Tupac Shakur

2Pac during concert 1twitter.comAbusing authority, drugs, and gang violence are just a few examples of the subjects Tupac Shakur wrote about in his songs. Tupac Shakur “Born June 16, 1971, in the Bronx, NY; died September 13, 1996, in Las Vegas, NV. Rap musician. Tupac Amaru Shakur lived a successful yet violent and abbreviated life. He sold more than $90 million worth of records and appeared in several films” (“Tupac Shakur”. Newsmakers). Throughout the many positives in his life, his life was full of gang violence and as a result he tragically died at the age of 25 leaving a Mike Tyson boxing match in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 7th, 1996. A hero is person that shows their character through honesty and courage. They need to express their honest opinions and stand up for others. Tupac has sold many albums wrote many famous songs, but what most people don’t realize is the meaning behinds all of those song. Tupac is a hero not because of how rich he was or the number of albums he has sold. Honesty, and Courage is what makes Tupac Shakur a hero.

2Pac during concert picture 2 (1996)2paclegacy.netTupac used his honesty in his songs and to influence others and spread awareness of world issues. Throughout Tupac's career “Shakur became a controversial figure for his violent lyrics and encounters with the law even as critics hailed his musical talents. Public interest in the artist and musical output remained strong, particularly after Shakur's unsolved murder” ("Tupac Shakur”. Encyclopedia). As a person Tupac was never afraid to be who he was with the fame or not. His lyrics were always explicit as he would always write about the observations he has seen throughout his life. Throughout the positive and negative criticism, “critics failed to realize that Shakur's music always contained two sides: a tough side bristling with the realities of the ghetto life and a didactic side endowed with positive messages.” ("Tupac Shakur”. St. James).  Whenever one listens to Tupac’s music you have to listen and analyze the song in between the lines. His music was always more than what you heard, not just random beats with random words. This is what makes Tupac honest as a person as well as an amazing songwriter.

As well as his honesty, Tupac stood up for African American justice as well as many others have, which made him Courageous. Tupac’s way or spreading his messages were through his music and “Tupac Shakur (1971-1996) stands out as one of the most influential and commercially successful hip-hop artists of the late 20th century. An exemplar of the "gangsta rap" style that flourished in the late 1980s and early 1990s” ("Tupac Shakur”. Encyclopedia). Tupac used the “gangsta rap” genre to spread awareness about the “street lifestyle”. A couple of issues he wrote and sang about were drugs, street violence, and abusing authority. Whether you respect Tupac or not, “Years after his death Shakur has become a legend, and his legacy keeps growing, not only through his music, poetry, and film but also through the growing body of literature published about his life and work” ("Tupac Shakur”. St. James). Throughout the music community Tupac is well respected for all the courage he has shown in person as well as in his music. He has helped motivate countless numbers of people to become a better version of themselves.

R.I.P 2Pac (1971-1996)eng.hebus.comShown through his honesty and courage Tupac has become a legend in the music industry as well as a legend for the person he was in real life. Tupac's writing style is the main reason he is a legendary person and such an influencer to many, “Shakur's influence can be seen in the work of rap artists such as DMX, 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Ja-Rule, and Eminem, and his legacy includes the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation, created by Afeni, and the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Young people around the United States flock to the center and the camp to study creative arts and to receive leadership training” ("Tupac Shakur.” St. James).  Tupac was an inspiration and influencer to many people because of the honesty and courage he put in his songs and his actions. Which led to him impacting the music culture in today’s day and age and who knows what the rap genre would be like without him. Tupac is specifically a hero to me because as someone who grew up in a rougher area, it is oddly weird how accurate he was about the rougher lifestyle in his music. In conclusion, Tupac’s creative music as well as his brave actions are what makes him a hero to me as well as many others throughout the entire world.

Works Cited

"Tupac Shakur." Encyclopedia of World Biography, vol. 37, Gale, 2017. Biography In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1631010698/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=0085e198. Accessed 11 Dec. 2018.

"Tupac Shakur." Newsmakers, Gale, 1997. Biography In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1618002410/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=59e03064. Accessed 7 Dec. 2018.

"Tupac Shakur." St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, Gale, 2013. Biography In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K2419201094/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=d0ed1b4f. Accessed 11 Dec. 2018.