Tupac Shakur

Tupac Shakur

June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996
Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.
Place of Death: Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.

Tupac Amaru Shakur (ˈtuːpɑːk_ʃəˈkʊər TOO pahk _ shə KOOR; born Lesane Parish Crooks; June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. He is considered by many as one of the best rappers of all time.
Shakur was born in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, but relocated to Los Angeles in 1988. When he released his debut album 2Pacalypse Now in 1991, he became a central figure in West Coast hip hop, introducing social issues in the genre at a time when gangsta rap was dominant in the mainstream. Shakur achieved further critical and commercial success with Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... (1993) and Me Against the World (1995). Later that year, after suffering legal troubles and a robbery and shooting, Shakur became heavily involved in the growing East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry.
On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas; he died six days later and the gunman was never captured. His double-disc album, All Eyez on Me, which was released earlier that year, later became one of the best-selling albums in the United States. Shakur also became one of the best-selling music artists of all time, amassing over 75 million estimated global sales.
Much of Shakur's work has been noted for displaying contemporary social issues that plagued inner cities, and he is considered a symbol of resistance and activist against inequities. Five more albums have been released since his death, all of which have been certified platinum. Outside music, Shakur also gained success an actor, with his roles as Lucky in Poetic Justice (1993), Ezekiel Whitmore in Gridlock'd (1997), and Jake Rodriguez in Gang Related (1997) all gaining praise from critics.