Tupac Shakur

Tupac Shakur, born Lesane Parish Crooks on June 16, 1971, in East Harlem, New York, was a seminal figure in hip-hop and a powerful voice for black liberation. Raised in a politically active family, Tupac's mother, Afeni Shakur, was a member of the Black Panther Party, and his godfather, Elmer "Geronimo" Pratt, was a high-ranking Panther leader wrongfully imprisoned for 27 years. These influences deeply shaped Tupac's worldview and music. After moving to California as a teenager, he began his music career with Digital Underground before launching his solo career with "2Pacalypse Now" in 1991. His upbringing and experiences with racial injustice fueled his passionate activism and artistry. Tupac's impact on rap music was profound, with lyrics that addressed systemic racism, police brutality, and economic disenfranchisement. An outspoken critic of police brutality, Tupac highlighted the abuses faced by African Americans through songs like "Trapped," while critiquing capitalism and its exp