Tupac Amaru Shakur, better known by his stage name 2Pac and later by his alias Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Considered one of the most influential rappers of all time, Shakur is among the best-selling music artists, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Much of Shakur's music has been noted for addressing contemporary social issues that plagued inner cities, and he is considered a symbol of activism against inequality.
Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. is an American former music executive and the co-founder and CEO of Death Row Records, who was a central figure in gangsta rap's catapult to massive commercialization. This feat is attributed to the record label's first two album releases: Dr. Dre's The Chronic in 1992 and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle in 1993.
Me Against the World is the third studio album by American rapper 2Pac, released on March 14, 1995, by Interscope Records and Jive Records. Drawing lyrical inspiration from his impending prison sentence, troubles with the police, and poverty, the album is described as being 2Pac's most introspective album. According to 2Pac, Me Against the World was made to show the hip hop audience his respect for the art form. Lyrically, he intentionally tried to make the album more personal and reflective than his previous efforts. The musical production on the album was considered by several music critics to be the best of any of his albums up to that point in his career. Me Against the World features guest appearances from rap group Dramacydal and rapper Richie Rich.
Afeni Shakur Davis was an American political activist and former member of the Black Panther Party. Shakur was the mother of rapper Tupac Shakur and the executor of his estate. She founded the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation and also served as the CEO of Amaru Entertainment, Inc., a record and film production company she founded.
Tupac: Resurrection was released by Amaru Entertainment as the soundtrack for the Academy Award-nominated 2003 documentary, Tupac: Resurrection.
Thug Life: Volume 1 is the only studio album by American hip hop group Thug Life, started by rapper Tupac Shakur, it was released on September 26, 1994 by Interscope Records. The group featured Big Syke, Macadoshis, Mopreme, The Rated R and Tupac Shakur.
Amaru Entertainment is a record label founded in 1997 by Afeni Shakur after the death of her son Tupac. The label was created to handle the release of Tupac's previously unreleased material, and was given the rights to release recordings made during his time at both Interscope and Death Row Records, as well as the rights to re-release his Interscope albums 2Pacalypse Now, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z, Thug Life Vol. 1, and Me Against the World. Initially the company distributed its releases through Jive Records, beginning with R U Still Down? , but, as of 2011, the releases were being distributed by Interscope. Amaru has released 11 posthumous albums by 2Pac, as well as a documentary, titled Tupac: Resurrection. On May 2, 2016, Afeni Shakur died of a heart attack.
"I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto" is a song by American rapper 2Pac. It was released as the first single from the posthumous album R U Still Down? . The original version, titled "I Wonda if Heaven's Got a Ghetto", was released as a B-side on the 1993 single, "Keep Ya Head Up".
"Dear Mama" is a song by American hip hop recording artist 2Pac, released on February 21, 1995, as the lead single from his third studio album, Me Against the World. The song is a tribute to his mother, Afeni Shakur. In the song, Shakur details his childhood poverty and his mother's addiction to crack cocaine, but argues that his love and deep respect for his mother supersede bad memories. The song topped the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart for five weeks and also peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. The single was certified Platinum by the RIAA on July 13, 1995.
The Panther 21 is a group of twenty-one Black Panther members who were arrested and accused of planned coordinated bombing and long-range rifle attacks on two police stations and an education office in New York City in 1969, who were all acquitted by a jury in May 1971, after revelations during the trial that police infiltrators played key organising roles.
Pac's Life is the tenth and final studio album by American rapper 2Pac. It is also his sixth posthumous album. The album was released on November 21, 2006, in the United States, on Amaru Entertainment. Its 2006 release date was intended to commemorate the tenth anniversary of his murder. The album debuted at number nine on the US Billboard 200 chart.
"Pac's Life" is a single written and performed by American rappers Tupac Shakur and T.I and R&B singer Ashanti, produced by L. T. Hutton for Shakur's posthumously released album of the same name. It is a hip hop and R&B song; the second Tupac verse was recycled from a song titled "This Life I Lead". T.I. said in an interview that working on the song was an honor, as he idolized him while growing up.
"One Day at a Time " is a song by American rapper Tupac from the 2003 soundtrack album Tupac: Resurrection: The Original Soundtrack. The track is American rapper Eminem's take on the 1996 original, which features both Shakur and Spice 1. Eminem's version features vocals from both himself and Outlawz. The song was released as a 12" promo single in 2004, no official music video was ever created. It charted at #80 on The Billboard Hot 100 and number 55 in the RNB chart and 22 in rap singles. It also peaked at 134 in the UK.
Nu-Mixx Klazzics Vol. 2 – Evolution: Duets & Remixes is a posthumously released remix album by American rapper Tupac Shakur. The album was released through Koch. It is the follow-up to Tupac Shakur's Nu-Mixx Klazzics, released previously on October 7, 2003. Its original title was Evolution: Duets & Remixes, and was released on August 14, 2007.
Beginnings: The Lost Tapes 1988–1991 is a posthumous album by American rapper 2Pac, released on June 12, 2007 by Koch Records. The album was originally released on April 18, 2000, in bootleg form under the title The Lost Tapes: Circa 1989, but the selling was quickly halted due to copyright infringement.
Leila Steinberg is an American manager, business woman, educator, writer, poet, and founder of AIM4TheHeART, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to helping at-risk youth find their voice using an emotional literacy curriculum and writing workshops. She is best known as the artist mentor and first manager for superstar rapper Tupac Shakur. They met when he was a student in her writing workshop, The Microphone Sessions, in the Oakland Bay area. Today Leila manages the rapper Earl Sweatshirt, formerly of Odd Future.
Yafeu Akiyele Fula, better known by his stage name Yaki Kadafi, was an American rapper and a founder and member of the hip hop groups Outlawz and Dramacydal.
The Rose That Grew from Concrete (1999) is a collection of poetry written between 1989 and 1991 by Tupac Shakur, published by Pocket Books through its MTV Books imprint. A preface was written by Shakur's mother Afeni Shakur, a foreword by Nikki Giovanni and an introduction by his manager, Leila Steinberg.
Thug Life was an American hip hop group that consisted of 2Pac, Big Syke, Mopreme, Macadoshis, and The Rated R. They released one album, 1994's Thug Life: Volume 1, before disbanding in 1995.
All Eyez on Me is a 2017 American biographical drama film about rapper Tupac Shakur, directed by Benny Boom and written by Jeremy Haft, Eddie Gonzalez and Steven Bagatourian. Titled after Shakur's 1996 fourth studio album as well as the song of the same name, the film stars Demetrius Shipp Jr. as Shakur with Kat Graham, Lauren Cohan, Hill Harper and Danai Gurira in supporting roles, with Jamal Woolard reprising his role as Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace from Notorious (2009).
