TUPAC AKA THE GREATEST

Tupac Shakur, also known as 2pac, was a famous rapper, actor and songwriter. He is personally one of my favorite artists because of his upbringing, pathway to fame and his messages through poetry. He began his life as Lesane Parish Crooks when he was born into a family with very low income. However, what makes him stand out from the very beginning is his mother’s choices. When Tupac was very young, his mother joined the Black Panther organization known for fighting against police brutality and other injustices toward African Americans. After she was initiated, both she and Tupac changed their names (as part of joining the black panther) and he was known as Tupac ever since.

Due to his unfortunate circumstances, Tupac joined gangs and illegal activity early in life. But from the very beginning, he knew he wanted to pursue music and was then accepted into the Baltimore School for the Arts. There he learned many skills that would help him find a new way in life. He started his career as a roadie and a dancer for the group digital underground and in less than a year he made his debut on Same Song by digital underground. After his debut, he became known as a legend.

One of the things I think I love most about Tupac was his ability to speak the truth through his music. He wasn’t afraid to tell people the hard truth. I think in life a lot of problems in the world go without being said because no one has the guts to call out people. But what’s so great about Tupac was that he didn’t care. He was going to say anything that came to his mind. What I think is so great about Tupac is his overall goal to empower the black community. He knew what he was saying would help motivate the black community to be better. I believe he wanted the African American community to be better as a whole. He did this by making THUG LIFE into an acronym meaning The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everyone. When he made this he was addressing African Americans and the violence associated with being African American. He knew this would both benefit the African American society and attempt to get rid of various stereotypes. During the 90s being in gangs for black people was normal. He had lived that life and knew there was something better than hating someone just because someone in your gang had a prior disagreement. If you think about that, only a genius could possibly make a thug something that’s good and empowering for African Americans. I admire him for all of his efforts. His music is so empowering and it makes you want to be better for yourself and others. I remember the first time I heard Changes and it opened my eyes to how elements of racism haven’t changed since the nineties.

If I had to teach a class about Tupac I would definitely begin with teaching and having my students do research on his backstory. I would want them to understand that he was poor and wasn’t living in the best circumstances from the start of his life. I think what I would want them to take away from this part of my Tupac unit is to understand that people who deal drugs are NOT bad people. Like Tupac, most of these gang members and drug dealers are in it because they have to be. They’re simply trying to put food on the table for their family just like everyone else. Drug dealing is a way for them to get a lot of money in a short amount of time. In Tupac’s case, he was doing it to take care of his mother who at the time was a drug addict. She was failing to make ends so Tupac felt he needed to take matters into his own hands. Once he did that he felt a connection in which he never felt before. He finally felt like someone had his back and was always looking out for him. In his gang, he felt that kind of family bond that you see on television. It might not have been the standard American Dream but it felt like something better than what he had at home. I think many feel that drug dealers are just trying to cause trouble and ruin the peace. But for many people that is not the case. Joining gangs often is the only place where they feel like they are apart of a loving family. They feel a sense of brotherhood or even fatherhood that most of the time are not present in their actual homes. Many of these members are looking for a place filled with unconditional love and togetherness (the kind you imagine and see on tv). They are trying to fill in the missing piece of their life which most of the time gangs are believed to be the answer. With that being said what I would want my students to take away from this first lesson is thinking from someone else’s perspective. No longer believing the stereotypes around black people or any race. I want them to know that everyone is living under certain circumstances and people have no right to apply preconceived notions.

After they do their research on Tupac I would have them read, listen and watch the music video to Changes. This song is personally one of my favorite songs by him and probably one of the most powerful. From the very beginning of the song, he starts by saying,

“I see no changes wake up in the morning and I ask myself

Is life worth living should I blast myself?

I'm tired of bein' poor and even worse I'm black

My stomach hurts so I'm lookin' for a purse to snatch

Cops give a damn about a negro

Pull the trigger kill a nigga he's a hero

Give the crack to the kids who the hell cares

One less hungry mouth on the welfare

First ship 'em dope and let 'em deal the brothers

Give 'em guns step back watch 'em kill each other”

From this first stanza, I would have my students notice what Tupac is referencing. Once they point out the key elements (gun violence, drug dealing, racism) I would have them compare this to our world right now. My overall goal would be to show them how little the world has changed since this song was written in the 90s. It has been nearly more than 20 years and our world is still facing the same problems addressed in this song. I would try to turn the lesson in the direction of making a change. There are so many different issues that need to be addressed in this world and the only way for it to get better is if our community makes a change.

I think Tupac and his messages should be taught to everyone. His overall goal was to educate and empower the black community (certainly he would’ve loved for other races to take part). He understood that our world right now is in need of some serious changes. Whether it’s relating to preserving the earth or social justice issues there is so much room for improvement. Everyone deserves to be treated equally without judgment which is what I think Tupac wanted to portray through his art (don’t get me wrong there were so many other great messages in his songs).