Publication date August 16, 2022

The son of a black panther activist, Tupac had a short childhood in Harlem and the Bronx, and a violent adolescence as a drug dealer, before he found fame with his first ‘gangsta rap’ album 2Pacalypse Now. He drew on his experiences to describe the violence of gang life in the ghetto, and launched a phenomenally successful music and film career, with multi-platinum record sales and roles in movies such as Juice, Gridlock’d and Gang Related.

Like many gangsta rappers, Tupac felt that leaving his ‘thug life’ behind him when he became famous would make him appear out of touch with the subject of his songs – a fake. He continued to live the life of a gang member in Los Angeles, being arrested frequently on assault and weapons charges. His lyrics baited rappers from rival gangs – particularly those from the East Coast – such as The Notorious B.I.G. Ultimately, Tupac died the death of a gang member too – gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas at the age of twenty-five. His murder remains unsolved and has sparked some of the greatest conspiracy theories in history. Tupac’s friends and the media point the finger at his gang allegiances and rivalries.