Born Tupac Amaru Shakur in New York City, he grew up primarily on the streets of 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, and in 1992 he co-starred with Janet Jackson in Poetic Justice.

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.
Renamed Tupac Amaru Shakur in 1972 by his mother after Tupac Amaru, an Inca who was sentenced to death by the Spaniards. Tupac Amaru, in the Inca language, means "shining serpent". Wrote a song about his mother called "Dear Mama" while in prison. Son of black panther Afeni Shakur; grew up in Harlem, Baltimore, and Marin County, California. He had the words "thug life" tattooed across his abdomen. Dated Jada Pinkett Smith Was engaged to Kidada Jones Was going to play the role of Malik in Higher Learning Died on a Friday the 13th. More of his music has been released since his death than was while he was alive. Appeared in the Salt-N-Pepa video, "Whatta Man." Founding Member of the Outlawz Used the name Makaveli which is an altered spelling of Machiavelli, about whom he read while in prison. In the song "Life Goes On" from the "All Eyez on Me" album, he rhymes about his own funeral. As a young man, Tupac also studied dance, including ballet. Tupac is listed as the most successful gangsta MC in the "Guinness Book of World Records." Grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Jim Carrey was his favorite actor. Was cast in the movie Woo, but was shot five days before principal photography began. He was offered a record contract at the age of 13. However, his mother refused to let him sign anything at such a young age. She felt he had a lot to learn about the world before joining the music industry. He read for the part of "Bubba" in Forrest Gump. 10 albums have been released after his 1996 death; all have gone platinum. He was voted the 86th Greatest Rock 'n Roll Artist of all time by Rolling Stone. 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. Was originally cast in Menace II Society but was fired after a physical altercation with director Allen Hughes. As a teenager, he studied drama at Baltimore's School for the Arts, where he rhymed under the name MC New York. 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 Started his career on Tommy Boy/Warner Bros. Records with Digital Underground. As a young man, he also studied ballet and dance His 1996 song "Ghetto Gospel" was released in 2005, with some vocals by Elton John, and went to #1 in the UK, despite the fact he had been dead for eight years. Was a good friend of fellow hip-hop MC M.C. Hammer, who also was from Oakland, California, USA. His albums have sold 38 million copies in the USA alone. Has been rapping since 18 (1989). According to Guiness Book of Records 2004, he is the highest selling rap/hip-hop artist selling over 67 million copies worldwide In a 2005 Rolling Stones Magazine Vote, Tupac was named #6 of the '100 immortal artists of all time' behind the likes of Elvis and Lennon He is the first rap/hip-hop artist in history to have a wax model of himself set to be placed in Madamme Tussaud's in Las Vegas Appeared on Forbes' "Top Earning Dead Celebrities" list in 2002, 2003 and 2004 with earnings of $7 million, $12 million and $5 million in each respective year. Wrote a song, but died before he could finish it. 'Eminem' finished the song with his own lyrics and released it shortly afterwards. First music artist to have a #1 LP while being in jail Biological Father Is Billy Garland.