It was on September 13th, 1996, when one of hip hop’s very own had passed on. 20 years later, this man’s legacy is still celebrated worldwide through his music, his movies and most importantly his powerful, emotional, strong and revolutionary words and actions. Tupac Amaru Shakur is one of hip hop’s most celebrated artists of all time. His music was not only the truth but he showed sides of himself that was very impactful on fans all over the world. Of course all that revolutionary talk and attitude was put into him by his mother, Afeni Shakur, a woman who was a political activist and a part of the Black Panther Party. The Black Panther Party is a revolutionary black nationalist and social organization that was founded in 1962 and lasted until 1982. Before he was Tupac, he was Lesane Parrish Crooks. The first time people heard Pac on a record was on Digital Underground’s 1991 joint called “Same Song”, from the original movie soundtrack “Nothing But Trouble.” That same year, Pac released his debut album called “2Pacalypse Now.” This album touched heavily on the subject of all the things that were happening here in America. Things like “black on black” crime, teenage pregnancy, racism, and police brutality and one song that talked about one of those subjects was “Brenda Had a Baby.” I never sat down and listened to this album all the way through but I already knew what topics Pac was touching on from reading about the album long time ago. The only Pac album I heard all the way through is “All Eyez On Me”, which was released 20 years ago in February. His next album “Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z…” released in February 1993, spawned the single “I Get Around”, which is one of my all time favorite Pac joints. Of course, any song with a dope beat to me is automatically a good song and it was catchy too. The music video matched with a fun, party vibe with the half naked women by the pool and running backyard and just dancing and having a good time. Another joint from this album “Keep Your Head Up” is another one of my favorites, for the simple fact that Pac said a line in the song that questioned the lack of love for our black women. He rides the beat while making you think when he said “And since we all came from a woman, got our name from a woman and our game from a woman, I wonder why we take from our women, why we rape our women, do we hate our women? I think it’s time to kill for our women, be real to our women.” That line alone is why this joint is one of my favorite Pac joints. To this day, that line is still to be asked because having a conversation with our friends and brothers and cousins, then tend to talk with so much hate and disrespect for black women and it personally pisses me off. People talk about how much they love the real and how real they are themselves but only keeping it REAL ignorant and REAL dumb and stupid. Pac’s next joint “Me Against the World” to me is my favorite album because all three of the singles released are all of my favorite Pac joints as well and if they’re all my favorites then I know for sure that the album is amazing. I need to have a Pac day and just vibe to his shit all day. “All Eyez On Me” has K-Ci and Jojo on the hook to “How Do U Want?”, and that dope ass remixed version to “California Love” featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman, that’s Mr. Computer Love right there. The song wouldn’t be the same without him on it. “The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory” aka “Makaveli” had “Hail Mary and “R U Still Down? (Remember Me)” had “Do For Love” featuring Eric Williams from BLACKstreet, who was a new member at the time. Man, Pac had joints for days that I rocked with heavy but I still have to find some time to go through his entire discography. To me, Pac goes into the same box as KRS-One, Public Enemy, and the X-Clan. They were all on that political/Black Power tip that we need more of in today’s hip hop. Kendrick Lamar could also go into that box, as well as Lupe Fiasco, Mos Def and Talib Kweli aka Black Star, nothing like conscious rap to make you nod your head, think, cry, get angry as you rap along to those deep records and it made you feel proud to be Black too, made you feel unapologetic about being Black. Of course hip hop needs a balance but it’s a little too out of balance nowadays and Pac would be perfect in these days of the Black Lives Matter movement. Let’s put David Banner in that box too. 20 years later, it’s no secret how impactful Pac is to hip hop and on people all over the world. His honesty and empowering but sharp words made people both love him and hate him at the same time. He wasn’t the lyrical and flow kinda dude, he was emotional and powerful, unapologetic and honest. I almost forgot to mention his acting career when he appeared in “Gridlock’d”, “Above the Rim” and one of my all time favorites “Juice” alongside Omar Epps as “Bishop.” Bishop had that same attitude Pac had in his music except Bishop got outta hand with the power of the “juice.” There’s no telling what could happen if Pac was still here today. I would’ve loved for him to be here today. I definitely see him in Kendrick Lamar. Rest in peace Pac. We still riding with you and keeping you in our spirits after 20 years.
20 Years Later: The Legacy of 2Pac
