Today marks the 19 anniversary of the death of one of the greatest icons of world Hip-hop, Tupac Shakur.
A hip-hop legend, with explicit and controversial lyrics, Tupac Shakur was embroiled in a feud between East Coast and West Coast rappers.
Born in New York City in 1971, Shakur has sold more than 75 million albums worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world.
Most of Tupac’s songs are about growing up amid violence and hardship in ghettos, racism, other social problems and conflicts with other rappers during the East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry.
Shakur was shot and killed in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1996.
Erockkcity gives you six things you should remember about the life of the late rapper.
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In 1991, Shakur emerged as a solo artist using the name 2Pac with his debut album 2Pacalypse Now. The track “Brenda’s Got a Baby” reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart.
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His second album, Strictly 4 My N. I. G. G. A. Z., crossed over to the pop charts, with singles “I Get Around” and “Keep Ya Head Up.” The album went platinum, selling more than a million copies.
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2Pac became quite a sensation, earning praise for his musical and acting talent as well as condemnation for his explicit, violent lyrics. Many of his songs told of fights, gangs, and sex.
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In early 1994 he was found guilty of assault on Menace II Society co-director Allen Hughes and served 15 days in jail.
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On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot near the Las Vegas Strip while riding in the passenger seat of a BMW. Six days later Shakur died from his injuries.
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Like major superstars before him who died at a relatively young age, Shakur was soon the subject of a flood of posthumous album releases (and rumors suggesting that he faked his death).
