Tupac Shakur

Tupac Shakur, also known as 2Pac, was an American rapper and actor. He is often associated with the West Coast Rap scene of the 90s. As an actor, he starred in the films Juice, Above the Rim, Gridlock'd and Poetic Justice with Janet Jackson.c 

Tupac was born on June 16, 1971 in Harlem, New York. His mother, Afeni Shakur, was a member of the Black Panther Party. She named Tupac after an Incan chief whose name meant "Shining Serpent." He found a passion for performance at a young age and attended the Baltimore School for the Arts when his family moved to Maryland. He began his career as a rapper in the 90s and began to stir up controversy because of his explicit lyrics that often invoked violent images. Eventually, Shakur became involved in a few legal battles and spent time in prison for being convicted of sexual assault.c 

Later, after his commercial success increased, Shakur became a magnet for controversy, calling out fellow rappers and decrying the national political scene. A rivalry erupted between the record label Shakur was on, Death Row Records, and the East Coast label, Bad Boy Records founded by Sean Combs, better known as "Puff Daddy."c 

On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times while in Las Vegas while riding in a car with Suge Knight. He died on September 13, 1996. Las Vegas police have never found Shakur's killer and the case remains unsolved to this day. Six months later, rival rapper the Notorious B.I.G. was also shot and killed. Many speculated that the killings were related, but no connection has been found. B.I.G.'s murder also remains unsolved.c

• 1991: 2Pacalypse Now
• 1993: Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.
• 1995: Me Against the World
• 1996: All Eyez on Me
• 1996: The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory 
• 1998: "Greatest Hits"
• 2001: "Until the End of Time"
• 2008: "Live It Up"