As an artist, Tupac Shakur reached the pinnacle of success. He is the undisputed king of the West Coast, selling more than 75 million albums worldwide to date. With his art, he expressed himself as a talented creator, activist and cultural icon.

While massive accomplishments tend to make people forget where they came from, he fought hard to stay in touch with his roots. He created numerous songs, movies, poems and screenplays that reflected the injustice, violence and lack of love in his community.

In the song “Changes,” he notes: “Instead of a war on poverty, they got a war on drugs so the police can bother me.” While he often referred to life as “hell” or a “war zone,” he did it to bring light to the issues, saying: “I’m not saying I’m gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will.”

He helped his community by granting last wishes, funding local community centers and mentoring youth. The Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation continues his legacy today, dedicated to providing youth educational programs and opportunities through writing, performing and the arts.

His good intentions were often overshadowed by his divisive public persona. His record label, Death Row Records, benefitted by purposely playing up his intimidating image.

Endorsed by the expectations that surrounded him, he often engaged in destructive and violent behavior. Public instances like his encounters with law enforcement, multiple incarcerations and newsworthy trials, fueled the media’s negative image.

While Tupac was proud of his lifestyle, he constantly reflected on his bad decisions. In an interview of him from prison, he spoke on his regret, stating: “The way I was living and my mentality was a part of my progression to be a man.” These thoughts often made their way into his music. On the song “So Many Tears,” he revealed his personal battles, rapping: “I had a mind full of demons tryna break free, they planted seeds, and they hatched sparking the flame inside my brain like a match.”

As Tupac became a bigger star, he struggled to manage the jealousy and envy that surrounded him. Addressing that realization, he said: “Up until I got shot, I believed that no black person would shoot me, I’m their representative.” Raised by a Black Panther, he saw these actions as a blatant contradiction. From an outsider’s perspective, though, Tupac — a black man, a criminal, with aggressive raps and “THUG LIFE” tattooed across his stomach— was a manifestation of the very negligence and hatred he fought against.

Tupac was a soldier who battled his inner-self as well as outside enemies.

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Through his life and music, Tupac encapsulated the confusion, fear and uncertainty many black men must grapple with while growing up in America.

Tupac understood his circumstance and the perceptions that came with it. Ignoring his positive lyrics, deeds and missions, politicians like Dan Quayle publicly spoke against his music, calling it “a disgrace to American music.” Instead of conforming to these stigmas, he saw value in staying true to himself. Tupac embraced his image while continuing to help his community, achieving greater success and producing better work.

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The media’s portrayal of Tupac fueled his behavior by stigmatizing him as a menace to society. Similarly, misleading labels like “felon,” “thug” and “criminal” dehumanize people by associating characteristics like race, dress and language to character traits and behaviors.

Tupac understood this, saying: “Instead of letting them take that away from me, I took it from them. ‘Thug’ is now mine. And when they say ‘thug,’ they give me strength.” He encouraged us to look past labels and stigmas to consider the basic humanity of everyone.

This breadth of experience, mixed with honest reflection, gave Tupac’s work and message an authenticity that few figures have been able to emulate. Through it, he set the standard for great artists in hip-hop. Rappers we currently consider the best, such as J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar, emulate his style with their reflective lyrics and personal artistry.

Tupac was not playing a character, but was exploring different components of himself. His ability to do so freely, defying his stigmas and labels, made him what he is, the greatest rapper of all-time.

Published on September 12, 2018 at 10:35 pm