Tupac Shakur was born in New York City. His mother's name was Afeni Skakur.

She was a member of the Black Panther Party. She was pregnant with him while in prison for bombing charges.

Tupac comes from the Incas meaning shining serpent and Shakur is Arabic meaning "thankfull to god".

In 1986 the Skakur family moved to Baltimore. In Baltimore Tupac enrolled in the Baltimore School for Arts.

At this school he writes his first rap song under the name MC New York. Then in June of 1988 the Shakur's moved to

Marin City California. Shortly after moving to Marin City Tupac moved in with a neighbor. This is when he starts

selling drugs. In Augest of 1988 Tupac's step dad Mutulu Shakur is sentenced to 60 years in jail for his involvement

in a 1981 armored-car robbery.

Tupac finally stops selling drugs. In 1990 he joins a rap group called the Digital Underground. He joins the

group as a roadie,dancer and rapper. Tupac is a big hit wit the group and he start to work on his solo album. In 1991

he finally achieves individual recognition wit his first solo album titled "2PACALYPSE NOW" .The most successful

tracks of this album were "Trapped" and "Brenda' Got A Baby". These two tracks showed that Tupac had a soft side.

In 1992 Shakur made his movie debut in "Juice" .And then in 1993 Tupac stared in his second movie "Poetic Justice".

This movie also starred Janet Jackson. After the movie Poetic Justice Tupac was finally getting recognized around the

world as a movie star not just a gangster rapper.

In 1994 Tupac made another album called "Thug Life". This was not a solo album he worked wit rappers Syce, Mopreme,

and The Rated R. This album showed that he was a West-side gangster not an East-side gangster no more. In the same year

of the release of the album he starred in another movie called "Above the Rim".

In November of 1994 Shakur's New York sex assault trial is opened. In the same month while coming out of a Notorious

B.I.G video shoot Tupac was shot in an apparent robbery attempt outside the music studio. Tupac blamed the shooting on

the Notorious B.I.G. Just one day after the shooting Tupac was convicted of sexually abusing a women he had invited to his

hotel room. He was also charged with sodomy and weapons charges.

In 1995 he released his second solo album called "Me Against The World" this was a multi-million-selling album.

In February of 1995 he was sentenced in New York to four and a half years in jail for sexually abuse. In May of 1995 Shakur

long time girlfriend Keisha Morris. In October of 1995 Shakur is released from jail on bail after serving 8 months.

In 1996 Shakur released another album "All Eyes On Me". This album debuted on the Billboard charts as number 1.It went

on to sell about 5 million copies. The songs "How Do You Want It" and California Love" were on the top 10 Billboard Charts for months. Then in October he starred in another movie called "Gang Related".

On September 10 of 1996 Shakur was on his way to a club called 667 when he was shot. his

record producer Suge Knight only got a head graze. Then on September 13 Shakur was pronounced dead at

4:03 pm. Not much was known about the death of Tupac. The cops never found the person who killed him but they think a member of a rival gang called the Crips did it.

After Tupac's death many of his fans couldn't except his death so they started rumors of him faking his on death. Just a few months later another one of his albums came out. It was called "R U Still Down".

Tupac never had a chance to get rid of his thug image. He died at the age of 25. Many people think he could of restarted the Black Panthers. Tupac was a very creative man. Here is on of his poems:

by Tupac Shakur

Today is filled with anger, fueled with hidden hate.

Scared of being outkast, afraid of common fate.

Today is build on tragedies which no one want's to face.

Nightmares to humanity and morally disgraced.

Tonight is filled with Rage, violence in the air.

Children bred with ruthlessness cause no one at home cares.

Tonight I lay my head down but the pressure never stops,

knowing that my sanity content when I'm droped.

But tomorrow I see change, a chance to build a new,

build on spirit intent of heart and ideas based on truth.

Tomorrow I wake with second wind and strong because of pride.

I know I fought with all my heart to keep the dream alive.