Tupac Shakur's Main TV Roles [no roles found]

Main Movie Roles 2003 - Tupac: Resurrection 2002 - Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel 1997 - Gang Related 1997 - Gridlock'd 1996 - Bullet 1994 - Above The Rim 1993 - Poetic Justice 1992 - Juice 1991 - Nothing but Trouble

BIOGRAPHY:

Born in New York City, Tupac grew up primarily in Harlem. In 1984, his family moved to Baltimore, Maryland where he became good friends with Jada Pinkett Smith. His family moved again in 1988 to Oakland, California. His first breakthrough in music came in 1991 as a member of the group Digital Underground. In the same year he received individual recognition for his album "2Pacalypse Now," but this album was also the beginning of his notoriety as a leading figure of the gangsta permutation of hip-hop, with references to cop killing and sexual violence. His solo movie career also began in this year with Juice (1992), and in 1992 he co-starred with Janet Jackson (I) in Poetic Justice (1993).

But law confrontations were soon to come: a 15-day jail term in 1994 for assault and battery and, in 1995, a conviction for sexual assault of a female fan. He was released after serving eight months pending an appeal, but following the Tyson vs Seldon fight in Las Vegas, Nevada, he was hit by four bullets while riding in a car driven by Death Row Records chief executive 'Marion 'Suge Knight. His right lung was removed in emergency surgery and, after six days in a medical coma, he died.


TRIVIA:

• When he was 12 years old, his mother enrolled him in Harlem's 127th St Ensemble. He played Travis in "A Raisin in The Sun" in his first acting role
• Had been rapping since he was 18 years old (1989).
• Cited Prince as an inspiration and sampled his music on the "All Eyez On Me" album. Shakur mentioned in an MTV interview that "he [Prince] loves women like I love women.".
• Wrote a song, but died before he could finish it. Rap artist 'Eminem' (qv) finished the song with his own lyrics and released it shortly afterwards.
• In November 1994, he was robbed and shot five times by a pair of muggers in the lobby of a New York recording studio. Tupac survived the attack, and afterwards frequently boasted of his durability in his lyrics.
• Used the name Makaveli which is an altered spelling of Machiavelli, about whom he read while in prison.
• He was voted the 86th Greatest Rock 'n Roll Artist of all time by Rolling Stone.
• Along with friends, he founded the "Junior Black Panthers" in his youth.