Substance Abuse In Tupac Shakur's Life

2754 Words12 Pages
Tupac Amaru Shakur was born on June 16, 1971 in Manhattan, New York. He was named after Tupac Amaru II, a Peruvian revolutionary who led an indigenous uprising against Spain and was subsequently executed. He had a difficult childhood, moving frequently around in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and the Bronx. Shakur received an education in radical politics from his mother, but he also saw some of life's hardships through her struggles with substance abuse.1 The son of Black Panther activists, Shakur was raised by his mother Afeni Shakur. She was actually in jail on bombing charges during her pregnancy with Tupac. She was later acquitted in the case. He had no contact with his biological father, Billy Garland, until he was an adult. Shakur…show more content…
His lyrics and poetry allowed people to recognize the negative aspects of the world. Life gave him a great deal of adversity. He experienced poverty, injustices, and violence. What is certain is that Shakur left behind his most essential legacy, his words. Most of the issues that were presented in Shakur's work are still present in our society. His words not only give people, who are going through adverse situations, hope, they also give them guidance. 2 Tupac’s message is still very compelling and his words can still inspire people today to change. Tupac was unique because he had inspiration to make a positive change in people, to stop the violence, poverty and racism. More than two decades after his death in 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur remains one of the most recognizable faces and voices in hip…show more content…
As a result, he renamed the term “nigga” with the following expression; (never ignorant getting goals accomplished)” 4 The ideas behind his ideology are radical and agents of social change. This song is conscious of political and social issues surrounding privilege, race, and politics in American society, specifically those concerning African Americans. Tupac’s music is very authentic, he raps about what he knows and have experienced. “… Hip hop’s only authentic cultural resonance is with the experience of inner-city African Americans that is challenged by a number of theorists who argue that hip hop, while it may indeed have emerged from the ghettos of America; it is like other aspects of African American culture…” (Bennett, 179) “… Tupac Shakur was one of the most influential artists, who turned out to be the tragic symbols of hip hop ‘reality’… His lyrics ranged from exposing the pitfalls and excess of ‘thug life’ to extolling women and motherhood.” (Burnim,
Show More
Related

  • How Does Tupac Affect Society

    1026 Words  | 5 Pages

    shooting each other.'' - Mr. Shakur's lawyer, Shawn S. Chapman. That statement certainly has a lot of truth to it, but for some, TuPac is not gone forever, he has simply gone into hiding. With the thought that he may be shot at any time, wherever he went, it is easy to believe that TuPac just took the opportunity to run and is still alive today. Perhaps he went into hiding to see if he could make an impact on the gangs, or the industry when they looked closely at what the life of a gangster does to a

    Read More

More about Substance Abuse In Tupac Shakur's Life

Open Document