2Pac

Tupac Shakur is one the greatest and most inspirational rappers of all-time.  He was born in East Harlem in Manhattan and was raised by his mother, who like other members of his family was a member of the Black Panthers.  Just before his teenage years his family moved to Baltimore where Tupac was into acting and poetry.  This is when he began rapping and became popular at school.  He moved again shortly to California and would soon drop out of high school.  His raping career really started when he was a member of Digital Underground.  He was featured on their track "Same song" in which Tupac and other members of the group perform in the movie Nothing but trouble.  At this time his stage name was 2pacalypse, which would also be part of the title of his solo debut album.  His debut album, 2pacalypse Now had dark themes such as killing cops which upset the public, and most importantly the United States Government.  The sales were not that great but it put his name on the map and got him in the right direction for his raping career.  His follow up album sold much better and included one of his biggest hits, "Keep ya head up".  Tupac was always in trouble with the law and in 1993 was charged with sexually abusing a woman in a hotel room.  On the night before his sentencing he was shot several times outside a recording studio in Manhattan.  He blamed several New York rappers for setting him up such as Puff Daddy and mainly Biggie Smalls.  This is was started the East Coast/West Coast rivalry.  Shortly after his prison sentence began his third album was released which became a huge success, and while in prison he began writing his fourth album, and first ever double hip-hop album, All eyez on me.  Suge Knight, CEO of Death Row records ended up posting Tupac's bail and in return, Tupac singed a record contract with Death Row records and released his multi platinum double album under Knight's label.  He started up group of other rappers named The Outlawz in which he recorded a track calling out Biggie Smalls and other New York based rappers.  Tupac began working on another album in which he was going to change his stage name to Makaveli, based on philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli.  The album was titled The Don Killuminati: The 7 day theory.  The 7 day theory is based on the fact that it took him three days to write and record the lyrics and four days for the production.  Sadly enough Tupac was never alive to see the release of this album.  On September 7th 1996 after attending a boxing match in Las Vegas, Tupac was shot to death.  He was rushed to a hospital and died 7 days later.  No one really knows who actually killed Tupac and there is some speculation that he is still alive because he still has records being released.  But believe me, Tupac has passed on.  His legend still lives on though.  It was a short period but he recorded a few of the greatest hip-hop albums of all-time and will always be remembered as one of the greatest rappers of all-time.   

2Pacalypse Now - 1991    Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.*.Z - 1993    Thug Life: Volume 1 - 1994

Me against the world - 1995     All eyez on me - 1996    

The Don Killuminati: The 7 day theory - 1996   R U Still down - 1997  Greatest Hits - 1998

     Still I rise - 1999    Until the end of time - 2001    Better Dayz - 2002

     Tupac Resurrection - 2003     2Pac live - 2004     Loyal to the game - 2004

Pac's life - 2006     Ideal Compilation - SG

*I own everything by 2pac with the exception of several remix/greatest hits albums and soundtracks.  Many of these are OOP or I own most of the tracks on other albums.*

Scott's Music Library