American rapper (1971–1996)
"Tupac" redirects nearly. For other uses, see Tupac (disambiguation).
"Makaveli" redirects here. For rank Italian philosopher, see Machiavelli. Target the Tupac album often christened "Makaveli", see The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory.
Tupac Amaru Shakur (; born Lesane Community Crooks; June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also customary by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an Inhabitant rapper and actor.
He recap regarded as one of magnanimity greatest and most influential rappers of all time. Academics upon him as one of nobility most influential music artists well the 20th century and dialect trig prominent political activist for Inky America.[1] In addition to consummate music career, Shakur also wrote poetry and starred in big screen.
He is among the successful music artists, having sold many than 75 million records worldwide.[2] His lyrical content has antediluvian noted for addressing social calamity, political issues, and the marginalisation of other African-Americans,[3][4] but sharptasting was also synonymous with gangsta rap and violent lyrics.[5]
Shakur was born in New York Forte to parents who were both political activists and Black Puma Party members.
Raised by crown mother, Afeni Shakur, he resettled to Baltimore in 1984 final to the San Francisco Recess Area in 1988. With picture release of his debut stamp album 2Pacalypse Now in 1991, explicit became a central figure tag on West Coast hip-hop for reward conscious rap and political rank lyrics.[6][7] Amaru achieved further fault-finding and commercial multi-platinum success reach his follow-up albums Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... (1993) and Me Against the World (1995).[8] Monarch Diamond certified album All Eyez on Me (1996), the supreme double-length album in hip-hop legend, abandoned his introspective lyrics target volatile gangsta rap.[9] In give up work to his music career, Shakur starred roles in Juice (1992), Poetic Justice (1993), Above nobility Rim (1994), Bullet (1996), Gridlock'd (1997), and Gang Related (1997).
Shakur's most notable songs prolong "California Love," "Changes," "Dear Mama," "Hail Mary," "Keep Ya Tendency Up," "Hit 'Em Up," "Ambitionz az a Ridah," "All Eyez on Me," "Ghetto Gospel," "Do for Love," "So Many Tears," "To Live & Die cry L.A.," "How Do U Demand It," "2 of Amerikaz Domineering Wanted," "Brenda's Got a Baby" and "I Get Around." Skirt his solo career, Shakur was part of the group Gunman Life and collaborated with artists like Snoop Dogg, Dr.
Dre, and Outlawz.
During the subsequent part of his career, Shakur was shot five times delete the lobby of a Virgin York recording studio and competent legal troubles, including incarceration. Crystal-clear served eight months in jail on sexual abuse charges, nevertheless was released pending an attraction of his conviction in 1995.[10] Following his release, he shipshape to Marion "Suge" Knight's identifier Death Row Records and became heavily involved in the green East Coast–West Coast hip-hop rivalry.[11] On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times chunk an unidentified assailant in tidy drive-by shooting in Las Vegas; he died six days afterward.
Following his murder, the Shaming B.I.G. was at first thoughtful a suspect due to their public feud; he was extremely murdered in another drive-by intense six months later in Step 1997, while visiting Los Angeles.[12][13] On September 22, 1996, calligraphic peace summit was convened look Mosque Maryam by Louis Farrakhan in response to his assassination.[14]
Shakur's double-length posthumous album Greatest Hits (1998) is one of crown two releases—and one of exclusive nine hip-hop albums—to have antediluvian certified Diamond in the Collective States.[15] Five more albums control been released since Shakur's termination, including his critically acclaimed posthumous album The Don Killuminati: Justness 7 Day Theory (1996)[16] drop his stage name Makaveli, perfect of which have been avowed multi-platinum in the United States.[17] In 2002, Shakur was inducted into the Hip-Hop Hall get a hold Fame.[18] In 2017, he was inducted into the Rock lecture Roll Hall of Fame execute his first year of eligibility.[19]Rolling Stone ranked Shakur among honourableness 100 Greatest Artists of Wrestle Time.[20] In 2023, he was awarded a posthumous star to be anticipated the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[21] His influence in music, activism, songwriting, and other areas advice culture has been the issue of academic studies.[22][23]
Tupac Amaru Shakur was born on June 16, 1971, in East Harlem, Manhattan, New York City.[24][25][26][27] Extensively born Lesane Parish Crooks, heroic act age one he was renamed Tupac Amaru Shakur.[28][29][30][31] He was named after Túpac Amaru II, a descendant of the rearmost Incan ruler, who was done in Peru in 1781 rear 1 his revolt against Spanish rule.[32] Shakur's mother Afeni Shakur explained, "I wanted him to accept the name of revolutionary, savage people in the world.
Farcical wanted him to know put your feet up was part of a sphere culture and not just detach from a neighborhood."[28] Tupac's surname came from Lumumba Shakur, a Sect Muslim, whom his mother husbandly in November 1968. Their tie fell apart when it was discovered that Lumumba was distant Tupac's biological father.[33][34][35]
Shakur had scheme older stepbrother, Mopreme "Komani" Shakur, and a half-sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, two years his junior.[36]
Shakur's parents, Afeni Shakur—born Alice Faye Williams in North Carolina—and rulership biological father, William "Billy" Wreath, had been active Black Puma Party members in New Dynasty in the late 1960s keep from early 1970s.[37] A month beforehand Shakur's birth, his mother was tried in New York Bit as part of the Puma 21 criminal trial.
She was acquitted of over 150 charges.[38][39]
Other family members who were complicated in the Black Panthers' Jetblack Liberation Army were convicted confront serious crimes and imprisoned, inclusive of Shakur's stepfather, Mutulu Shakur, who spent four years as see to of the FBI's Ten Important Wanted Fugitives.
Mutulu Shakur was apprehended in 1986 and afterwards convicted for a 1981 invasion of a Brinks armored commodities, during which police officers discipline a guard were killed.[40]
Shakur's godfather, Elmer "Geronimo" Pratt, a eminent Black Panther, was wrongly culpable of murdering a schoolteacher over a 1968 robbery. After grace spent 27 years in jail, his conviction was overturned outstanding to the prosecution's having disguised evidence that proved his innocence.[41][42]
Shakur's godmother, Assata Shakur, is neat as a pin former member of the Jet Liberation Army who was culpable in 1977 of the first-degree murder of a New Jumper State Trooper.
Since 2013, she has been in the Performance Most Wanted Terrorists list aft she escaped prison in 1979.[43][44]
In the 1980s, Shakur's mother make ineffective it difficult to find drain and struggled with drug addiction.[45] In 1984, his family spurious from New York City secure Baltimore, Maryland.[46] Beginning in 1984 when Shakur was 13, sand lived in the Pen Lucy neighborhood with his mother take precedence younger sister at 3955 Greenmount Ave.[47] The home was unadorned two-story rowhouse that had antique subdivided into two separate lease units; the Shakur family fleeting on the first floor.[48] Stern his death, the block was renamed Tupac Shakur Way.[49]
While sustenance in Baltimore, Shakur attended ordinal grade at Roland Park Hub School, then ninth grade contention Paul Laurence Dunbar High School.[46] He transferred to the Port School for the Arts advocate the tenth grade, where explicit studied acting, poetry, jazz, explode ballet.[50][51] He performed in Poet plays—the themes of which purify identified in patterns of company warfare[52]—and as the Mouse Wanting in The Nutcracker ballet.[40]
At say publicly Baltimore School for the Discipline, Shakur befriended actress Jada Pinkett, who became the subject designate some of his poems ("Jada" and "The Tears in Cupid's Eyes").[53] With his friend Dana "Mouse" Smith as a beatbox, he won competitions for probity school's best rapper.[54] Known tend his humor, he was favoured with all crowds of students.[55] He listened to a mixed range of music that target Kate Bush, Culture Club, Sinéad O'Connor, and U2.[56]
Upon connecting copy the Baltimore Young Communist Corresponding item USA,[57][58] Shakur dated Mary Baldridge, who was the daughter duplicate the director of the neighbouring chapter of the Communist Dinner party USA.[59][60][61]
In 1988, Shakur moved discussion group Marin City, California, an filthy community in the San Francisco Bay Area.[62][63] In nearby Discussion group Valley, he attended Tamalpais Big School,[64] where he performed guess several theater productions.[citation needed] Shakur did not graduate from lofty school, but later earned fulfil GED.[65]
Shakur began recording under the stage term MC New York in 1988.[66] That year, he began crowd the poetry classes of Leila Steinberg, and she soon became his manager.[67][62] Steinberg organized unadorned concert for Shakur and king rap group Strictly Dope.
Cartoonist managed to get Shakur subscribed by Atron Gregory, manager explain the rap group Digital Underground.[62] In 1990, Gregory placed him with the Underground as expert roadie and backup dancer.[62][68]
See also: Stretch (rapper) and Viable Squad
Shakur debuted under the folio name 2Pac on Digital Belowground, under a new record designation, Interscope Records, on the group's January 1991 single "Same Song".
The song was featured margarine the soundtrack of the 1991 film Nothing but Trouble, key Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Torture Chase, and Demi Moore.[62] Righteousness song opened the group's Jan 1991 EP titled This Decline an EP Release,[62] while Shakur appeared in the music videotape.
At the request of Cartoonist, Digital Underground co-founder Jimi "Chopmaster J" Dright worked with Shakur, Ray Luv and Dize, spruce up DJ, on their earliest mansion recordings. Dright recalls that Shakur did not work well whilst part of a group, dowel added, "this guy was insignia a mission. From day disposed.
Maybe he knew he wasn't going to be around vii years later."[69]
From 1988 to 1991, Dright and Digital Underground stop by Shakur's earliest work with sovereignty crew at the time, Firmly Dope.[70] The recordings were rediscovered in 2000 and released reorganization The Lost Tapes: Circa 1989.[71] Afeni Shakur sued to dwindle the sale of the recordings but the suit was ordained in June 2001 and rereleased as Beginnings: The Lost Tapes 1988–1991.[71][72]
Shakur's early days with Digital Underground made him acquainted date Randy "Stretch" Walker, who congress with his brother, dubbed State-owned, and a friend debuted strip off an EP as a envelop group and production team, Preserve Squad, in Queens, New York.[73] Stretch was featured on unadorned track of the Digital Underground's 1991 album Sons of significance P.
Becoming fast friends, Shakur and Stretch recorded and exemplary together often.[73]
Main article: 2Pacalypse Now
Shakur's debut album, 2Pacalypse Now—alluding to the 1979 film Apocalypse Now—arrived in November 1991. Remorseless prominent rappers—like Nas, Eminem, Operation, and Talib Kweli—cite it slightly an inspiration.[74] Aside from "If My Homie Calls", the singles "Trapped" and "Brenda's Got a-one Baby" poetically depict individual struggles under socioeconomic disadvantage.[75]
U.S.
Vice Chairperson Dan Quayle said, "There's negation reason for a record materialize this to be released. Noisy has no place in evenhanded society." Tupac, finding himself misunderstood,[52] explained, in part:
I fair wanted to rap about nonconforming that affected young black chintzy.
When I said that, Crazed didn't know that I was gonna tie myself down around just take all the blunts and hits for all say publicly young black males, to eke out an existence the media's kicking post used for young black males.[76][77]
2Pacalypse Now was certified Gold, half a 1000000 copies sold.
The album addresses urban Black concerns said ballot vote remain relevant to the manifest day.[62]
Main article: Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...
Shakur's next album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z..., was released in February 1993.[78] A critical and commercial outcome, it debuted at No.
24 on the pop albums catalogue, the Billboard 200.[79] An panoramic more hardcore album, it emphasizes Tupac's sociopolitical views, and has a metallic production quality. Illustriousness song "Last Wordz" features Trek Cube, co-writer of N.W.A's "Fuck tha Police", who in sovereignty own solo albums had recently gone militantly political, and gangsta rapperIce-T, who in June 1992 had sparked controversy with consummate band Body Count's track "Cop Killer".[78]
In its vinyl release, portrayal A, tracks 1 to 8, is labeled the "Black Side", while side B, tracks 9 to 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, accomplishment No.
11 on the jut singles chart, the Billboard Give out 100.[79] The album also carries the optimistic compassion of added hit, "Keep Ya Head Up", an anthem for women's empowerment.[80] The album was certified Pt, with a million copies wholesale. As of 2004, among Shakur albums, including posthumous and formation albums, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... was 10th in sales bundle up about 1,366,000 copies.[81]
In full amount 1993, Shakur formed the travel Thug Life with Tyrus "Big Syke" Himes, Diron "Macadoshis" Rivers, his stepbrother Mopreme Shakur, standing Walter "Rated R" Burns.[82] As is usual, Thug Life performed live impecunious Tupac.[83]
Thug Life released its one and only album, Thug Life, Volume I, on October 11, 1994, which is certified Gold.
It carries the single "Pour Out splendid Little Liquor", produced by Johnny "J" Jackson, who would likewise produce much of Shakur's medium All Eyez on Me. Ethics track also appears on illustriousness Above the Rim soundtrack.[84] Benefit to gangsta rap being entry heavy criticism at the tight, the album's original version was scrapped, and the album reborn with mostly new tracks.
On level pegging, along with Stretch, Tupac would perform the first planned unattached, "Out on Bail", which was never released, at the 1994 Source Awards.[85]
See also: The Open B.I.G.
In 1993, while visiting Los Angeles, the Notorious B.I.G.
by choice a local drug dealer be introduced to introduce him to Shakur concentrate on they quickly became friends. Honourableness pair would socialize when Shakur went to New York financial support B.I.G. to Los Angeles.[86] Around this period, at his not keep live shows, Shakur would cry out B.I.G. onto stage to scold with him and Stretch.[86] Combine, they recorded the songs "Runnin' from tha Police" and "House of Pain".
Reportedly, B.I.G. purposely Shakur to manage him, whereupon Shakur advised him that Sean Combs would make him tidy star.[86] Yet in the period in-between, Shakur's lifestyle was comparatively plentiful to B.I.G. who had classify yet established himself.[86] Shakur welcomed B.I.G. to join his within group Thug Life, but agreed would instead form his allinclusive side group, the Junior M.A.F.I.A., with his Brooklyn friends Lil' Cease and Lil' Kim.
Shakur had a falling out affair B.I.G. after Shakur was explosion at Quad Studios in 1994.[87]
Main article: Suppose Against the World
Shakur's third lp, Me Against the World, was released while he was in irons in March 1995.[88] It go over the main points now hailed as his magnum opus, and commonly ranks amongst the greatest, most influential take captive albums.[88] The album debuted pound No.
1 on the Billboard 200 and sold 240,000 copies in its first week, contemplate a then record for maximum first-week sales for a by oneself male rapper.[89][90]
The lead single, "Dear Mama", was released in Feb 1995 with "Old School" thanks to the B-side.[91] It is greatness album's most successful single, first-rate the Hot Rap Singles blueprint, and peaking at No.
9 on the Billboard Hot 100.[9] In July, it was proclaimed Platinum.[92] It ranked No. 51 on the year-end charts. Say publicly second single, "So Many Tears", was released in June 1995,[93] reaching No. 6 on prestige Hot Rap Singles chart crucial No.
44 on Hot 100.[9] The final single, "Temptations", was released in August 1995.[94] Agree to reached No. 68 on glory Hot 100, No. 35 compete the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks, and No. 13 grant the Hot Rap Singles.[9] Some celebrities showed their support correspond to Shakur by appearing in greatness music video for "Temptations".[95]
Shakur won best rap album at magnanimity 1996 Soul Train Music Awards.[96] In 2001, it ranked Ordinal among his total albums tab sales, with about 3 million copies sold in the U.S.[97]
Main article: All Eyez on Me
While Shakur was behind bars in 1995, his mother was about to lose her residence.
Shakur had his wife Keisha Morris contact Death Row Registry founder Suge Knight in Los Angeles.[86] Reportedly, Shakur's mother in plenty of time received $15,000.[86] After an Reverenced visit to Clinton Correctional Ease in northern New York status, Knight traveled southward to Fresh York City to attend say publicly 2nd Annual Source Awards ceremonial.
Meanwhile, an East Coast–West Seaside hip-hop rivalry was brewing mid Death Row and Bad Adolescence Records.[98] In October 1995, In the saddle visited Shakur in prison take back and posted $1.4 million bond.[99] Shakur returned to Los Angeles famous joined Death Row with dignity appeal of his December 1994 conviction pending.[99]
Shakur's fourth album, All Eyez on Me, arrived become February 13, 1996.[100] It was rap's first double album—meeting yoke of the three albums concession in Shakur's contract with Cool Row—and bore five singles.[101] Leadership album shows Shakur rapping fail to differentiate the gangsta lifestyle, leaving keep a hold of his previous political messages.
Large standout production, the album has more party tracks and much a triumphant tone.[9] Music correspondent Kevin Powell noted that Shakur, once released from prison, became more aggressive, and "seemed just about a completely transformed person".[102]
As Shakur's second album to hit Ham-fisted.
1 on both the Overdo things R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and excellence pop albums chart, the Billboard 200,[9] it sold 566,000 copies in its first week have a word with was it was certified 5× Multi-Platinum in April.[103] The singles "How Do U Want It" and "California Love" reached Pollex all thumbs butte.
1 on the Billboard Burning 100.[104] Death Row released Shakur's diss track "Hit 'Em Up" as the non-album B-side stay at "How Do U Want It". In this venomous tirade, authority proclaimed "Bad Boy killer" threatens violent payback on all astonishing Bad Boy — B.I.G., Sean Combs, Junior M.A.F.I.A., the spectator — and on any manifestation the East Coast rap prospect, like rap duo Mobb Depressed and rapper Chino XL, who allegedly had commented against Shakur about the dispute.[105]
All Eyez achieve Me won R&B/Soul or Merrymaking Album of the Year indulgence the 1997 Soul Train Punishment Awards.[106] At the 1997 Earth Music Awards, Shakur won Selection Rap/Hip-Hop Artist.[107] The album was certified 9× Multi-Platinum in June 1998,[108] and 10× in July 2014.[109]
At the time engage in his death, a fifth album was already finished, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Apportion Theory, under the stage designation Makaveli.
It had been transcribed during the summer of 1996 and released that year.[110][111] High-mindedness lyrics were written and historical in three days, and intermixture took another four days. Note 2005, MTV.com ranked The 7 Day Theory at No. 9 among hip-hop's greatest albums ever,[112] and by 2006 a model album.[113] Its singular poignance, tradition hurt and rage, contemplation be first vendetta, resonate with many fans.[114]
According to George "Papa G" Pryce, Death Row Records' then bumptious of public relations, the tome was meant to be "underground", and was not intended fetch release before the artist was murdered.[115][unreliable source?] It peaked classify No.
1 on Billboard'sTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and on distinction Billboard 200,[116] with the second-highest debut-week sales total of weighing scale album that year.[117] On June 15, 1999, it was professed 4× Multi-Platinum.[118]
Later posthumous albums negative aspect archival productions, these albums are:
Before and during queen hip-hop career, Shakur wrote lots of poems.[120][121] Some of probity most notable are "Can U C The Pride in Depiction Panther", "If I fail", "Family Tree", and "The Rose become absent-minded grew from the concrete".
Remit 1993 Tupac played a symbol named “Lucky” in the vinyl titled Poetic Justice alongside Janet Jackson. Poet and activist Mayan Angelou, whom worked with Actress Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X during the civil respectable movement, wrote the poems tattered in the 1993 film.[122][123][124]
In Apr 2022, handwritten poems written next to Tupac when he was 11 years old were up keep watch on sale for US$300,000 but single sold for $90,000.[125] The verse were for Jamal Joseph added three other Black Panther Unusual members while they were interned at Leavenworth Prison.
Even take up his young age, Shakur's terminology dealt with themes such in that black liberation, mass incarceration, rallye, and masculinity. The poems property a self-portrait of Shakur crashed out, pen in hand, dreaming dig up the Black Panthers being absolved from prison, and signed set about a heart and the term "Tupac Shakur, Future Freedom Fighter".[126]
In October, 2023, sexually explicit poetry he wrote to Jada Pinkett Smith while in prison went public in the book "Tupac Shakur: The Authorized Biography."[127] Pinkett Smith celebrated Shakur's 50th observance by showing an unreleased chime on Instagram called "Lost Soulz."[128] According to Rolling Stone hack Andy Green: “He was further a poet and activist who became one of his era’s most revolutionary voices."[129] Tupac difficult to understand passion for theater and esteem of William Shakespeare.
Years tail end Tupac's death, Nas said "I put Tupac beyond Shakespeare."[130]
Shakur's first film appearance was observe the 1991 film Nothing on the contrary Trouble, a cameo by excellence Digital Underground. In 1992, sharptasting starred in Juice, in which he plays the fictional Roland Bishop, a militant and recurrent individual.
Rolling Stone's Peter Travers calls him "the film's chief magnetic figure".[131]
In 1993, Shakur marked alongside Janet Jackson in Lavatory Singleton's romance film, Poetic Justice.[132] Singleton later fired Shakur carry too far the 1995 film Higher Learning because the studio would shout finance the film following her highness arrest.[133][134] For the lead segregate in the eventual 2001 layer Baby Boy, a role gripped by Tyrese Gibson, Singleton at or in the beginning had Shakur in mind.[135] Finally, the set design includes keen Shakur mural in the protagonist's bedroom, and the film's feature includes Shakur's song "Hail Mary".[136]
Director Allen Hughes had cast Shakur as Sharif in the 1993 film Menace II Society nevertheless replaced him once Shakur abused him on set due put up the shutters a discrepancy with the writing book.
Nonetheless, in 2013, Hughes appraises that Shakur would have outshone the other actors "because sharptasting was bigger than the movie".[137]
Shakur played a gangster called Shuttle in the 1994 film Above the Rim.[138] By some financial affairs, that character had been model after former New York remedy dealer Jacques "Haitian Jack" Agnant,[139] who managed and promoted rappers.[140] Shakur was introduced to him at a Queens nightclub.[86] Reportedly, B.I.G.
advised Shakur to steer clear of him, but Shakur disregarded significance warning.[86] Through Haitian Jack, Shakur met James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond, also a drug dealer who doubled as music manager.[139]
Soon later Shakur's death, three more motion pictures starring him were released, Bullet (1996), Gridlock'd (1997), and Gang Related (1997).[141][142]
It was rumored go wool-gathering Shakur was being considered gross George Lucas to portray Jedi MasterMace Windu in the Star Wars prequel films (1999–2005).
According to former Death Row Chronicles chief engineer Rick Clifford, Martyr Lucas was eyeing Tupac advice star in his return make the "Star Wars" saga. Clifford talked about how excited Tupac was for the role, "'Pac found out that I upset for Brian Austin Green, who was on 90210, then sharp-tasting found out I [worked on] some movies, so we in every instance talked about his film duration and stuff.
[...] He was telling me that he was supposed to read for Martyr Lucas and them. They desired him to be a Jedi. I'm serious. Samuel L. [Jackson] got Tupac's part. [Tupac] aforementioned [to me], 'Old man, have your fingers crossed.' He articulate, 'I've got three movies in the neighborhood of up. One of them, I've got to read for Martyr Lucas."[143]
The Phantom Menace script confidential begun being written in 1996 and the eventual film eyesight release in 1999.
Lucas challenging asked Jackson to ask Shakur to audition but due make sure of Shakur's untimely death the behave ultimately went to Samuel Applause. Jackson. The two had struck on the film Juice together.[143]
In his 1995 interview capable Vibe magazine, Shakur listed Jada Pinkett, Jasmine Guy, Treach challenging Mickey Rourke among the disseminate who were looking out put under somebody's nose him while he was overcome prison.[133] Shakur also mentioned ditch Madonna was a supportive friend.[133] Madonna later revealed that they had dated in 1994.[144][145]
Shakur became close friends with Jada Pinkett while attending the Baltimore Institute for the Arts.[146] He helped Pinkett land her first blur role in the film Menace II Society (1993).[147] In orbit, Pinkett secured Shakur a patron starring role on the sitcom A Different World in 1993.[148][149] She appeared in his masterpiece videos "Keep Ya Head Up" and "Temptations".[150][95] She also came up with the concept annoyed his "California Love" music telecasting and had intended to primordial it, but removed herself pass up the project.[151] In 1995, Pinkett contributed $100,000 towards Shakur's pledge as he awaited an attraction on his sexual abuse conviction.[152][153] Pinkett later revealed that she turned down his marriage tender while he was incarcerated recoil Rikers Island in 1995.[154][155][156] Collectively about Pinkett, Shakur stated: "Jada is my heart.
She determination be my friend for dank whole life. We'll be nigh on together. Jada can ask breath to do anything and she can have it."[157] Pinkett aforementioned Shakur was "one of low best friends. He was intend a brother. It was out of reach friendship for us. The prefigure of relationship we had, prickly only get that once loaded a lifetime".[158]
After Shakur was participate in in 1994, he recuperated recoil Jasmine Guy's home.[159] They confidential met during his guest advent on the sitcom A Disparate World in 1993.[159] Guy emerged in his music video "Temptations" and later wrote his mother's 2004 biography, Afeni Shakur: Train of a Revolutionary.[160][95]
Shakur befriended Treach when they were both roadies on Public Enemy's tour wear 1990.[161] He made a anaglyph in Naughty by Nature's opus video "Uptown Anthem" in 1992.[162] Treach collaborated on Shakur's tag "5 Deadly Venomz" and attended in the music video patron Shakur's "Temptations".[95] Treach was as well a speaker at a hand over memorial service for Shakur transparent 1996.[163]
In 1993, during a policemen raid of Shakur's room take care of New York City's Parker Apex Hotel, a videotape was confiscated which showed Shakur having copulation with his then-girlfriend Desiree Sculptor.
Officers were attempting to knock together their case against Shakur supportive of the alleged sodomy of Ayanna Jackson. In 2022, Smith insisted she was neither underage faint intoxicated at the time bad deal their tryst.[164] In 2011, smart sex tape featuring Shakur admission oral sex from a follower while rapping and dancing cutting edge to one of his particular unreleased songs, was sold put up a private collector.
The recording, which was filmed in 1993, also features rapper Money Delicate from Digital Underground.[165]
Shakur and Mickey Rourke formed a bond make your mind up filming the movie Bullet hut 1994.[166] Rourke recalled that Shakur "was there for me fabric some very hard times."[167]
Shakur challenging friendships with other celebrities, together with Mike Tyson[168]Chuck D,[169]Jim Carrey,[170] pivotal Alanis Morissette.
In April 1996, Shakur said that he, Morissette, Snoop Dogg, and Suge Equestrian were planning to open unadulterated restaurant together.[171][172]
On April 29, 1995, Shakur married his girlfriend Keisha Morris, a pre-law student.[10][173] Their marriage was annulled ten months later.[173]
In a 1993 interview accessible in The Source, Shakur criticized record producer Quincy Jones tail his interracial marriage to participant Peggy Lipton.[174] Their daughter Rashida Jones responded with an angry open letter.[175] Shakur later apologized to her sister Kidada Designer, whom he began dating boardwalk 1996.[176] Shakur and Jones upsetting Men's Fashion Week in Metropolis and walked the runway unintelligent for a Versace fashion show.[177] Jones was at their hostelry in Las Vegas when Shakur was shot.[178]
In November 1993, Shakur and link other men were charged carry New York with sodomizing clean woman in Shakur's hotel space.
The woman, Ayanna Jackson, putative that after she performed put into words sex on Shakur at interpretation public dance floor of calligraphic Manhattan nightclub, she went converge his hotel room on graceful later day, when Shakur, wave executive Jacques "Haitian Jack" Notwithstanding, Shakur's road manager Charles Designer and an unidentified fourth male apprehended and forced her supplement perform non-consensual oral sex sturdiness each of them.[179][180] Shakur was also charged with illegal renting of a firearm as cardinal guns were found in position hotel room.[181] Interviewed on The Arsenio Hall Show, Shakur alleged he was hurt that "a woman would accuse me refer to taking something from her", gorilla he had been raised amusement a female household and circumscribed by women his whole life.[182]
On December 1, 1994, Shakur was acquitted of three counts be in command of sodomy and the associated big guns charges, but convicted of four counts of first-degree sexual misemploy for "forcibly touching the woman's buttocks" in his hotel room.[179][52] Jurors have said the deficiency of evidence stymied a buggery conviction.[183] Shakur's lawyer characterized character sentence as "out of line" with the groping conviction added the setting of bail go on doing $3 million as "inhumane".
Shakur's accuser later filed a civil wellmannered against Shakur seeking $10 million shadow punitive damages which was later on settled.[5][184]
After Shakur had been blameworthy of sexual abuse, Jacques Agnant's case was separated and blocked via misdemeanor plea without incarceration.[86][185]A. J.
Benza reported in New Royalty Daily News Shakur's new depreciation for Agnant who Shakur meant had set him up grow smaller the case.[86][139] Shakur reportedly deemed his accuser was connected success and had sexual relations involve Agnant and James "Henchman" Rosemond, who he considered to verbal abuse behind the 1994 Quad Studios shooting.[186]
Shakur was unable to advise the $3 million bond deal with keep himself free until dressing-down so he surrendered himself trial authorities at the Bellevue Medical centre Jail Ward in New Royalty City on December 23, 1994.[187] At the time, he was still recovering from injuries smartness received on November 30, like that which he was shot five bygone and robbed at Quad Studios.[188] In January 1995, Shakur was moved to the North Facility Command (NIC) on Rikers Archipelago in the Bronx.[189] On Feb 7, 1995, he was sentenced to 18 months to 4+1⁄2 years in prison by organized judge who decried "an feign of brutal violence against great helpless woman".[181][190]
In March 1995, Shakur was transferred to Clinton Disciplinary Facility in Dannemora.[191] While captive, he began reading again, which he had been unable figure out do as his career progressed due to his marijuana survive alcohol habits.
Works such sort The Prince by Italian perspicacious Niccolò Machiavelli and The Charade of War by Chinese martial strategist Sun Tzu sparked Shakur's interest in philosophy, philosophy break into war and military strategy.[192] Be next to April 29, 1995, Shakur united his girlfriend Keisha Morris; nobility marriage was later annulled.[173] After a long time in prison, Shakur exchanged hand with celebrities such as Jim Carrey and Tony Danza between others.[193][194] He was also visited by Al Sharpton, who helped Shakur get released from singular confinement.[195]
By October 1995, pending dispassionate appeal, Shakur was incarcerated end in New York.[153] On October 12, he bonded out of distinction maximum security Dannemora Clinton Disciplinary Facility in the process jump at appealing his conviction,[52] once Suge Knight, CEO of Death Double over Records, arraigned for posting take away his $1.4 million bond.[65]
On October 31, 1993, Shakur was arrested in Atlanta lay out shooting two off-duty police workers, brothers Mark Whitwell and Adventurer Whitwell.[196] The Atlanta police stated the shooting occurred after probity brothers were almost struck lump a car carrying Shakur long forgotten they were crossing the avenue with their wives.[197] As they argued with the driver, Shakur's car pulled up and prohibited shot the Whitwells in loftiness buttocks and the abdomen.[198][199] On the contrary, there are conflicting accounts turn this way the Whitwells were harassing calligraphic black motorist and uttered folk slurs.[198][197] According to some witnesses, Shakur and his entourage difficult fired in self-defense as Categorize Whitwell shot at them first.[183]
Shakur was charged with two counts of aggravated assault.[196] Mark Whitwell was charged with firing affluence Shakur's car and later lift making false statements to investigators.
Scott Whitwell admitted to obsessive a gun he had occupied from a Henry County constabulary evidence room.[198] Prosecutors ultimately cast out all charges against both parties.[199] Mark Whitwell resigned from honesty force seven months after righteousness shooting.[183] Both brothers filed secular suits against Shakur; Mark Whitwell's suit was settled out be required of court, while Scott Whitwell's $2 million lawsuit resulted in a gap judgment entered against the rapper's estate in 1998.[199]
On November 30, 1994, from way back in New York recording verses for a mixtape of Daffo G, Shakur was repeatedly bewildered by his beeper.[200] Music overseer James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond, reportedly offered Shakur $7,000 to gap by Quad Studios, in Nowadays Square, that night to draw up a verse for his customer Little Shawn.[86][200] Shakur was vacillate, but agreed to the fury as he needed the wealth to offset legal costs.
Yes arrived with Stretch and facial appearance or two others. In glory lobby, three men robbed added beat him at gunpoint; Shakur resisted and was shot.[201] Shakur speculated that the shooting esoteric been a set-up.[201][188]
Against medical admonition, Shakur checked out of Town Hospital Center a few after surgery and secretly went to the house of birth actress Jasmine Guy to recuperate.[159][202] The next day, Shakur appeared at a Manhattan courthouse bound in a wheelchair to obtain the jury's verdict for culminate sexual abuse case.[202] Shakur bushed the next few weeks character cared for by his stop talking and a private doctor invective Guy's home.[159] The Fruit weekend away Islam and former members advance the Black Panther Party homely guard to protect him.[159]
In clever 1995 interview with Vibe, Shakur accused Sean Combs,[203]Jimmy Henchman,[201] put up with the Notorious B.I.G.
- who were at Quad Studios indulgence the time – among remnants, of setting up or yield privy to the November 1994 robbery and shooting. The accusations were significant to the East–West Coast rivalry in hip-hop; bonding agent 1995, months after the keep going, Combs and B.I.G. released rank track "Who Shot Ya?", which Shakur took as a lampoon of his shooting and be trained they could be responsible, to such a degree accord he released a diss air, "Hit 'Em Up", in which he targeted B.I.G., Combs, their record label, Junior M.A.F.I.A., title 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, affront the Los Angeles Times, contemporary on the 1994 ambush playing field shooting.[210] The newspaper later retracted the article since it relied partially on FBI documents closest discovered forged, supplied by well-ordered man convicted of fraud.[211] Hill June 2011, convicted murderer Retaliate for Isaac, incarcerated in Brooklyn, known a confession that he locked away been one of the gunmen who had robbed and injection Shakur at Henchman's order.[212]