“I don 't see myself being special; I just see myself having more responsibilities than the next man. People look to me to do things for them, to have answers” (Tupac Shakur). Despite his extraordinary fame, Tupac Shakur always realized that he was a voice of something more important than himself. From birth to his unfortunate death, Tupac was part of the African American community. His upbringing in the community played a large role in his popular songs and often sparked controversy. Shakur never hesitated to mention the hard conditions that he and people close to him experienced in his music, and through his fame, he was able to shine a brighter light on the issue. As Christopher Murphy, a longtime fan, notes, “his rough childhood was reflected
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His deal led to the production of his first album, 2pacalypse Now. Due to the lack of a clear number one single, the radio appeal of his debut album was limited (Ray). Instead, Tupac found advertisement elsewhere. In 1992, Vice President Dan Quayle criticized Tupac’s music for influencing his fans to act violently against policemen (Ray). Following this public criticism, 2pacalypse Now sales were significantly boosted. The controversial lyrics that were common in Tupac’s music played a large role in his rise to fame. Due to its clear benefits, Tupac did not hesitate to embrace the “Thug Life”. Despite never being part of a gang while growing up, Tupac joined one following his success and publicly showed his membership by getting a tattoo with the words “Thug Life” applied across his stomach (“Tupac Shakur Biography”). Tupac also never hesitated to detail his gang-related experiences in his music, of which often told of fights, gangs, and sex (“Tupac Shakur Biography”). His songs also discussed his hatred towards police, which was a common topic in the African American community (Golus 36). His unique music and controversial lyrics gave him his first fan base. Many of his fans loved him because his music provided a peaceful method to acquire attention for the racial inequalities many of them faced. Although his music has been known to use a violent tone, Tupac also wrote songs …show more content…
The changes he has made in the African American community and his famous music live on today. Tupac brought attention to issues in the black community in a peaceful manner. Many activists before him resorted to violence, which often contradicted their goals. His music has inspired generations after him to express their opinions through music rather than violence. His songs continue to be very popular even after his death and some of his music is still released today. In fact, the sales of his music put him on the list of top earning celebrities from 2002 to 2004, almost ten years after his death (Uschan 63). While some critics may argue that Tupac’s songs were too controversial or violent, his lyrics described the harsh realities that African American faced. He brought awareness to these issues and since then, lives in the black community have changed. Tupac Shakur has made rap one of the most popular music genres and while doing so, he has changed millions of
His deal led to the production of his first album, 2pacalypse Now. Due to the lack of a clear number one single, the radio appeal of his debut album was limited (Ray). Instead, Tupac found advertisement elsewhere. In 1992, Vice President Dan Quayle criticized Tupac’s music for influencing his fans to act violently against policemen (Ray). Following this public criticism, 2pacalypse Now sales were significantly boosted. The controversial lyrics that were common in Tupac’s music played a large role in his rise to fame. Due to its clear benefits, Tupac did not hesitate to embrace the “Thug Life”. Despite never being part of a gang while growing up, Tupac joined one following his success and publicly showed his membership by getting a tattoo with the words “Thug Life” applied across his stomach (“Tupac Shakur Biography”). Tupac also never hesitated to detail his gang-related experiences in his music, of which often told of fights, gangs, and sex (“Tupac Shakur Biography”). His songs also discussed his hatred towards police, which was a common topic in the African American community (Golus 36). His unique music and controversial lyrics gave him his first fan base. Many of his fans loved him because his music provided a peaceful method to acquire attention for the racial inequalities many of them faced. Although his music has been known to use a violent tone, Tupac also wrote songs …show more content…
The changes he has made in the African American community and his famous music live on today. Tupac brought attention to issues in the black community in a peaceful manner. Many activists before him resorted to violence, which often contradicted their goals. His music has inspired generations after him to express their opinions through music rather than violence. His songs continue to be very popular even after his death and some of his music is still released today. In fact, the sales of his music put him on the list of top earning celebrities from 2002 to 2004, almost ten years after his death (Uschan 63). While some critics may argue that Tupac’s songs were too controversial or violent, his lyrics described the harsh realities that African American faced. He brought awareness to these issues and since then, lives in the black community have changed. Tupac Shakur has made rap one of the most popular music genres and while doing so, he has changed millions of