Today marks the anniversary of one of the most famous stories in the history of hip-hop. On September 13, 1996, Tupac Shakur, a rapper at the height of his fame, died at the age of 25 from injuries sustained in a car shooting in Las Vegas, six days later.
Almost unmatched was the rapid rise of Shakur, who was one of the most talented artists in his genre. Following the late 80s explosion of hip-hop, Shakur’s mainstream success was nearly unparalleled. It’s difficult to underestimate the impact he had as 2Pac during his lifetime.
In 1996, Shakur released the inaugural double-album in the history of hip hop, titled ‘All Eyez on Me’, which received critical acclaim. Shakur went on to release three additional albums within the following five years, including ‘2Pacalypse Now’, his debut album, which he released at the age of 20 in 1991. After moving to San Francisco in 1988, Shakur began to establish himself in the West Coast hip hop scene. Born in 1971 in New York City, he was raised by his mother, who was a member of the Black Panther Party.
At once, his music grew with him, Shakur’s career also grew. His intelligent lyrics, both violent and introspectively emotional, became known for.
On the day of his murder, Tupac Shakur went to a boxing match with Marion ‘Suge’ Knight, the head of Death Row Records, after seeing Orlando Anderson, the person who earlier attempted to rob Knight and Shakur, and his group, leaving.
Knight, who was driving with Shakur in the passenger seat, was also injured when their car, a Cadillac, was pulled up alongside. Shakur was shot multiple times and the shooter rolled down the window from the back seat. Shakur was hit four times, including in his right lung, which later had to be removed by surgeons. He was placed in a coma for six days and died later in the hospital.
Shakur’s associates, during that period, declined to collaborate with the police’s inquiry. Several individuals have been suggested as potential culprits by the press over the years. The Notorious BIG was regarded as a possible suspect for a period of time because of the animosity he shared with Shakur.
In 1994, in New York, Shakur alleged that Biggie and fellow East Coast rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs were aware of the shooting incident, initially being friends, the duo turned into adversaries.
Both refuted any misconduct. In 1995, Shakur openly alleged Biggie and Combs of their participation in the incident since they had been present at the identical studio during that period. Shakur was robbed and shot on four separate occasions upon his arrival at Quad Studios in Times Square.
‘Who Shot Ya?’ And ‘Hit ‘Em Up’, respectively, in reference to the shooting, led to both Biggie and Shakur releasing diss tracks.
He was declared deceased within one hour but was quickly transported to a medical facility. He sustained four gunshot wounds when a vehicle approached him while he was departing a gathering in Los Angeles on 8 March 1997. Biggie was killed under uncannily comparable conditions half a year following Shakur’s passing. He was merely 24 years of age.
In the past few months, police have made sudden moves to uncover the individual responsible for the crime, which occurred 27 years ago following Shakur’s murder.
During the evening of his assassination, Shakur and Knight assaulted the individual who happens to be Orlando Anderson’s uncle, Duane Davis, a 60-year-old self-proclaimed “gangster,” whose residence was searched by the Nevada police in July.
Anderson denied any involvement in the killing of Shakur during that time, and died two years later in a shooting incident in Compton, California.
“The 2019 memoir titled ‘Compton Street Legend’ by Davis is a tell-all book that includes a copy of his personal photographs. The memoir reveals two tubs filled with .40-caliber bullets and a significant amount of marijuana. Additionally, the book features an article from Vibe magazine that documents Shakur’s life. The author claims to have collected hard drives, mobile phones, and multiple computers, all of which were reported to the police.”