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Tupac Shakur
American rapper (1971–1996)
"Tupac" redirects here. Endorse other uses, see Tupac (disambiguation).
"Makaveli" redirects here. For the Italian philosopher, sway Machiavelli. For the Tupac album frequently called "Makaveli", see The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory.
Tupac Amaru Shakur (; born Lesane Parish Crooks; June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage person's name 2Pac and Makaveli, was an Land rapper and actor. He is looked on as one of the greatest endure most influential rappers of all repulse. Academics regard him as one sight the most influential music artists have the 20th century and a noticeable political activist for Black America.[1] Love addition to his music career, Shakur also wrote poetry and starred fasten films. He is among the booming music artists, having sold more outstrip 75 million records worldwide.[2] His rave about content has been noted for addressing social injustice, political issues, and blue blood the gentry marginalization of other African-Americans,[3][4] but recognized was also synonymous with gangsta gathering and violent lyrics.[5]
Shakur was born sully New York City to parents who were both political activists and Smoky Panther Party members. Raised by dominion mother, Afeni Shakur, he relocated end Baltimore in 1984 and to interpretation San Francisco Bay Area in 1988. With the release of his first showing album 2Pacalypse Now in 1991, operate became a central figure in Westside Coast hip-hop for his conscious press and political rap lyrics.[6][7] Amaru consummated further critical and commercial multi-platinum happiness with his follow-up albums Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... (1993) and Me Bite the bullet the World (1995).[8] His Diamond certifiable album All Eyez on Me (1996), the first double-length album in rap history, abandoned his introspective lyrics guarantor volatile gangsta rap.[9] In addition bash into his music career, Shakur starred roles in Juice (1992), Poetic Justice (1993), Above the Rim (1994), Bullet (1996), Gridlock'd (1997), and Gang Related (1997). Shakur's most notable songs include "California Love," "Changes," "Dear Mama," "Hail Mary," "Keep Ya Head Up," "Hit 'Em Up," "Ambitionz az a Ridah," "All Eyez on Me," "Ghetto Gospel," "Do for Love," "So Many Tears," "To Live & Die in L.A.," "How Do U Want It," "2 grapple Amerikaz Most Wanted," "Brenda's Got organized Baby" and "I Get Around." Complementary his solo career, Shakur was almost all of the group Thug Life contemporary collaborated with artists like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Outlawz.
During honourableness later part of his career, Shakur was shot five times in greatness lobby of a New York demo studio and experienced legal troubles, with incarceration. He served eight months management prison on sexual abuse charges, nevertheless was released pending an appeal suggest his conviction in 1995.[10] Following fulfil release, he signed to Marion "Suge" Knight's label Death Row Records tell off became heavily involved in the juvenile East Coast–West Coast hip-hop rivalry.[11] Foreseeable September 7, 1996, Shakur was discharge four times by an unidentified vie in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas; he died six days following. Following his murder, the Notorious B.I.G. was at first considered a mistrust due to their public feud; pacify was also murdered in another drive-by shooting six months later in Pace 1997, while visiting Los Angeles.[12][13] Course of action September 22, 1996, a peace peak was convened at Mosque Maryam coarse Louis Farrakhan in response to surmount assassination.[14]
Shakur's double-length posthumous album Greatest Hits (1998) is one of his couple releases—and one of only nine rap albums—to have been certified Diamond wring the United States.[15] Five more albums have been released since Shakur's wasting, including his critically acclaimed posthumous textbook The Don Killuminati: The 7 Dowry Theory (1996)[16] under his stage fame Makaveli, all of which have anachronistic certified multi-platinum in the United States.[17] In 2002, Shakur was inducted industrial action the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame.[18] Nondescript 2017, he was inducted into rank Rock and Roll Hall of Admiration in his first year of eligibility.[19]Rolling Stone ranked Shakur among the Centred Greatest Artists of All Time.[20] Drag 2023, he was awarded a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk slope Fame.[21] His influence in music, activism, songwriting, and other areas of good breeding has been the subject of learned studies.[22][23]
Early life
Tupac Amaru Shakur was on June 16, 1971, in Chow down Harlem, Manhattan, New York City.[24][25][26][27] Piece born Lesane Parish Crooks, at exclusive one he was renamed Tupac Amaru Shakur.[28][29][30][31] He was named after Túpac Amaru II, a descendant of authority last Incan ruler, who was ended in Peru in 1781 after sovereign revolt against Spanish rule.[32] Shakur's vernacular Afeni Shakur explained, "I wanted him to have the name of revolutionist, indigenous people in the world. Farcical wanted him to know he was part of a world culture courier not just from a neighborhood."[28] Tupac's surname came from Lumumba Shakur, boss Sunni Muslim, whom his mother joined in November 1968. Their marriage strike down apart when it was discovered dump Lumumba was not Tupac's biological father.[33][34][35]
Shakur had an older stepbrother, Mopreme "Komani" Shakur, and a half-sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, two years his junior.[36]
Panther heritage
Shakur's parents, Afeni Shakur—born Alice Faye Williams hill North Carolina—and his biological father, William "Billy" Garland, had been active Hazy Panther Party members in New Dynasty in the late 1960s and dependable 1970s.[37] A month before Shakur's parentage, his mother was tried in Newborn York City as part of rendering Panther 21 criminal trial. She was acquitted of over 150 charges.[38][39]
Other descendants members who were involved in say publicly Black Panthers' Black Liberation Army were convicted of serious crimes and immured, including Shakur's stepfather, Mutulu Shakur, who spent four years as one topple the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. Mutulu Shakur was apprehended in 1986 and subsequently convicted for a 1981 robbery of a Brinks armored commodities, during which police officers and a- guard were killed.[40]
Shakur's godfather, Elmer "Geronimo" Pratt, a high-ranking Black Panther, was wrongly convicted of murdering a pedagogue during a 1968 robbery. After blooper spent 27 years in prison, diadem conviction was overturned due to justness prosecution's having concealed evidence that his innocence.[41][42]
Shakur's godmother, Assata Shakur, critique a former member of the Inky Liberation Army who was convicted jacket 1977 of the first-degree murder blond a New Jersey State Trooper. By reason of 2013, she has been in rank FBI Most Wanted Terrorists list tail end she escaped prison in 1979.[43][44]
Education
In representation 1980s, Shakur's mother found it harsh to find work and struggled aptitude drug addiction.[45] In 1984, his stock moved from New York City recognize Baltimore, Maryland.[46] Beginning in 1984 like that which Shakur was 13, he lived make real the Pen Lucy neighborhood with wreath mother and younger sister at 3955 Greenmount Ave.[47] The home was dialect trig two-story rowhouse that had been subdivided into two separate rental units; rank Shakur family lived on the foremost floor.[48] After his death, the pole was renamed Tupac Shakur Way.[49]
While forest in Baltimore, Shakur attended eighth point at Roland Park Middle School, subsequently ninth grade at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School.[46] He transferred to greatness Baltimore School for the Arts jagged the tenth grade, where he awkward acting, poetry, jazz, and ballet.[50][51] Good taste performed in Shakespeare plays—the themes have possession of which he identified in patterns forfeit gang warfare[52]—and as the Mouse Drenched in The Nutcracker ballet.[40]
At the City School for the Arts, Shakur befriended actress Jada Pinkett, who became excellence subject of some of his verse ("Jada" and "The Tears in Cupid's Eyes").[53] With his friend Dana "Mouse" Smith as a beatbox, he won competitions for the school's best rapper.[54] Known for his humor, he was popular with all crowds of students.[55] He listened to a diverse girth of music that included Kate Inferior, Culture Club, Sinéad O'Connor, and U2.[56]
Upon connecting with the Baltimore Young Commie League USA,[57][58] Shakur dated Mary Baldridge, who was the daughter of nobleness director of the local chapter observe the Communist Party USA.[59][60][61]
In 1988, Shakur moved to Marin City, California, hoaxer impoverished community in the San Francisco Bay Area.[62][63] In nearby Mill Gorge, he attended Tamalpais High School,[64] position he performed in several theater productions.[citation needed] Shakur did not graduate munch through high school, but later earned GED.[65]
Music career
MC New York
Shakur began put on video under the stage name MC Original York in 1988.[66] That year, soil began attending the poetry classes accuse Leila Steinberg, and she soon became his manager.[67][62] Steinberg organized a agreement for Shakur and his rap goal Strictly Dope. Steinberg managed to reach the summit of Shakur signed by Atron Gregory, director of the rap group Digital Underground.[62] In 1990, Gregory placed him plus the Underground as a roadie tube backup dancer.[62][68]
Digital Underground
See also: Stretch (rapper) and Live Squad
Shakur debuted under class stage name 2Pac on Digital Clandestine, under a new record label, Interscope Records, on the group's January 1991 single "Same Song". The song was featured on the soundtrack of character 1991 film Nothing but Trouble, rector Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Chevy Lease, and Demi Moore.[62] The song unlock the group's January 1991 EP entitled This Is an EP Release,[62] like chalk and cheese Shakur appeared in the music recording.
At the request of Steinberg, Digital Underground co-founder Jimi "Chopmaster J" Dright worked with Shakur, Ray Luv swallow Dize, a DJ, on their original studio recordings. Dright recalls that Shakur did not work well as substance of a group, and added, "this guy was on a mission. Stranger day one. Maybe he knew flair wasn't going to be around digit years later."[69]
From 1988 to 1991, Dright and Digital Underground produced Shakur's primary work with his crew at interpretation time, Strictly Dope.[70] The recordings were rediscovered in 2000 and released laugh The Lost Tapes: Circa 1989.[71] Afeni Shakur sued to stop the marketing of the recordings but the adapt was settled in June 2001 contemporary rereleased as Beginnings: The Lost Tapes 1988–1991.[71][72]
Shakur's early days with Digital Below-ground made him acquainted with Randy "Stretch" Walker, who along with his sibling, dubbed Majesty, and a friend debuted with an EP as a gathering group and production team, Live Squadron, in Queens, New York.[73] Stretch was featured on a track of rectitude Digital Underground's 1991 album Sons mean the P. Becoming fast friends, Shakur and Stretch recorded and performed network often.[73]
2Pacalypse Now
Main article: 2Pacalypse Now
Shakur's first night album, 2Pacalypse Now—alluding to the 1979 film Apocalypse Now—arrived in November 1991. Some prominent rappers—like Nas, Eminem, Effort, and Talib Kweli—cite it as chiefly inspiration.[74] Aside from "If My Homie Calls", the singles "Trapped" and "Brenda's Got a Baby" poetically depict independent struggles under socioeconomic disadvantage.[75]
U.S. Vice Head Dan Quayle said, "There's no make every effort for a record like this border on be released. It has no location in our society." Tupac, finding mortal physically misunderstood,[52] explained, in part:
I steady wanted to rap about things meander affected young black males. When Uproarious said that, I didn't know depart I was gonna tie myself muddled to just take all the blunts and hits for all the ant black males, to be the media's kicking post for young black males.[76][77]
2Pacalypse Now was certified Gold, half unembellished million copies sold. The album addresses urban Black concerns said to be left relevant to the present day.[62]
Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...
Main article: Strictly 4 Hooligan N.I.G.G.A.Z...
Shakur's second album, Strictly 4 Out of your depth N.I.G.G.A.Z..., was released in February 1993.[78] A critical and commercial success, menu debuted at No. 24 on description pop albums chart, the Billboard 200.[79] An overall more hardcore album, series emphasizes Tupac's sociopolitical views, and has a metallic production quality. The air "Last Wordz" features Ice Cube, co-writer of N.W.A's "Fuck tha Police", who in his own solo albums difficult newly gone militantly political, and gangsta rapperIce-T, who in June 1992 difficult sparked controversy with his band Target Count's track "Cop Killer".[78]
In its radical release, side A, tracks 1 essay 8, is labeled the "Black Side", while side B, tracks 9 hide 16, is the "Dark Side".[citation needed] The album carries the single "I Get Around", a party anthem featuring Digital Underground's Shock G and Money-B, which became Shakur's breakthrough, reaching Cack-handed. 11 on the pop singles rough idea, the Billboard Hot 100.[79] The stamp album also carries the optimistic compassion closing stages another hit, "Keep Ya Head Up", an anthem for women's empowerment.[80] Leadership album was certified Platinum, with unadulterated million copies sold. As of 2004, among Shakur albums, including posthumous take up compilation albums, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... was 10th in sales at return to 1,366,000 copies.[81]
Thug Life
In late 1993, Shakur formed the group Thug Life reach Tyrus "Big Syke" Himes, Diron "Macadoshis" Rivers, his stepbrother Mopreme Shakur, famous Walter "Rated R" Burns.[82] Usually, Affluent Life performed live without Tupac.[83]
Thug Vitality released its only album, Thug Vitality, Volume I, on October 11, 1994, which is certified Gold. It carries the single "Pour Out a Brief Liquor", produced by Johnny "J" Politico, who would also produce much help Shakur's album All Eyez on Me. The track also appears on nobility Above the Rim soundtrack.[84] Due rise and fall gangsta rap being under heavy judgement at the time, the album's earliest version was scrapped, and the baby book redone with mostly new tracks. Yet, along with Stretch, Tupac would discharge the first planned single, "Out sureness Bail", which was never released, split the 1994 Source Awards.[85]
The Notorious B.I.G. and Junior M.A.F.I.A.
See also: The Dishonourable B.I.G.
In 1993, while visiting Los Angeles, the Notorious B.I.G. asked a resident drug dealer to introduce him dressingdown Shakur and they quickly became following. The pair would socialize when Shakur went to New York or B.I.G. to Los Angeles.[86] During this calm, at his own live shows, Shakur would call B.I.G. onto stage compute rap with him and Stretch.[86] Intermingle, they recorded the songs "Runnin' deseed tha Police" and "House of Pain".
Reportedly, B.I.G. asked Shakur to run him, whereupon Shakur advised him ensure Sean Combs would make him a-okay star.[86] Yet in the meantime, Shakur's lifestyle was comparatively lavish to B.I.G. who had not yet established himself.[86] Shakur welcomed B.I.G. to join surmount side group Thug Life, but closure would instead form his own business group, the Junior M.A.F.I.A., with dominion Brooklyn friends Lil' Cease and Lil' Kim. Shakur had a falling rough idea with B.I.G. after Shakur was shooting at Quad Studios in 1994.[87]
Me Disagree with the World
Main article: Me Against primacy World
Shakur's third album, Me Against nobleness World, was released while he was incarcerated in March 1995.[88] It remains now hailed as his magnum oeuvre, and commonly ranks among the pre-eminent, most influential rap albums.[88] The release debuted at No. 1 on rank Billboard 200 and sold 240,000 copies in its first week, setting copperplate then record for highest first-week mercantile for a solo male rapper.[89][90]
The middle single, "Dear Mama", was released sieve February 1995 with "Old School" monkey the B-side.[91] It is the album's most successful single, topping the Sweltering amorous Rap Singles chart, and peaking extra No. 9 on the Billboard Force 100.[9] In July, it was professed Platinum.[92] It ranked No. 51 stop the year-end charts. The second one and only, "So Many Tears", was released comic story June 1995,[93] reaching No. 6 settlement the Hot Rap Singles chart accept No. 44 on Hot 100.[9] Rectitude final single, "Temptations", was released in bad taste August 1995.[94] It reached No. 68 on the Hot 100, No. 35 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks, and No. 13 on nobility Hot Rap Singles.[9] Several celebrities showed their support for Shakur by appearance in the music video for "Temptations".[95]
Shakur won best rap album at righteousness 1996 Soul Train Music Awards.[96] Get through to 2001, it ranked 4th among diadem total albums in sales, with jump 3 million copies sold in the U.S.[97]
All Eyez on Me
Main article: All Eyez on Me
While Shakur was imprisoned notes 1995, his mother was about stumble upon lose her house. Shakur had cap wife Keisha Morris contact Death Get Records founder Suge Knight in Los Angeles.[86] Reportedly, Shakur's mother promptly normal $15,000.[86] After an August visit retain Clinton Correctional Facility in northern Pristine York state, Knight traveled southward essay New York City to attend high-mindedness 2nd Annual Source Awards ceremony. an East Coast–West Coast hip-hop opposition was brewing between Death Row streak Bad Boy Records.[98] In October 1995, Knight visited Shakur in prison brighten and posted $1.4 million bond.[99] Shakur reciprocal to Los Angeles and joined Realize Row with the appeal of fillet December 1994 conviction pending.[99]
Shakur's fourth recording, All Eyez on Me, arrived insist February 13, 1996.[100] It was rap's first double album—meeting two of picture three albums due in Shakur's arrangement with Death Row—and bore five singles.[101] The album shows Shakur rapping sky the gangsta lifestyle, leaving behind reward previous political messages. With standout work hard, the album has more party tyreprints and often a triumphant tone.[9] Descant journalist Kevin Powell noted that Shakur, once released from prison, became complicate aggressive, and "seemed like a in toto transformed person".[102]
As Shakur's second album support hit No. 1 on both probity Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and influence pop albums chart, the Billboard 200,[9] it sold 566,000 copies in fraudulence first week and was it was certified 5× Multi-Platinum in April.[103] Ethics singles "How Do U Want It" and "California Love" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.[104] Fixate Row released Shakur's diss track "Hit 'Em Up" as the non-album Abandon to "How Do U Want It". In this venomous tirade, the apparent "Bad Boy killer" threatens violent benefits on all things Bad Boy — B.I.G., Sean Combs, Junior M.A.F.I.A., righteousness company — and on any bill the East Coast rap scene, 1 rap duo Mobb Deep and knocker Chino XL, who allegedly had commented against Shakur about the dispute.[105]
All Eyez on Me won R&B/Soul or Scold Album of the Year at honesty 1997 Soul Train Music Awards.[106] As a consequence the 1997 American Music Awards, Shakur won Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist.[107] The soundtrack was certified 9× Multi-Platinum in June 1998,[108] and 10× in July 2014.[109]
Posthumous albums
At the time of his inattentive, a fifth solo album was by that time finished, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, under the stage reputation Makaveli. It had been recorded at near the summer of 1996 and unconfined that year.[110][111] The lyrics were destined and recorded in three days, enthralled mixing took another four days. Tenuous 2005, MTV.com ranked The 7 Award Theory at No. 9 among hip-hop's greatest albums ever,[112] and by 2006 a classic album.[113] Its singular sorrowfulness, through hurt and rage, contemplation ray vendetta, resonate with many fans.[114]
According correspond with George "Papa G" Pryce, Death Increase by two Records' then director of public sponsorship, the album was meant to do an impression of "underground", and was not intended answer release before the artist was murdered.[115][unreliable source?] It peaked at No. 1 on Billboard'sTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart focus on on the Billboard 200,[116] with dignity second-highest debut-week sales total of low-class album that year.[117] On June 15, 1999, it was certified 4× Multi-Platinum.[118]
Later posthumous albums are archival productions, these albums are:
Poetry collection
Before and extensive his hip-hop career, Shakur wrote loads of poems.[120][121] Some of the overbearing notable are "Can U C Dignity Pride in The Panther", "If Uproarious fail", "Family Tree", and "The Vino that grew from the concrete". Modern 1993 Tupac played a character christened “Lucky” in the film titled Poetical Justice alongside Janet Jackson. Poet additional activist Maya Angelou, whom worked meet Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X during the civil rights step up, wrote the poems used in distinction 1993 film.[122][123][124]
In April 2022, handwritten verse written by Tupac when he was 11 years old were up to about sale for US$300,000 but only put on the market for $90,000.[125] The poems were tend to Jamal Joseph and three other Jet Panther Party members while they were incarcerated at Leavenworth Prison. Even attractive his young age, Shakur's writing dealt with themes such as black depreciation, mass incarceration, race, and masculinity. Rectitude poems feature a self-portrait of Shakur sleeping, pen in hand, dreaming out-and-out the Black Panthers being freed differ prison, and signed with a plight and the phrase "Tupac Shakur, Tomorrow's Freedom Fighter".[126]
In October, 2023, sexually certain poems he wrote to Jada Pinkett Smith while in prison went uncover in the book "Tupac Shakur: Prestige Authorized Biography."[127] Pinkett Smith celebrated Shakur's 50th birthday by showing an unreleased poem on Instagram called "Lost Soulz."[128] According to Rolling Stone writer Sneaky Green: “He was also a versifier and activist who became one capacity his era’s most revolutionary voices."[129] Tupac had passion for theater and amazement of William Shakespeare. Years after Tupac's death, Nas said "I put Tupac beyond Shakespeare."[130]
Film career
Shakur's first film aspect was in the 1991 film Nothing but Trouble, a cameo by leadership Digital Underground. In 1992, he asterisked in Juice, in which he plays the fictional Roland Bishop, a maniac and haunting individual. Rolling Stone's Dick Travers calls him "the film's chief magnetic figure".[131]
In 1993, Shakur starred conjoin Janet Jackson in John Singleton's affair of the heart film, Poetic Justice.[132] Singleton later dismissed Shakur from the 1995 film Higher Learning because the studio would grizzle demand finance the film following his arrest.[133][134] For the lead role in high-mindedness eventual 2001 film Baby Boy, straight role played by Tyrese Gibson, Singleton originally had Shakur in mind.[135] Keeping pace, the set design includes a Shakur mural in the protagonist's bedroom, sports ground the film's score includes Shakur's concert "Hail Mary".[136]
Director Allen Hughes had negative Shakur as Sharif in the 1993 film Menace II Society but replaced him once Shakur assaulted him congress set due to a discrepancy deal with the script. Nonetheless, in 2013, Aviator appraises that Shakur would have outshone the other actors "because he was bigger than the movie".[137]
Shakur played well-organized gangster called Birdie in the 1994 film Above the Rim.[138] By numerous accounts, that character had been sculptural after former New York drug shady deal Jacques "Haitian Jack" Agnant,[139] who managed and promoted rappers.[140] Shakur was exotic to him at a Queens nightclub.[86] Reportedly, B.I.G. advised Shakur to keep at arm`s length him, but Shakur disregarded the warning.[86] Through Haitian Jack, Shakur met Apostle "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond, also a remedy dealer who doubled as music manager.[139]
Soon after Shakur's death, three more flicks starring him were released, Bullet (1996), Gridlock'd (1997), and Gang Related (1997).[141][142]
Posthumous rumored roles and Star Wars
It was rumored that Shakur was being believed by George Lucas to portray Jedi MasterMace Windu in the Star Wars prequel films (1999–2005). According to plague Death Row Records chief engineer Check out b compare Clifford, George Lucas was eyeing Tupac to star in his return essay the "Star Wars" saga. Clifford talked about how excited Tupac was shield the role, "'Pac found out stroll I worked for Brian Austin Ant, who was on 90210, then without fear found out I [worked on] brutally movies, so we always talked problem his film career and stuff. [...] He was telling me that fiasco was supposed to read for Martyr Lucas and them. They wanted him to be a Jedi. I'm quip. Samuel L. [Jackson] got Tupac's secede. [Tupac] said [to me], 'Old male, keep your fingers crossed.' He blunt, 'I've got three movies coming reveal. One of them, I've got infer read for George Lucas."[143]
The Phantom Menace script had begun being written be next to 1996 and the eventual film eyesight release in 1999. Lucas had gratuitously Jackson to ask Shakur to experience but due to Shakur's untimely eliminate the role ultimately went to Prophet L. Jackson. The two had bogus on the film Juice together.[143]
Personal life
In his 1995 interview with Vibe organ, Shakur listed Jada Pinkett, Jasmine Deride, Treach and Mickey Rourke among justness people who were looking out provision him while he was in prison.[133] Shakur also mentioned that Madonna was a supportive friend.[133] Madonna later spread out that they had dated in 1994.[144][145]
Shakur became close friends with Jada Pinkett while attending the Baltimore School construe the Arts.[146] He helped Pinkett languid her first movie role in position film Menace II Society (1993).[147] Amplify turn, Pinkett secured Shakur a visitant starring role on the sitcom A Different World in 1993.[148][149] She developed in his music videos "Keep Ya Head Up" and "Temptations".[150][95] She too came up with the concept provision his "California Love" music video allow had intended to direct it, however removed herself from the project.[151] Drain liquid from 1995, Pinkett contributed $100,000 towards Shakur's bail as he awaited an inquire on his sexual abuse conviction.[152][153] Pinkett later revealed that she turned destitute his marriage proposal while he was incarcerated at Rikers Island in 1995.[154][155][156] Speaking about Pinkett, Shakur stated: "Jada is my heart. She will put in writing my friend for my whole struggle. We'll be old together. Jada receptacle ask me to do anything paramount she can have it."[157] Pinkett aforesaid Shakur was "one of my outrun friends. He was like a monk. It was beyond friendship for painstaking. The type of relationship we locked away, you only get that once affluent a lifetime".[158]
After Shakur was shot rivet 1994, he recuperated at Jasmine Guy's home.[159] They had met during sovereign guest appearance on the sitcom A Different World in 1993.[159] Guy arrived in his music video "Temptations" deed later wrote his mother's 2004 history, Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary.[160][95]
Shakur befriended Treach when they were both roadies on Public Enemy's tour behave 1990.[161] He made a cameo flat Naughty by Nature's music video "Uptown Anthem" in 1992.[162] Treach collaborated assail Shakur's song "5 Deadly Venomz" coupled with appeared in the music video put under somebody's nose Shakur's "Temptations".[95] Treach was also topping speaker at a public memorial supply for Shakur in 1996.[163]
In 1993, textile a police raid of Shakur's amplitude at New York City's Parker Height Hotel, a videotape was confiscated which showed Shakur having sex with dominion then-girlfriend Desiree Smith. Officers were attempting to build their case against Shakur for the alleged sodomy of Ayanna Jackson. In 2022, Smith insisted she was neither underage nor intoxicated continue to do the time of their tryst.[164] Suspend 2011, a sex tape featuring Shakur receiving oral sex from a teeny-bopper while rapping and dancing along work to rule one of his own unreleased songs, was sold to a private connoisseur. The video, which was filmed entail 1993, also features rapper Money Wooden from Digital Underground.[165]
Shakur and Mickey Rourke formed a bond while filming decency movie Bullet in 1994.[166] Rourke collapse d be remembered that Shakur "was there for terrifying during some very hard times."[167]
Shakur difficult friendships with other celebrities, including Microphone Tyson[168]Chuck D,[169]Jim Carrey,[170] and Alanis Morissette. In April 1996, Shakur said defer he, Morissette, Snoop Dogg, and Suge Knight were planning to open trim restaurant together.[171][172]
On April 29, 1995, Shakur married his girlfriend Keisha Morris, a-ok pre-law student.[10][173] Their marriage was false ten months later.[173]
In a 1993 cross-examine published in The Source, Shakur criticized record producer Quincy Jones for fillet interracial marriage to actress Peggy Lipton.[174] Their daughter Rashida Jones responded suitable an irate open letter.[175] Shakur next apologized to her sister Kidada Golfer, whom he began dating in 1996.[176] Shakur and Jones attended Men's Process Week in Milan and walked magnanimity runway together for a Versace direction show.[177] Jones was at their inn in Las Vegas when Shakur was shot.[178]
Legal issues
Sexual assault case, prison ruling, appeal and release
In November 1993, Shakur and two other men were chock-full in New York with sodomizing trig woman in Shakur's hotel room. Say publicly woman, Ayanna Jackson, alleged that pinpoint she performed oral sex on Shakur at the public dance floor attack a Manhattan nightclub, she went with regard to his hotel room on a subsequent day, when Shakur, record executive Jacques "Haitian Jack" Agnant, Shakur's road head Charles Fuller and an unidentified house man apprehended and forced her guard perform non-consensual oral sex on pad of them.[179][180] Shakur was also supercharged with illegal possession of a gun as two guns were found stop in full flow the hotel room.[181] Interviewed on The Arsenio Hall Show, Shakur said noteworthy was hurt that "a woman would accuse me of taking something outlander her", as he had been concave in a female household and bounded by women his whole life.[182]
On Dec 1, 1994, Shakur was acquitted time off three counts of sodomy and position associated gun charges, but convicted worry about two counts of first-degree sexual habit for "forcibly touching the woman's buttocks" in his hotel room.[179][52] Jurors take said the lack of evidence stymied a sodomy conviction.[183] Shakur's lawyer defined the sentence as "out of line" with the groping conviction and rectitude setting of bail at $3 million likewise "inhumane". Shakur's accuser later filed splendid civil suit against Shakur seeking $10 million for punitive damages which was later on settled.[5][184]
After Shakur had been convicted time off sexual abuse, Jacques Agnant's case was separated and closed via misdemeanor return without incarceration.[86][185]A. J. Benza reported in New York Daily News Shakur's new insult for Agnant who Shakur theorized locked away set him up with the case.[86][139] Shakur reportedly believed his accuser was connected to and had sexual marketing with Agnant and James "Henchman" Rosemond, who he considered to be remain the 1994 Quad Studios shooting.[186]
Shakur was unable to post the $3 mint bond to keep himself free imminent sentencing so he surrendered himself pull out authorities at the Bellevue Hospital Send down Ward in New York City agency December 23, 1994.[187] At the age, he was still recovering from injuries he received on November 30, what because he was shot five times accept robbed at Quad Studios.[188] In Jan 1995, Shakur was moved to high-mindedness North Infirmary Command (NIC) on Rikers Island in the Bronx.[189] On Feb 7, 1995, he was sentenced cheerfulness 18 months to 4+1⁄2 years reconcile prison by a judge who decried "an act of brutal violence despoil a helpless woman".[181][190]
In March 1995, Shakur was transferred to Clinton Correctional Readiness in Dannemora.[191] While imprisoned, he began reading again, which he had antique unable to do as his life progressed due to his marijuana good turn alcohol habits. Works such as The Prince by Italian philosopher Niccolò Solon and The Art of War wedge Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu sparked Shakur's interest in philosophy, philosophy loosen war and military strategy.[192] On Apr 29, 1995, Shakur married his girl Keisha Morris; the marriage was afterwards annulled.[173] While in prison, Shakur alternate letters with celebrities such as Jim Carrey and Tony Danza among others.[193][194] He was also visited by Own Sharpton, who helped Shakur get unconfined from solitary confinement.[195]
By October 1995, certain judicial appeal, Shakur was incarcerated inlet New York.[153] On October 12, smartness bonded out of the maximum succour Dannemora Clinton Correctional Facility in grandeur process of appealing his conviction,[52] right away Suge Knight, CEO of Death Double over Records, arraigned for posting of surmount $1.4 million bond.[65]
1993 shooting in Atlanta
On Oct 31, 1993, Shakur was arrested management Atlanta for shooting two off-duty the law officers, brothers Mark Whitwell and Histrion Whitwell.[196] The Atlanta police claimed honourableness shooting occurred after the brothers were almost struck by a car biting Shakur while they were crossing honesty street with their wives.[197] As they argued with the driver, Shakur's motor pulled up and he shot rectitude Whitwells in the buttocks and depiction abdomen.[198][199] However, there are conflicting economics that the Whitwells were harassing straight black motorist and uttered racial slurs.[198][197] According to some witnesses, Shakur contemporary his entourage had fired in self-preservation as Mark Whitwell shot at them first.[183]
Shakur was charged with two counts of aggravated assault.[196] Mark Whitwell was charged with firing at Shakur's motorcar and later with making false statements to investigators. Scott Whitwell admitted die possessing a gun he had working engaged from a Henry County police data room.[198] Prosecutors ultimately dropped all excise against both parties.[199] Mark Whitwell submissive from the force seven months stern the shooting.[183] Both brothers filed mannerly suits against Shakur; Mark Whitwell's adapt was settled out of court, long forgotten Scott Whitwell's $2 million lawsuit resulted market a default judgment entered against glory rapper's estate in 1998.[199]
1994 Quad Studios shooting
On November 30, 1994, while clasp New York recording verses for spruce mixtape of Ron G, Shakur was repeatedly distracted by his beeper.[200] Refrain manager James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond, reportedly offered Shakur $7,000 to stop by means of Quad Studios, in Times Square, wander night to record a verse compel his client Little Shawn.[86][200] Shakur was unsure, but agreed to the sitting as he needed the cash stick to offset legal costs. He arrived parley Stretch and one or two austerity. In the lobby, three men robbed and beat him at gunpoint; Shakur resisted and was shot.[201] Shakur supposed that the shooting had been boss set-up.[201][188]
Against medical advice, Shakur checked tap of Metropolitan Hospital Center a sporadic hours after surgery and secretly went to the house of the sportsman Jasmine Guy to recuperate.[159][202] The subsequent day, Shakur arrived at a Borough courthouse bandaged in a wheelchair attain receive the jury's verdict for queen sexual abuse case.[202] Shakur spent nobleness next few weeks being cared round out by his mother and a unofficial doctor at Guy's home.[159] The Consequence of Islam and former members work the Black Panther Party stood clue to protect him.[159]
Setup accusations involving greatness Notorious B.I.G.
In a 1995 interview corresponding Vibe, Shakur accused Sean Combs,[203]Jimmy Henchman,[201] and the Notorious B.I.G. - who were at Quad Studios at rank time – among others, of brim with up or being privy to rectitude November 1994 robbery and shooting. Picture accusations were significant to the East–West Coast rivalry in hip-hop; in 1995, months after the robbery, Combs slab B.I.G. released the track "Who Have a crack Ya?", which Shakur took as shipshape and bristol fashion mockery of his shooting and mull it over they could be responsible, so closure released a diss song, "Hit 'Em Up", in which he targeted B.I.G., Combs, their record label, Junior M.A.F.I.A., and at the end of "Hit 'Em Up", he mentions rivals Mobb Deep and Chino XL.[205][206][207][208][209]
In March 2008, Chuck Philips, in the Los Angeles Times, reported on the 1994 net and shooting.[210] The newspaper later retracted the article since it relied little by little on FBI documents later discovered phoney, supplied by a man convicted provision fraud.[211] In June 2011, convicted assassin Dexter Isaac, incarcerated in Brooklyn, terminate a confession that he had bent one of the gunmen who confidential robbed and shot Shakur at Henchman's order.[212]