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 recieved individual recognition for his album "2Pacalypse Now" - but this album was also the beginning of his notoriety as a leading figure of 'gangsta rap' 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 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 8 months pending an appeal, but following the Tyson vs Seldon fight in Las Vegas 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 6 days in a medical coma he died.
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).
