Born 1971 as Lesane Parish Crooks in New York City, American rapper, songwriter, and actor Tupac Shakur, better known by his stage name 2Pac and by his alias Makaveli, is widely considered to be one of the most influential rappers of all time. Much of Shakur’s work has been noted for addressing contemporary social issues that plagued inner cities, and he has often been considered a symbol of activism against inequality.
Shakur released his debut album 2Pacalypse Now in 1991, and had become a central figure in West Coast hip hop, introducing social issues to the genre at a time when gangsta rap was dominant in the mainstream. He achieved further critical and commercial success with his follow-up albums Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... (1993) and Me Against the World (1995). His double-disc album All Eyez on Me (1996) was certified Diamond by the RIAA.
On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada; he died six days later and the gunman was never captured. Shakur’s friend-turned-rival, The Notorious B.I.G., was at first considered a suspect due to the pair’s public feud, but was also murdered in another drive-by shooting six months later in Los Angeles, California. Five more albums have been released since Shakur’s death, all of which have been certified platinum in the United States.
Shakur is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold over 75 million records worldwide. In 2002, he was inducted into the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame. In 2017, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone named Shakur in its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
Here below is a set of intimate photos that Tupac Shakur pictured with his fans in the 1990s.
| Oakland, California, 1991 |
| Atlanta, Georgia, 1993 |
| Atlanta, Georgia, 1993 |
| Atlanta, Georgia, 1993 |
| Beverly Hills, California, 1993 |
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