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“If you can’t find somethin’ to live for, you best find somethin’ to die for,” said Tupac, a rapper, poet and actor. He was a multi-talented man who inspired countless people with his ingenuity and down-to-earth music.
Growing up with parents who were both mentally and physically absent, he learned how to fend for himself. He even attended the reputable Baltimore School for the Arts to flesh out his dreams.
He produced a number of hit songs including, “All Eyez on Me,” “California Love” and “Hit Em Up.” His artistry addressed controversial topics like violence, social injustice and racism.
He grew up in a poverty-stricken neighborhood in NYC, so he wanted to spread positive change to environments like his own, according to Gradozero Beats staff.
Not only did he incorporate political and social issues in his music, but he integrated genres like soul, funk and jazz into his songs. Upon hearing the unfamiliar take on hip-hop, people were drawn to his sound.
Today, this change in how rap and hip-hop music is shared still influences other artists, such as Kendrick Lamar, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Lil Wayne.
“I was eight years old when I first saw you. I couldn’t describe how I felt at that moment,” says Lamar in a 2016 letter addressed to Tupac. “Twenty years later, I understand exactly what that feeling was. Inspired.”
