Tupac Amaru Shakur was born on June 16th 1971 by Afeni Shakur in a New York hospital. A month before Tupac was born, Afeni had been released from prison for a Black Panther plot to bomb banks and department stores. Tupac's father was Billy Garland, who was a Black Panther party member.
When Tupac was young he moved to Baltimore where he attended the Baltimore school of arts. Tupac had some ballet training there. At the age of 17 he moved with his family to Marin city on the West coast. Tupac went to Tampalpais High School, but he did not stay there long enough to graduate. Later he got a general equivancy diploma.
Tupac lost Mutulu Shakur and Geronimo Pratt to prison and never knew Billy Garland. Tupac left home and moved in with a new friend. Tupac sold drugs and wrote poetry. He turned to drug dealer Legs, who introduced Afeni Shakur to Crack. Leila Steinberg became Tupac's first manager. Tupac formed the group Strictly dope with 5 other members including Ray Luv. Later Steinberg introduced Tupac to Shock-G of Digital Underground. Strictly Dope recorded an album with TNT records that has never been released.
Tupac auditioned to join the group Digital Underground. In 1990 Shock-G took on Tupac as a roadie and dancer. Tupac got the nickname of "Rebel of the Underground". Tupac first rapped on Digital Underground's "This is an EP release" in 1991 on the song "Same Song". In 1991 Tupac was stopped by police for Jaywalking in Oakland. Tupac filed a $10million lawsuit against Oakland police for brutality. In 1991 Tupac's debut album 2Pacalypse now was released, with the hit "Brenda's got a baby". Brenda's got a baby got to number 3 in the rap charts.
Money B of Digital Underground tried for the role of Roland Bishop in the film Juice. Tupac went along hoping to get a small part but got the role of Bishop instead. Bishop was psychotic, insecure, violent and short tempered.
In 1992, 19 year old Ronal Ray Howard shot a Texas trooper claiming the song Souljah Story on 2Pacalypse now had inspired him. Later vice-president Dan Quale said 2Pacalypse now had "no place in our society". He asked Interscope to pull 2Pacalypse now. On August 22nd 1992 Tupac had a confrontation with a group of street aquaintances. It resulted in a 6 year old getting shot in the head. The wepon was traced to Tupac's step brother Mopreme. In 1992 Tupac had Thug Life tattoed across his abdomen.
In March 1993 a limousine driver accused Tupac of using drugs in the vehicle. Tupac was arrested, but the charges were later dropped. In April 1993 Tupac was sentenced to 10 days in jail for swinging a baseball bat at another rapper.
Tupac's second album, Strictly 4 my N.I.G.G.A.Z was released in 1993. It had the hit singles "Keep ya head up", and I Get around.On October 31st 1993, Tupac was arrested in atlanta for shooting at 2 off duty police officers. Tupac said he swerved to miss two women, who were the wives of policemen. The policemen pointed a gun at them. Gunfire followed.
Tupac formed the group Thug Life with, Mopreme, Rated R, Big Syke and Macadoshis. A album was released in 1994 called Thug Life Vol 1. It had the hit singles "How long will they mourn me" and " Pour out a little liqour". Originally The Notorious B.I.G was going to be in the group. But instead he went to Bad Boy.
Tupac's next film was poetic justice with Janet Jackson. In filming Poetic Justice, Tupac was asked to take an AIDS test. Tupac refused. Janet Jackson changed her phone number to avoid him.
Tupac and his boys stormed the set of a Hughes Brothers music video in LA. Tupac went after the Hughes Brothers swinging a baseball bat. On March 10th 1994 Tupac served a 15 day sentence for the attack. After Tupac could only get a role in Above the rim. Executives forced John Singleton to drop Tupac from higher learning.
A 20 year old woman returned to Tupac's room at the Parker Meridian Hotel. They talked then Tupac's friends broke into the room. Tupac said he left the room, leaving them, who allegedly raped her. Later in 1994, Tupac went to the Quad recording Studios in New York to record a rap for Little Shawn. When Tupac entered the building he was shot 5 times taking $50,000 worth of jewelery. Tupac released himself from the hospital the next day.
The next day Tupac went to court for the sexual assault trial. Tupac was found guilty of sexual abuse and sentenced to 4½ years in prison, beginning in February 1995. Tupac went to Clinton correctional facility.
Tupac's third album "Me against the world " was released while Tupac was in prison. It debuted at number 1 on the album chart with the big hit "Dear mama".
In April 1995 Tupac married Keisha Morris in a ceremony at the clinton correctional facility. In prison Tupac said in a Vibe interview that The Notorious B.I.G, Puffy Combs and Andre Harrell had set him up in the New York shooting. While in prison Tupac planned the group the Outlaw Immortalz.
Tupac was bailed out of prison by Suge Knight for $1million. Tupac signed a handwritten contact to join Death Row and to make 3 albums. On January 1st California love had its world premiere on MTV. California love with Dr Dre was Tupac's first number 1 single.
Tupac's first Death Row album "All eyez on me" was the first rap double CD. All eyez on me had the hit singles "California Love", "How do u want it" and "I ain't mad at cha".
Later in 1996 the song "Hit em up" was released as a B side to "How do u want it". It was dissin Biggie, Puffy, Mobb Deep, Lil Kim, Chino XL.
Tupac changed his name to Makaveli after Italian Niccolo Machiavelli. Tupac's new group the Outlawz were named after enemies of the USA. Members are, Kastro, Mussolini, Edi, Kadafi, Komani, Fatal Hussein and Napoleon. Later members were Young Noble, Storm and Gonzoe. They appeared on some of the songs on Tupacs next album "The don killuminati : the 7 day theory".
The album was released after Tupac's death. It had the hit singles "To live & die in l.a" , "Toss it up" and "Hail Mary".
Tupac was shot in Las Vegas on Sept 7th 1996 after watching a Mike Tyson fight. Tupac died on Friday September 13th 1996 at 4:03pm.
After Tupac died two films were released "Gridlock`d" and Gang Related". A double 2Pac album was released in 1997 called RU Still down? (Remember me). In 1998 2Pac's greatest Hits was released containing 4 unreleased songs. In 1999 a Tupac poetry book was released containing 72 poems. A 2Pac and Outlawz album was released in December 1999 called Still I Rise.