Remembering Tupac Shakur, 1971-1996

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Today marks the fourteenth year since the death of the legendary gangsta rapper, Tupac Shakur. In his career, Tupac redefined the game of hip hop. Before Tupac, there were not many rappers who released an album each year. Following The Digital Underground, Shakur broke into the game.

Once the people finally heard Tupac rap, the world was his and he ran with it. Late in 1991, he debuted with "Brenda's Got a Baby," raising the awareness of teenage pregnancy. Early in his career, Tupac was known for social concious rap. However, soon he adapted his game and spread knowledge for the thugs, henceforth the Thug Life movement.

Despite all of the great things he brought to the rap game, Tupac will be best-known for his involvement in the East Coast/West Coast feud. There are many people who believe his death was one of the results from the feud. Initially, Tupac was a mentor to Brooklyn rapper, The Notorious B.I.G., but once Biggie became famous, he and Tupac ended up being rivals. Everything changed when Tupac was in the same studio with Biggie and Puff Daddy and Tupac ended up being shot in 1994.

The feud was on, despite never garnering a reply from Bad Boy. In 1995, Tupac was arrested, but he was bailed out by Marion "Suge" Knight, the head of Bad Boy's rival, Death Row Records. With Death Row behind him, Tupac sounded off on Bad Boy through his All Eyez on Me album and the scathing diss record, still played heavily today, "Hit Em Up." Sadly, following the release of this song and the album and right before the release of The Seven Day Theory, Tupac was brutally murdered in Las Vegas.