Tupac Shakur | |
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Tupac Shakur in 1992
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Born |
Lesane Parish Crooks June 16, 1971 East Harlem, New York, U.S. |
Died | September 13, 1996 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
(aged 25)
Cause of death | Ballistic trauma |
Other names | Tupac Amaru Shakur |
Years active | 1987–1996 |
Musical career | |
Genres | Hip hop |
Occupation(s) | |
Instruments | Vocals |
Labels |
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Associated acts |
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Website | www |
Tupac Amaru Shakur (/ˈtuːpɑːk ʃəˈkʊər/ TOO-pahk shə-KOOR; born Lesane Parish Crooks; June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac , Makaveli or just Pac, was an American rapper, record producer, actor, and poet. As of 2007, Shakur has sold over 75 million records worldwide. His double disc albums All Eyez on Me and his Greatest Hits are among the best-selling albums in the United States. He has been listed and ranked as one of the greatest artists of all time by many publications, including Rolling Stone, which ranked him 86th on its list of The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. He is consistently ranked as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time. On April 7, 2017, Shakur will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
Shakur began his career as a roadie, backup dancer, and MC for the alternative hip hop group Digital Underground, eventually branching off as a solo artist. The themes of most of Shakur's songs revolved around the violence and hardship in inner cities, racism, and other social problems. Both of his parents and several other people in his family were members of the Black Panther Party, whose ideals were reflected in his songs. During the latter part of his career, Shakur was a vocal participant during the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry, becoming involved in conflicts with other rappers, producers, and record-label staff members, most notably The Notorious B.I.G. and the label Bad Boy Records.