A natural ability to appeal to hedonists and revolutionaries alike, combined with charismatic star power and unapologetic threat, made 2Pac one of the most fascinating and successful rappers of the ’90s. These qualities, along with his oft-imitated but never replicated flow, have made him an enduring influence on hip-hop decades after his tragic death. 2Pac emerged in 1991 as an ancillary member of Digital Underground, appearing on the group’s Top Ten R&B/hip-hop single “Same Song,” and by the end of the year earned a reputation as a firebrand with his acclaimed solo debut, 2Pacalypse Now. This was followed at the top of 1992 with a star-making performance in the crime thriller Juice, his first of many major acting roles. In only a few more years, 2Pac racked up a slew of varied Top 20 pop hits, from “I Get Around” and “Keep Ya Head Up” to “Dear Mama” and the chart-topping “California Love,” and put together a concurrent streak of platinum full-lengths, namely Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. (1993), Me Against the World (1995), and All Eyez on Me (1996). Even considering the turbulent life he led, his murder in September 1996 came as a shock. 2Pac’s legacy has grown exponentially with help from over a half-dozen Top Ten posthumous releases, an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2017), and the Emmy-nominated documentary miniseries Dear Mama (2023).
The son of two Black Panther members, Tupac Amaru Shakur was born in New York City. His parents had separated before he was born, and Afeni, his revolutionary mother, moved him and his sister around the country for much of their childhood. Frequently, the family was at the poverty level, but Shakur managed to gain acceptance to the prestigious Baltimore School of the Arts as a teenager. While he was at the school, his creative side flourished, as he began writing raps and acting. Before he could graduate, his family moved to Marin City, California, when he was 17 years old. Over the next few years, he lived on the streets and began hustling. Eventually, he met Shock-G, the leader of Digital Underground. The Oakland-based crew hired him as a dancer and roadie, and as he toured with the group, he worked on his own material. In January 1991, Shakur made his first recorded appearance as 2Pac on “Same Song,” a number seven R&B/hip-hop hit from the group’s This Is an EP Release. He also appeared on their second full-length, Sons of the P, issued that October. A month later, 2Pac released his solo debut, 2Pacalypse Now, for Interscope Records. The album reached number 63 on the Billboard 200 and eventually went gold with help from “Brenda’s Got a Baby,” a single that peaked at number 23 on the R&B/hip-hop chart. More attention came from Vice-President Dan Quayle, who condemned the lyrics of “Soulja’s Story” while campaigning for re-election that year.
2Pac’s profile was raised considerably by his acclaimed role in the Ernest Dickerson film Juice, which led to a lead role in John Singleton’s Poetic Justice the following year. By the time the film hit theaters, 2Pac had released his second album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., which became a platinum recording, peaking at number four on the R&B/hip-hop chart (number 24 on the Billboard 200) and launching the Top Ten R&B/hip-hop singles “I Get Around” and “Keep Ya Head Up,” which peaked at number 11 and 12, respectively, on the Hot 100. Late in 1993, he acted in the basketball movie Above the Rim. As 2Pac sold records and earned praise for his music and acting, he began having serious altercations with the law. He faced numerous criminal and civil cases, and in 1994 was found guilty of sexual assault. The day before the verdict was announced, he was robbed, beaten, and shot by three men while he was in the lobby of a New York City recording studio.