga, HOV and Hova, born Shawn Carter on December 4, 1970 in Brooklyn, New York) is an African American rapper/hip hop artist and record label executive; one of the most popular and successful rappers of the late 1990s and early 2000s. ... Chino XL (born Derek Barbosa, April 8, 1974, in The Bronx, New York) is a rapper perhaps best known for his feud with Tupac Shakur. ... Lil Kim on the cover of her album Notorious Kim Kimberly Ann Jones, professionally known as Lil Kim (also called The Queen Bee, The Lieutenant, and The Queen Bitch such as the QB of all bitches) is a United States rapper who was born in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of... Christopher Wallace (May 21, 1972 - March 9, 1997), also known as Biggie Smalls (after a stylish gangster in the 1975 comedy, Lets Do it Again), but best known as The Notorious B.I.G. (Business Instead of Game). ...

See hip hop rivalries for more information. Feuds and rivalries have always existed in hip hop, which arose in 1970s United States. ...

Death

Shakur was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 7, 1996 after attending the boxing match between Mike Tyson and Bruce Seldon. He died in the University of Nevada Hospital six days later from the four gunshot wounds. Earlier acts of violence were said to have spurred antagonism between him and other East Coast rappers (namely Notorious B.I.G.), bred by gangsta rap. A drive-by shooting (sometimes referred to merely as a drive-by) is an attack on a person carried out with a firearm discharge from a moving vehicle (or a momentarily stopped vehicle). ... Sign just to the south of the Las Vegas Strip welcoming visitors to the city Las Vegas from U.S. Highway 93 Las Vegas is the largest city in Nevada and a major tourist, shopping, vacation and gambling destination. ... September 7 is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years). ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... For other meanings of boxer, see Boxer (disambiguation). ... Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966, New York City, USA) is a professional boxer. ... Christopher Wallace (May 21, 1972 - March 9, 1997), also known as Biggie Smalls (after a stylish gangster in the 1975 comedy, Lets Do it Again), but best known as The Notorious B.I.G. (Business Instead of Game). ... Gangsta rap, also known as hardcore hip-hop, was the name given to the subgenre of hip hop which involves a lyrical focus on the lifestyle of street thugs and gangsters. ...

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Compton police, although they never officially solved the case, concluded that Shakur was shot by Southside Crips after the Tyson fight. Hours before, Tupac had been involved in a fight between the Death Row entourage, mostly made up of Bloods and a Southside Crip by the name of Orlando Anderson in the lobby of the MGM Hotel after the Tyson-Seldon fight. Shakur started the fight when he noticed the 21 year old "Baby Lane" Anderson, who had beaten up one of his bodyguards in a shopping mall a few weeks earlier, lingering in the lobby. Anderson and others were interviewed by police later in connection to the murder, though no suspects were ever publicly named. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (also known as the LVMPD or Metro) was formed by merging the City of Las Vegas Police Department with the Clark County Sheriffs department. ... Compton is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. ... The Crips are one of the Los Angeles, California gangs. ... The Bloods are one of the Los Angeles, California gangs. ... Orlando Anderson -- is usually the person cited as rap-legend Tupac Shakurs murderer. ... MGM logo Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or MGM, is a large media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of cinema and television programs. ... For the traditional meaning of the word mall, see mall. ...

It is appropriate to note that Shakur and the crew at Death Row generally depended on members of the Bloods gang for security, while Biggie and the Bad Boy Crew depended on Crips members for security when visiting California. An investigation by the Las Vegas Times, while not naming its gang-member sources, stated that Biggie (who was also in town for the fight) offered to pay the Crips in exchange for Shakur's death. It was noted by the Compton Gang Unit that the Crips were bragging about the killing soon after returning to Compton. Compton Police were disappointed with the lack of initiative showed by Las Vegas police in pursuing the killing.

Shakur's close childhood friend -- and a member of the Outlawz -- Yafeu "Kadafi" Fula, was in the convoy when the shooting happened and told police he might be able to identify the assailants. He, too, was killed shortly thereafter in New Jersey. State nickname: The Garden State Other U.S. States Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Governor Richard Codey (acting) Official languages None defined Area 22,608 km² (47th) - Land 19,231 km² - Water 3,378 km² (14. ...

The previous robbery led Shakur to seek protection, and he employed bodyguards after getting out of jail in October 1995. He was known to always wear a bulletproof vest in public. Why he did not on the fateful night remains a mystery. October is the tenth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A bullet resistant vest – also called body armour (U.S. body armor) – is an article of protective clothing that works as a form of armour to minimize injury from being hit by a fired bullet. ...

Death conspiracy theories

Conspiracy theories about his death abound: they usually insist that he faked his death, that the shooting was a government assassination, that Suge Knight arranged the killing, or that Biggie was involved. The theory has attracted a considerable following on-line and is referred to as the Seven Day Theory, a reference to the fact that much of the evidence supporting it stems from the Makaveli album. A conspiracy theory is a theory that defies common historical or current understanding of events, under the claim that those events are the result of manipulations by two or more individuals or various secretive powers or conspiracies. ... Jack Ruby murdered the assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, in a very public manner. ... Suge (pronounced like sug[ar]) Knight, born Marion Knight in Compton, California to a custodian father and schoolteacher mother, is an entrepreneur in the hip hop music industry and co-founder of Death Row Records with Dr. Dre. ... The Seven Day Theory is the name for the conspiracy theory subscribed to by many gangsta rap fans claiming that Tupac Shakurs death did not happen as history claims. ...

Weak evidence for some of these theories can be found in the following examples:

Shakur's last album before his death was The Don Killuminati: The Seven Day Theory. Its cover eerily depicted him crucified and was recorded under the pseudonym "Makaveli", an allusion to Machiavelli of old, who, among many other strategies, suggested that faking one's death could be used to fool enemies. The executive producer was mysteriously listed as "Simon" instead of Suge Knight. Detail of the portrait of Machiavelli, ca 1500, in the robes of a Florentine public official Niccolò Machiavelli ( May 3, 1469 – June 21, 1527) was a Florentine statesman and political philosopher. ...

Tupac was known for making many allusions to his own impending death in his music and even depicted himself in the music video of "I Ain't Mad at Cha" as an angel in Heaven with other dead celebrities after being shot in a public place, a music video which was released only two days after Shakur's death. A music video (also video clip, promo) is a short film meant to present a visual representation of a popular music song. ... The Annunciation - the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear Jesus (El Greco, 1575) In various human mythologies an angel is believed to be an ethereal creature whose duties are to assist and serve the God or gods of many religious traditions. ... The heavens are the sky, the celestial sphere, or outer space. ...

Those who knew him personally find the idea that he is still alive laughable. Indeed, the many believers who expected him to return after seven years in September 2003 were proven wrong. September is the ninth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with the length of 30 days. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January January 1 - Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ...

Although many hoped that Shakur's death would help heal the East Coast/West Coast rivalry, his rival, Notorious B.I.G., was gunned down under similar circumstances six months later. Further clouding Shakur's death, Orlando Anderson, the man later suspected of being the shooter, was killed in an unrelated gang shootout in May 1998. Orlando Anderson -- is usually the person cited as rap-legend Tupac Shakurs murderer. ... This article is about the month of May. ... 1998 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ...

The theory that Shakur's death was orchestrated by Suge Knight is explored in the 2002 film Biggie & Tupac by Nick Broomfield. The crux of this argument is that Tupac was planning to leave Death Row Records, taking tapes with him, and in order to stop this, he was killed by police officers who also worked for Death Row as security. The Biggie Smalls killing, it is suggested, was a cover-up in order to make the murder look like a simple product of the East-West rivalry. When asked "Who killed Tupac?" in a BBC Radio interview dated March 7, 2005, Broomfield stated "The big guy next to him in the car...Suge Knight." Suge (pronounced like sug[ar]) Knight, born Marion Knight in Compton, California to a custodian father and schoolteacher mother, is an entrepreneur in the hip hop music industry and co-founder of Death Row Records with Dr. Dre. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Biggie & Tupac is a feature-length documentary film about Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur, made by Nick Broomfield. ... Nick Broomfield is a British documentary filmmaker. ... Death Row Records (also known as Tha Row Records) is a record company that was founded by Suge Knight and Dr. Dre in 1991, under the parent label of Jimmy Iovines Interscope Records. ... Christopher Wallace (May 21, 1972 - March 9, 1997), also known as Biggie Smalls (after a stylish gangster in the 1975 comedy, Lets Do it Again), but best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was a popular Brooklyn-born rapper of the mid 1990s. ... ... March 7 is the 66th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (67th in Leap years). ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

After-death music career

Oddly, Shakur has released more songs posthumously than while he was alive. Conspiracies notwithstanding, Shakur was extremely dedicated to his work during his short career. Shock G remembered fondly that Pac would spend entire days in the studio, drinking Hennessy, smoking marijuana, and experimenting with new raps. Much of his work was only dug up and edited after his death. His music is still being actively released and remixed. Hennessy is a leading manufacturer of cognac. ... Marijuana leaves Some home-grown marijuana, or more precisely, cannabis bud, which is well-cured, i. ...

His future plans

Shakur indicated after getting out of jail that he had future plans, including mostly getting out of the rap scene by releasing high-quality, deep albums only once every five years or so. Pac also desired to give back more to the community, suggesting a Little League to encourage young black kids to keep on the right path. He ran an earlier project called "The Underground Railroad" that aimed to keep youths off drugs by getting them involved in music. Though he did not live to realize these dreams, his mother Afeni is currently attempting to carry on his work by raising money for a Center for the Arts.

Documentary

On November 14, 2003, a documentary about the rapper entitled Tupac: Resurrection, was released under the supervision of Afeni Shakur and narrated entirely in Pac's voice with archival footage. Proceeds will go to a charity set up by Afeni. There is also a new clothing line based on Shakur, called "Makaveli Branded." November 14 is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 47 days remaining. ...

Discography

Released posthumously: 2Pacalypse Now is Tupac Shakurs debut album which was released in 1991. ... 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z picks up right where 2Pacalpyse Now left off. ... 1993 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003) Events Media:January January 1 - Czechoslovakia divides. ... Thug Life Vol. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... Me Against the World is a rap album by Tupac Shakur, released on March 14, 1995 (see 1995 in music). ... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... All Eyez on Me is an album by American rapper Tupac Shakur, released on February 13, 1996 (see 1996 in music). ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Makaveli: The Don Killuminati: 7 Day Theory was the final album recorded before Tupac Shakurs death. ...

Even after Tupac Shakur was tragically gunned down in Las Vegas, his legacy continued to live on through his music. ... 1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Reef. ... Years after his death, Tupac Shakur is still considered one of the most influential rap artists of all time. ... 1998 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... 1. ... 1998 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... [Tupac Shakur] You try to plant somethin in the conrete, yknowhatImean? If it GROW, and the and the rose petal got all kind of scratches and marks, you not gon say, Damn, look at all the scratches and marks on the rose that grew from concrete You gon be... Until The End of Time (2001) is a posthumous album release from the late rapper Tupac Shakur. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Better Dayz is the sixth posthumous album released by Tupac Shakurs mother, Afeni Shakur. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Intro Ghost One Day At A Time Death Around The Cornerfeat Eminem Secretz of War Runnin (Dying to Live) feat The Notorious B.I.G. Holler if You Hear Me Starin Through My Rear View Bury Me a G Same Song Panther Power Str8 Ballin Rebel of the Underground The... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January January 1 - Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ... Despite his brief existence, NYC-born rap legend Tupac Shakur left a thick musical catalogue that would shadow most rappers lifetime work. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Loyal to the Game is a music album containing remixed, previously unreleased rap acappellas recorded by Tupac Shakur before his death in 1996. ... Ready 2 Die is unreleased material by the rap singer 2Pac. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Filmography

Early life

Rise to fame

A troubled end

Shot five times in a robbery

Prison sentence

After prison

Acting career

Rivalries

Death

Death conspiracy theories

After-death music career

His future plans

Documentary

Discography

Filmography

See also

External links

Early life GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Rise to fame

A troubled end

Shot five times in a robbery

Prison sentence

After prison

Acting career

Rivalries

Death

Death conspiracy theories

After-death music career

His future plans

Documentary

Discography

Filmography

See also

External links

Early life