Let's take a look at Tupac's life.

doughpleighboi (34)in #music • 7 years ago (edited)

Many know about Tupac, but not many know about his troubled life.

Let's take a look at what drove Tupac to be the person he is.

By all accounts he was a very complicated person, people would use the word 'duality' or 'contradiction' to describe him. People who know a lot about him would often agree that he went through so many changes in his life.

"Everybody’s at war with different things. I’m at war with my own heart sometimes"

He was dirt poor growing up, yet innocent, active in the arts, poetic, and he changed when he became famous. He was exposed to the dark side of fame, and the negative attention from authorities who probably didnt like the fact that he had so much influence over the masses.. but there seemed to be a change in his personality over time. You can even sense this as his music evolved.

“I had no record all my life, no police record until I made a record. As my video was debuting on MTV, I was behind bars getting beat up by the police department.”

Outgoing/Social

He was known to be able to fit in to any type of crowd, whether it would be the upperclass elite of hollywood, or people he grew up with in poverty stricken areas. He was able to command any crowd, and he was respected (not by all) because his lyrics were real and not a facade.

Hardworking/Motivated

We know from his body of work (songs, poetry, movies) that his work ethic was incredible. Was it because of his desire to work his way out of poverty or because he predicted an early death? who really knows.

"Now that I'm strugglin in this business, by any means
Label me greedy gettin green, but seldom seen
And f*ck the world cause I'm cursed, I'm havin visions
of leaving here in a hearse"

Funny/Comical Personality

Just from watching interviews, or people who knew him being interviewed, you can tell he was a very funny person. He's like that one friend we all have that acts crazy/loud/obnoxious to put a smile on our face.

Sensitive

Always a true poet at heart. He was the sensitive type. He constantly talked about unconditional love, his love for his mother, and finding a soulmate.

Listen to songs like Dear Mama, Unconditional Love, Keep ya head up, Brenda's got a baby.... (side note: Dear Mama was actually inducted into the Library of Congress)

He also openly talked about the social stigma's facing men expressing their emotions.

Sometimes when I'm alone
I Cry,
Cause I am on my own.
The tears I cry are bitter and warm.
They flow with life but take no form
I Cry because my heart is torn.
I find it difficult to carry on.
If I had an ear to confide in,
I would cry among my treasured friend,
but who do you know that stops that long,
to help another carry on.
The world moves fast and it would rather pass by.
Then to stop and see what makes one cry,
so painful and sad.
And sometimes...
I Cry
and no one cares about why.

Intelligent/Curious/Philosophical

Harvard University co-sponsored an academic symposium entitled "All Eyez on Me: Tupac Shakur and the Search for the Modern Folk Hero," and in it, it was suggested that he was more well-read, and intellectually well-rounded at that age than the average student in the first year class of most Ivy League institutions.

He was known to possess an extraordinary library in the home he lived in. He was also a big fan of the classics:

"… I love Shakespeare. He wrote some of the rawest stories, man. I mean look at Romeo and Juliet. That's some serious ghetto shit. You got this guy Romeo from the Bloods who falls for Juliet, a female from the Crips, and everybody in both gangs are against them. So they have to sneak out and they end up dead for nothing. Real tragic stuff."

Brutally Honest/"Thug Life"

He saw a system that he felt neglected an entire class of people. His aim was never to change it by himself, rather expose the world to what he witnessed. People who hated him during his time, politicians who thought his music should be banned, those who cried about the violence, in my opinion never really understood his message, and it was one he kept repeating over and over:

"I told ya last album, we need help cause we dying
Give us a chance, help us advance cause we trying
Ignore my whole plea, watching us in disgust
And then they beg when my guns bust"

His imagery was shocking and powerful, and that was the point.

"I am society’s child. This is how they made me and now I’m sayin’ what’s on my mind and they don’t want that. This is what you made, America."

Let's put some events in Tupac's life in chronological order.

Spent his childhood running from the FBI due to the actions of the Shakurs.
At 16 became the youngest national Chairman of the New African panthers, himself then getting FBI attention. His FBI file, only 104 pages out of 4000 are released to the public, the rest 3896 pages are censored for "National Security".
Quit the New African Panthers when he believed the Nation of Islam infiltrated it, the next leader after Shakur was surprise surprise, a member of the NOI.
Got into a constant war of words with the Nation of Islam throughout his rap career. They would follow him everywhere, trying to make it look like they where associated with him. To get his approval, because he was a Shakur. Tupac hated the Nation of Islam because his family where connected to Malcolm X, and his family blame the Nation for his assassination.
Became famous to the general public when released 2pacalyspe now, becoming the legendary rapper. Immediately denounced by the Vice President Dan Quayle due to its anti-american political content. It was obvious they knew who he was by his second name, even if the average rap fan didn't.
Gets mentioned by name at the Republican Nation Convention
From the help of Mutulu Shakur from prison, starts a movement entitled "Thug Life". Tupac helps enforce truces between rival gangs, including the bloods and the crips under "Thug Life". The plan was to get them to stop killing each other, unite, police their communities, and eventually fight the government. He was seducing gang bangers and trying to turn them into soldiers. After that his life turns to shit and seems to be getting arrested and targeted by police on a weekly basis, most of which is was baseless, but people only remember him getting arrested, not acquitted. His "out of control" image increases.
Two Police officers are beating a black motorist. Tupac approaches them and they fire shots at him. Tupac goes back to his car and gets his gun and returns fire, hitting both officers, one in the thigh and one in the buttocks. The charges are dropped against Tupac when it turns out both officers are intoxicated, and the gun they used to fire against Tupac was stolen from an evidence locker. Everyone else just remembers "Tupac shot two cops".
From the help of Dan Quayle and other Republicans, they persuade family members of slain cops to sue Tupac over his music, stating that his music causes the violence. Seriously, here is even a court video of one of the cases against him in 1995[9]
The republicans convince Time Warner to drop interscope records due to Tupac being one of their artists.
Two criminals, Haitian Jack and James "Henchman" Rosemand try to extort Tupac. He tells them to fuck off and ends up on their hit list. Both later turn out to be working for the FBI since the late 80s until the late 90s.
Haitian Jack (The FBI Agent) introduces Tupac to a woman, the same woman accuses Tupac of rape and sexual assault.
Tupac gets shot by the orders of James Rosemand (another FBI Agent) 5 times in 1994, survives.
Goes to prison for sexual assault, but found innocent of rape. Released after 11 months when new evidence helping prove his innocence is found. The prosecution states they "lost it" and it was not deliberate.
The Jewish Defense League (JDL) threaten to kill Tupac due to his familys politics. He tells them to fuck off. This is in Tupacs (released) FBI files.
Tupac refuses to remain silent about Jimmy Henchman and Haitian Jack, announces them as FBI informers, and publicly humiliates any other rappers being extorted by them, or associated with them (Biggie, Puffy, etc). This causes many east-coast rappers and street gangsters to dislike Tupac.