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Birthday
On june 16 1971 Tupac Shakur was born in East Harlem New York City section of Manhattan in New York City. His birth name was Lesane Parish Crooks, but in 1972, he was renamed after the last Incan emperor, Túpac Amaru -
Moved to baltimore
In 1986, his family moved to Baltimore, Maryland.After completing his second year at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, he transferred to the Baltimore School for the Arts. There he studied acting, poetry, jazz, and ballet. He performed in Shakespeare plays, and in the role of the Mouse King in the ballet The Nutcracker. Shakur, accompanied by one of his friends, Dana "Mouse" Smith, as his beatbox, won many rap competitions and was considered to be the best rapper in his school. -
Moving to california
In 1988, Shakur and his family moved to Marin City, California, a suburban community located 5 miles north of San Francisco, across the bay. He attended Tamalpais High School in nearby Mill Valley .Shakur contributed to the school's drama department by performing in several productions. In an English class, Shakur wrote a paper, "Conquering All Obstacles," in which he said: "our raps not the sorry-story raps everyone is so tired of. They are about what happens in the real world. -
Beginnings in music industry
Although Shakur began recording in 1987, his professional entertainment career did not take off until the early 1990s when he debuted in Digital Underground's "Same Song" from the soundtrack to the 1991 film Nothing but Trouble, . The song was later released as the lead song of the Digital Underground extended play the concert led to him being signed with Atron Gregory. He set him up as a roadie and backup dancer with the hip hop group Digital Underground in 1990. -
First album
his first solo album, 2Pacalypse Now. Though the album did not generate any "Top Ten" hits, 2Pacalypse Now is hailed by many critics and fans for its underground feel, with many rappers such as Nas , Eminem Game and Talib Kweli having pointed to it as inspiration. Although the album was originally released on Interscope Records, rights of it are now owned by Amaru Entertainment. The album's name is a reference to the 1979 film Apocalypse Now. -
First major role in film
The film touches on the lives of four youths growing up in Harlem. It follows the day-to-day activities in the young men's lives starting out as innocent mischief but growing more serious as time passes by. It also focuses on the struggles that these young men must go through everyday as well such as police harassment, rival neighborhood gangs and their families. -
Second album
His second studio album, Strictly 4 My N.I...A.Z..., was released in February 1993. The album did better than the previous one debuting at number 24 on the Billboard 200. The album contains many tracks emphasizing Shakur's political and social views. This album had more commercial success than its predecessor, and there were noticeable differences in production.Also appeared in film poetic justice with Janet Jackson -
Events of 1994
Appeared in "Above The Rim".
November: Shakur's New York sex assault trial opens.
November: Shakur is shot during apparent robbery attempt outside a music studio in New York.
December: One day after being shot, Shakur is convicted of sexually abusing a woman he had invited to his hotel room. He is acquitted of sodomy and weapons charges. -
Forming his own group
In late 1993, Shakur formed the group Thug Life with a number of his friends, including Big Syke , Macadoshis , his stepbrother Mopreme Shakur, and the Rated R . The group released their only album Thug Life: Volume 1 on September 26, 1994, which went gold. The album featured the single "Pour Out a Little Liquor", produced by Johnny "J" Jackson, who went on to produce a large part of Shakur's album All Eyez on Me. -
Key events in 1995
February: Sentenced in New York to 4 1/2 years in prison for sex abuse.
October: Death Row CEO Suge Knight posts 1.4 million Bond for Tupac's release. Tupac then signs with Death Row.
Release of "Me Against The World," a multi-million-selling album.
May: Shakur married longtime girlfriend, Keisha Morris. -
Most successful single
Dear Mama" was released as the album's first single in February 1995, along with the track "Old School" as the B-side. "Dear Mama" would be the album's most successful single, topping the Hot Rap Singles chart, and peaking at the ninth spot on the Billboard Hot 100.The single was certified platinum in July 1995,and later placed at #51 on the year-end charts. -
Third album
His third album, Me Against The World, was very well received, with many calling it the magnum opus of his career. It is considered one of the greatest and most influential hip hop albums of all time. It is his fourth biggest selling album with 3 million copies in the United States as of 2011. Me Against the World won best rap album at the 1996 Soul Train Music Awards. -
His first marriage
He met his wife Keisha Morris inside the capitol (nightclub) they exchanged numbers and she warned him of the people he was associating himself with and from that day on they communicated until he was sent to prison there communication didn't stop there they became married while he was inside of prison. But once he got of prison there marriage didn't last. His wife said that she didn't feel needed anymore once he got out of prison -
Final album released
He met his wife Keisha Morris inside the capitol (nightclub) they exchanged numbers and she warned him of the people he was associating himself with and from that day on they communicated until he was sent to prison there communication didn't stop there they became married while he was inside of prison. But once he got of prison there marriage didn't last. His wife said that she didn't feel needed anymore once he got out of prison -
His final fiance
Kidada jones is the daughter of musician Quincy jones Her and tupac met because of controversial claims about his father he had messed up kids because he only dated white women and Kidada responded to the claim angrily. They met at a club he apologized the pair later began dating. She was with him in his final moments before he passed away -
Untimely passing
September 7, 1996 - After leaving the Mike Tyson-Bruce Seldon fight in Las Vegas in Suge Knight's car. Tupac is shot four times in the chest by an unknown assailant in a White Cadillac. Shakur rushed to University where he undergoes surgery, including the removal of his right lung.September 13, 1996 - After six days in critical condition, Tupac Amaru Shakur is pronounced dead at 4:03 p.m. His body was cremated. He was 25 years of age.
