2pac

[Shiny_macShine]

sorry if there is already a thread on this, if there is delete or something

right anyway the man was and imo still is the best GANGSTER rapper ever i.e i'm not talking about all of hip hop here. the man conquered so many adversities in his life (such as being shot the first time and being arrested 8 times before he was 20). the lryics to his songs such as brendas got a baby, unconditional love, dear mama, changes and keep ya head up are some of the greatest lyrics ever written. From these songs u know that he really did try and make a difference and the world his genre was born from to make it a better place. you can't really say he *glorified" violence because in the world he grew up in it was necessary. It could be said he went too far on tracks like hit em up but he was an angry young man (he died when he was only 25) and was very passionate. he didn't always have the best production for the music but his lyrics have meant he has sold i think just over 30 milion records. Its sad that there are idiot townies and the like who think he generally sounds good and don't listen to him properly though

but anyway i'd like to know what other peoples comments are to see if they've got anything to add (or detract)

[skoo]

You pretty much said it all really.

If I was going to add anything.. I'd comment on his acting. If you've seen Gridlock'd, Poetic Justice, etc, you can not deny he also had a promising future as an actor.

Check out his poems if you havent already.

[bufo]

When I opened this thread I was afraid this was going to be someone rattling on about Tupac being the best rapper period without hearing much other hiphop. But this is actually just how I think about Tupac too

[GorillaBearBear]

You did say it all. I can't add anything really. What I love about Tupac is that he conveys a really burning emotion in his songs (generally hate or sadness). Songs like changes just speak to me so much. I also like that, as you said, he doesn't so much glorify violence (in most songs anyway) but actually portrays it as the horrible thing it is. Sometimes it seems that he's sad about the things he's done.

[Rhaeven]

people always bitch about rock/metal bands singing about hatred and despair and sadness and stuff. so why is it ok for a rapper to do it?

[Shiny_macShine]

that my good man is because rappers have actually lived that sadness and despair

[GorillaBearBear]

I don't bitch about rock bands singing about that shit. (except maybe papa Roach). I think it's all good. And yes. What he ^ said

[Rhaeven]

How do you know the private details of the lives of each rapper? And how do you know that all rock stars had easy lives?

As much as I hate to say it (NOT being a fan at all of his music) Kurt Kobain had a pretty fucked up childhood. Same with Marilyn Manson really.

[Pie³]

i myself am a fan of a lot of styles of muisc and rock is one of them but it seems that these days there are very few rock artists that do not sing about some kind of dispair, there is very little upbeat rock music.

[skoo]

Originally posted by Rhaeven
people always bitch about rock/metal bands singing about hatred and despair and sadness and stuff. so why is it ok for a rapper to do it?

Don't try to de-rail a perfectly good thread. This is a thread about Tupac, not about rock/metal. Go play elsewhere.

[damn tasche]

Basically everything you've said.

He was a remarkable person.

He was one of those people who could do almopst anything if he put his mind to it.

It is a real shame what happened, although to be fair he probably brought it upon himself in a way, though no one actually deserves to be shot dead.

What I like most about his music I think, is the energy and emotions he puts into it. When he's saying it, you know he means it and it's coming straight from inside him.

R.I.P.

[skoo]

Well said!

*points to sig*

[Shiny_macShine]

too answer you last question rhaeven. 2pac was as i said arrested about 8 times before he was 20 added to the fact that his father was driven away from his mother who was a militant crack addict. he moved around new york about 6 times before finally moving all the way over to L.A. i'd say thats rather fucked up. Plus if rappers haven't lived the life they rap about they lose all credibility from not being "real" like when jay-z recieved death threats for rapping about what he hadn't experienced. In gangster rap its pretty much nessecary to have a criminal record

[extrememangopig]

2 pac is the best ever

but sadly he died

[damn tasche]

Originally posted by skoo
Well said!

*points to sig*

Ah yes.

He had some real nice lines in his rhymes.

I like the line (from his poetry, though he says it in some of his tracks as well) "The rose that grew from the concrete" it's just such great imagery.

In the song he says it, he goes on to say (something like). "They say the rose that grew from the concrete had damaged petals. Well we are the roses. This is the concrete. ANd these are my damaged petals." "Who do you believe in", I think.

I think he never really got the production he deserved though.

Don't get me wrong, some track he had had really good production but I think all his tracks deserved really good production.

I find it hard to choose a favourite when it comes to 2pac, because you can listen to his songs on so many different levels and they're just all so alive.

A few favourites though: Brenda's Got A Baby, Life Goes On, California Love, Changes, Hail Mary, in fact all of the tracks on his greatest hits - not too keen on I Get Around and the choruses on a few of his tracks, although he normally came out with good choruses. I also quite like Thugz Mansion, although not with Nas in - the version of just him, it just doesn't work with Nas on, he just sounds really weak in his flow when placed next to 'pac's vocals.

I'm considering buying some of his poetry, if just for that "The Rose That Grew From The Concrete" poem (I think that's what the collection's called as well).

The book sounds good, though, it has all his poems and all his poems in his handwriting.

Oh and skoo - I never knew you liked 2pac.

Not that I actually know you that well anyway.

And one more thing:

I hate the way Death Row (oh wait it's "Tha Row" now isn't it) keeps eating off him and remixing him and releasing stuff he didn't necessarily want released. SOme of the songs you can picture him making really good but he obviously didn't have enough time to finish them so you're stuck with him saying like one phrase over and over again for a chorus.

He's dead, leave him alone and let him rest in peace.

[Shiny_macShine]

Have you seen death rows roster of "artisits" now? 2pac is the only real world recognised artist except kurupt whos not doing too well now. They have people like eastwood and gail ghotti, i mean who are these people! There biggest selling artist is 2pac and he has been dead for 7 years! But you are right that they should stop living of 2pac, except for 2pac they haven't released a solo artist that is signed to death row for 4 years! Suge needs to stay out of jail! oh yeah that rose from the concrete was included in a song called mama's just a little girl which is kinda similar to brendas got a baby and is a great song

[bufo]

Originally posted by Shiny_macShine
except for 2pac they haven't released a solo artist that is signed to death row for 4 years!

I don't think Tupac is signed to death row anymore. They only make money out of old Snoop, Dre and Tupac music:(

[Shiny_macShine]

Yeah he is signed up to death row if you look on the site. His mother Afeni got the rights away from Suge after his death but then thet joined forces, probably becuase Afeni could see money rolling in. She says let my son rest in peace yet at the end of the better dayz album theres a small part in which tupac says his coming back something like "expect me too come back like jesus came back" which she would have to allow