Although Tupac Shakur died at 25, his songs, poems, and legacy thrive today. Tuesday, September 13 marks 15 years the "Changes" rapper has been dead, since being gunned down in Las Vegas while a passenger in Suge Knight's car.
Despite speculation that Knight planned the brutal murder of the hard-core rapper, no solid evidence has linked him to the assassination-style killing in Nevada.
When mentioning iconic actors and entertainers across
generations, 'Pac is in the same company as James Dean, Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Bob Marley, and Michael Jackson to name a few.
And 15 years after his death , there are still fans who honor his legacy. If 'Pac is looking down, he's probably smiling at them "keeping it real" all these years.
Despite his gangster (or gangsta) persona, Tupac Amaru Shakur doubled as an activist and poet through his music. His mother and father were Black Panthers during the radical movements of the '70s.
His music "Ambitionz Az a Ridah" and "Against All Odds" seemed to pay homage to "Black Power" and equality "by any means necessary". It was all about the struggle.
But Tupac was more than a hardcore spitting rapper. In some of his music, he celebrated the strength of black women and single parenthood while enduring through adversity.
"Dear Mama" and "Keep Ya Head Up" are two songs by 'Pac that served to lift women trapped in a bitter struggle. It was their anthem.
And contrary to both those styles of music, Tupac Shakur showed his appreciation for hot women who made the club do double-takes. "How Do U Want It" and "Toss It Up" are just two examples of his flirtatious side.
What's more, he demonstrated his talent for acting. He starred alongside Janet Jackson in the 1993 film "Poetic Justice". Remember the fight (and kissing) scenes?
But his other memorable works in film included "Above the Rim", "Juice", and "Gang Related" (last performance in film).
Sadly, he is no longer "tossing it up" and partying like it's 1999. But according to a Washington Post story quoting the CEO of Uptown Records: "But you know what they say, you live by the sword, you die by the sword."
But how you choose to remember the iconic rapper Tupac Shakur is up to you. Arguably, his legacy in what he represented was larger than the total of the controversy and legal trouble that defined him in life.
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