2Pac

艺名：2pac
本名：Tupac Amaru Shakur
1971年6月16日——1996年9月13日
风格：rap（Gangsta Rap（团体饶舌） 、West Coast Rap（西岸饶舌） 、Hardcore Rap（硬核饶舌） 、G-Funk（G放客））
2pac--一名gangsta rap（团体饶舌）的烈士，一个富有悲剧色彩的美国黑人文化象征。在他演艺事业刚刚开始之时，没有人会相信这样一个黑小子会成为20世纪90年代最伟大的饶舌歌手之一。开始时，他只是digital underground（数位地下）的一名候补饶舌歌手和舞者，到了1992年，他发行了饱受好评的处女专辑《2pacalypse Now（2pac现代启示录）》，随后又进行了一系列的"造星"变革，经历了一年的过程后，他的整体水平得到充分的提高，同时他的知名度也提升很多，除了他的音乐还有他在演艺事业之外从不间断的新闻。到了1994年，2pac已经可以和snoop dogg（偷窥狗）媲美，成为rap圈中最具争议的人物，因为他花在监狱中的时间与他花在录音棚中的时间一样多。他的牢狱生涯帮助他1995年的专辑《Me against the world（我与世界对立）》飙升至排行榜第一名。然而，他也就像这张专辑中的《dear mama（亲爱的妈妈）》所唱的，"他能够敏感又暴力"。在1995年末签约了Death Row（唱片厂牌：死排）唱片之后，2pac在1996年春天发行了他的双张专辑《All Eyez on me（所有人的眼睛都盯着我）》，并且这张专辑以及其中的主打歌《California Love（加州之恋）》更加确立了他超级明星的地位。不幸的是，他在音乐中所标榜的这种gangsta生活方式，很快就取代了他自己的生活。当他达到了失业的顶峰，他公开攻击他的竞争对手"the Notorious B.I.G.（声名狼藉先生）"，紧张的气氛在Death Row中也开始酝酿。正当这些状况接踵而至时，1996年9月2pac以外遭受枪击，9月13日，枪击6天后，2pac永远离开了我们，留下遗物的只有表现着他生活方式的音乐。
作为黑人的孩子，Tupac Amaru Shakur（2pac的本名）出生在纽约，他的父母在他出生之前就已经分手了，而在他童年的记忆里，更多的都是他的母亲带着他和他的妹妹四处流荡。他的家庭也一直都是生活在贫困的环境中，然而，2pac却一直想要进入当时声望很高的巴尔的摩学校学习艺术。当他进入了这所学校之后，他的才华得到了很大程度的激发，也就是从这时候开始，他开始了创作rap歌曲并且表演。在毕业之前，他的家举家迁移到加拿大的Marin（海风）城，那时候他才17岁。而后的几年，他开始了街头流浪和抢劫。最终改变他的生活的，是他遇到了当时Digital Underground的Shock-G。他们在奥克兰的基地决定雇用2PAC作为一名伴舞和巡回演出管理员，所以每次巡回演出的时候2pac也都随队前往，而在这时，2pac也开始了自己作品的创作。在digital underground1991年春天录制的一张EP中，2pac首次参与了录制，随后他也参与了他们的第二张唱片《Sons of the P.（P.的儿子）》的录制。而就在第二年，他发行了他的首张专辑《2Pacalypse Now》，这张专辑也获得了惊人的成功，不但歌曲《Brenda's Got a Baby（布兰达有了一个孩子）》进入了R&B排行前30，而且这张专辑的销售情况也达到了黄金销量。但是，由于尖刻直率的歌词，这张专辑也遭受到保守人士的批评和谴责。当时正在参加竞选的副总统Dan Quayle（丹·奎伊）就在他的竞选活动中对这张专辑大加批评。
2pac的再度名声大噪是他参与了Ernest Dickerson（欧内斯特·迪克逊）的电影《Juice（果汁）》中。转年这部电影上映之时，2Pac也发行了他的第二张专辑《Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.》，这张专辑更是获得了白金销量，同时歌曲《I Get Around（我四处游荡）》和《Keep Ya Head up（保持年轻）》在R&B排行榜中排名第4并且打入了R&B TOP TEN，在流行歌曲排名中也获得了11和12名的好成绩。在1993年末，他又出演了一部篮球题材的电影《Above The Rim（在篮筐上）》。就在2PAC的音乐和电影事业获得巨大成功的时候，他却开始了和法律"打交道"，而在他成为一名艺人之前，他却从来没有过犯罪记录。1992年他因卷入一起斗殴，并用流弹枪射中一名6岁的旁观者而被捕，而指控随后被撤销。1993年夏天，在2pac参与电影《MENACE II SOCIETY（威胁2：社会）》拍摄时，他又打伤了男演员Allen Hughes（阿兰·休斯），1994年初，他因此被处以15天监禁。1993年10月，他被指控在亚特兰大枪击两名警察，而指控随后也被幸运地撤销了。但仅过了一个月，他和他的两名随从又被指控对一名女歌迷性骚扰。1994年他的性侵犯罪名成立，而就在宣判之后一天，他又在纽约的录音室中被两人枪击。1995年2月7日，2pac开始了他4年半的服刑。
在他服刑期间，他也开始了他第三张专辑的制作《Me Against The World》，这张专辑在同年3月发行，，并且荣登排行榜第一名，而他也是第一位在监狱中接受这等殊荣的艺人。在狱中，他除了音乐，还指控了Notorious B.I,G,、Puffy Combs（吹牛老爹）、Andre Harrerll（安德列·哈来尔）和他的好友Randy Walker（兰迪·沃克）涉嫌参与了纽约枪击事件。2pac在狱中只服刑八个月就被当时的Death ROW的经理Suge Knight（苏积·耐特）以140万美元保释出狱。同年年底，他开始制作在Death Row的首张专辑。1995年10月30日，纽约枪击事件1年后，他的好友randy walker被杀。
2pac在Death Row的处女作《All Eyez On Me》成为了HIP-HOP历史上第一张双张专辑。而这张专辑也再次获得第一名的荣誉，同时这张专辑在秋天的销售情况已经达到了5倍白金销量。虽然他的在音乐事业上如此成功，并且还和Dr. Dre合作了《California Love》，但是2pac此时却开始厌倦HIP-HOP音乐并开始执迷于演艺事业。1996年夏天他完成了两部电影。惊悚片《Bullet（子弹）》和黑色幽默片《Gridlock`d（狠将黑帮）》。这期间他也间或为Death Row发行一些专辑。
在他被谋杀的1996年9月，已经有迹象表明2Pac准备离开Death Row，而离开的原因到现在也没有人能准确说出来，他被枪杀至今也依旧是个谜。2pac被杀是在拉斯维加斯，当时他和Knight从米高梅酒店出来后，2Pac被一名年轻黑人开枪打死。事后有猜测说是他在开车时被射中打死，有猜测说是Knight纠集杀手来杀他。另一种说法就是The Notorious B.I.G.为求报复而买凶杀人。无论怎么说，2pac当时都是身中4枪，而后被送往内华达州医院抢救，6天后，他永远离开了这个世界。
数以百计的歌迷在听到2pac过世的噩耗后来到医院，整个娱乐界也因失去他这样一位天才艺人而惋惜。特别是在这次事件发生之后，许多人相信这将会终结East Coast HIP-HOP（东岸嘻哈）和West Coast Hiphop（西岸嘻哈）两大帮派的对立情况，减少黑人之间的暴力事件。不幸的是，6个月后，The Notorious B.I.G.也在相似情况下的被杀了。就在2PAC的恶名在他死后还与日俱增的同时，一系列的作品却在他死后做成专辑出版发行，其中包括《Don Killuminati：The 7 Day Theory（七日推测）》（由Makaveli（玛卡维利）在1996年发行），《R U Still Down？（Remeeber me）【你是否依然低落？（记住我）】》（1997），《Still I Rise（冉冉升起）》（1999），《Under the End of Time（时间结束后……）》（2001）和《Better Dayz（更好的日子）》（2002）。
2Pac became the unlikely martyr of gangsta rap, and a tragic symbol of the toll its lifestyle exacted on urban black America. At the outset of his career, it didn't appear that he would emerge as one of the definitive rappers of the '90s — he started out as a second-string rapper and dancer for Digital Underground, joining only after they had already landed their biggest hit. But in 1991, he delivered an acclaimed debut album, 2Pacalypse Now, and quickly followed with a star-making performance in the urban drama Juice. Over the course of one year, his profile rose substantially, based as much on his run-ins with the law as his music. By 1994, 2Pac rivaled Snoop Dogg as the most controversial figure in rap, spending as much time in prison as he did in the recording studio. His burgeoning outlaw mythology helped his 1995 album Me Against the World enter the charts at number one, and it also opened him up to charges of exploitation. Yet, as the single "Dear Mama" illustrated, he was capable of sensitivity as well as violence. Signing with Death Row Records in late 1995, 2Pac released the double-album All Eyez on Me in the spring of 1996, and the record, as well as its hit single "California Love," confirmed his superstar status. Unfortunately, the gangsta lifestyle he captured in his music soon overtook his own life. While his celebrity was at its peak, he publicly fought with his rival, the Notorious B.I.G., and there were tensions brewing at Death Row. Even with such conflicts, however, 2Pac's drive-by shooting in September 1996 came as an unexpected shock. On September 13, six days after the shooting, 2Pac passed away, leaving behind a legacy that was based as much on his lifestyle as it was his music.
The son of two Black Panther members, Tupac Amaru Shakur was born in New York City. His parents had separated before he was born, and his mother moved him and his sister around the country for much of their childhood. Frequently, the family was at the poverty level, but Shakur managed to gain acceptance to the prestigious Baltimore School of the Arts as a teenager. While he was at the school, his creative side flourished, as he began writing raps and acting. Before he could graduate, his family moved to Marin City, CA, when he was 17 years old. Over the next few years, he lived on the streets and began hustling. Eventually, he met Shock-G, the leader of Digital Underground. The Oakland-based crew decided to hire him as a dancer and roadie, and as he toured with the group, he worked on his own material. 2Pac made his first recorded appearance on the group's spring 1991 record, This Is an EP Release, and he also appeared on their second album, Sons of the P. The following year, he released his own debut, 2Pacalypse Now. The album became a word-of-mouth hit, as "Brenda's Got a Baby" reached the R&B Top 30 and the record went gold. However, its blunt and explicit lyrics earned criticisms for moral watchdogs, and Vice President Dan Quayle attacked the album while he was campaigning for re-election that year.
Shakur's profile was raised considerably by his acclaimed role in the Ernest Dickerson film Juice, which led to a lead role in John Singleton's Poetic Justice the following year. By the time the film hit theaters, 2Pac had released his second album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., which became a platinum album, peaking at number four on the R&B charts and launching the Top Ten R&B hit singles "I Get Around" and "Keep Ya Head Up," which peaked at number 11 and 12, respectively, on the pop charts. Late in 1993, he acted in the basketball movie Above the Rim. Although Shakur was selling records and earning praise for his music and acting, he began having serious altercations with the law; prior to becoming a recording artist, he had no police record. He was arrested in 1992 after he was involved in a fight that culminated with a stray bullet killing a six-year-old bystander; the charges were later dismissed. 2Pac was filming Menace II Society in the summer of 1993 when he assaulted director Allen Hughes; he was sentenced to 15 days in jail in early 1994. The sentence arrived after two other high-profile incidents. In October of 1993, when he was charged with shooting two off-duty police officers in Atlanta. The charges were dismissed, but the following month, he and two members of his entourage were charged with sexually abusing a female fan. In 1994, he was found guilty of sexual assault. The day after the verdict was announced, he was shot by a pair of muggers while he was in the lobby of a New York City recordings studio. Shakur was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison on February 7, 1995.
Later that month, Shakur began serving his sentence. He was in jail when his third album, Me Against the World, was released in March. The record entered the charts at number one, making 2Pac the first artist to enjoy a number one record while serving a prison sentence. While he was in prison, he accused the Notorious B.I.G., Puffy Combs, Andre Harrell, and his own close friend Randy "Stretch" Walker of orchestrating his New York shooting. Shakur only served eight months of his sentence, as Suge Knight, the president of Death Row Records, arranged for parole and posted a 1.4 million dollar bond for the rapper. By the end of the year, 2Pac was out of prison and working on his debut for Death Row. On November 30, 1995 — the one-year anniversary of the New York shooting — Walker was killed in a gangland-styled murder in Queens.
2Pac's Death Row debut, All Eyez on Me, was the first double disc of original material in hip-hop history. It debuted at number one upon its February release, and would be certified quintuple platinum by the fall. Although he had a hit record and, with the Dr. Dre duet "California Love," a massive single on his hands, Shakur was beginning to tire of hip-hop and started to concentrate on acting. During the summer of 1996, he completed two films, the thriller Bullet and the dark comedy Gridlock'd, which also starred Tim Roth. He also made some recordings for Death Row, which was quickly disintegrating without Dre as the house producer, and as Knight became heavily involved in illegal activities.
At the time of his murder in September 1996, there were indications that Shakur was considering leaving Death Row, and maybe even rap, behind. None of those theories can ever be confirmed, just as the reasons behind his shooting remain mysterious. Shakur was shot on the Las Vegas strip as he was riding in the passenger seat of Knight's car. They had just seen the Mike Tyson-Bruce Seldon fight at the MGM Grand, and as they were leaving the hotel, 2Pac got into a fight with an unnamed young black man. The case was never solved, but it has been suggested that this was the cause of the drive-by shooting, and it has also been suggested that Knight's ties to the mob and to gangs were the reason; another theory is that the Notorious B.I.G. arranged the shooting as retaliation for 2Pac's comments that he slept with Biggie's wife, Faith Evans. Either way, Shakur was shot four times and was admitted to University of Nevada Medical Center. Six days later, he died from his wounds.
Hundreds of mourners appeared at the hospital upon news of his death, and the entire entertainment industry mourned his passing, especially since there were no leads in the case. Many believed his death would end the much-hyped East Coast/West Coast hip-hop rivalry and decrease black-on-black violence. Sadly, six months after his death, the Notorious B.I.G. was murdered under similar circumstances. As Shakur's notoriety only increased in the wake of his death, a series of posthumous releases followed, among them Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (issued under the alias Makaveli in 1996), R U Still Down? (Remember Me) (1997), Still I Rise (1999), Until the End of Time (2001), and Better Dayz (2002).