This article is about one of the most famous and influential rappers. This singer was included in the Guinness World Records as the artist whose works were sold the most, more than eighty million copies. More details about the childhood, career and unexpected death of Tupac Amaru Shakur one may read on manhattanski.
Early years
Tupac Amaru Shakur was a famous American rapper. Tupac was born on June 16, 1971 in Harlem, Manhattan. The real name of the performer was Lesane Parish Crooks. His biological father, who left the family, was called Billy Garland. His mother was Afeni Shakur and his stepfather was Mutulu Shakur, who was considered the most wanted criminal in the country. The future rapper grew up in a revolutionary family. Tupac’s mother was an extremely authoritative woman. She fought for the rights of black people, being a member of the radical left-wing defense party Black Panther. Shakur remembered his mother as an extremely strong and powerful woman, whom everyone respected and feared to harm not only her but also her relatives. Like most revolutionaries, the woman and her family suffered from persecution and accusations. Once, she was put in prison when Tupac was still in the womb. A boy was born when Afeni was freed.
Despite the fact that Shakur grew up in the atmosphere of violence and drugs, he aspired to something higher, such as education. The boy could often be seen reading books. Tupac received his education in the city of Baltimore. There, he attended art school and played in street performances. He continued his studies at Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School.
Successful career development
Tupac Amaru Shakur began rapping in the 1990s. The first success came after the release of the soundtrack Same Song. Later, his first solo album was released under the title 2Pacalypse Now. Although the work caused an ambiguous reaction from critics, the album gained recognition and a prize in the form of a gold record. The artist’s next album Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z… was released two years later and became a starting point for his successful career as a musician. This album contained such hits as I Get Around, Holler If Ya Hear Me, Point the Finga, Last Wordz, Peep Game, Keep Ya Head Up, etc. This album became extremely popular. It was sold for almost one and a half million copies. This was the peak of success in his career. However, the artist was accused of rape and sentenced to imprisonment. Before that, he managed to release the third album Me Against the World together with the rap group Thug Life that he had recently organized. However, this was their only joint work. This album also gained great popularity and acquired platinum status.
In 1996, the rapper released another successful album All Eyez on Me. It was recognized as the best and became platinum nine times. At that time, more than eight million copies were sold. His last album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory was written in a short time and released in 1996. It entered the list of 200 most popular music albums.
Artist’s death
Tupac Amaru Shakur was only 25 when he died. It happened in Las Vegas. On that day, the singer came to cheer on boxer Michael Tyson, who was fighting against Bruce Seldon. After Tyson won, the company went to celebrate the victory at a nightclub. On the way, the car with Tupac was fired. After significant injuries, the artist remained in the hospital for some time. He died on September 13, 1996.