Tupac would have been 40 years old this past Thursday, if he had not been gunned down in Las Vegas in '96. He will always be remembered as one of the greatest rappers, story tellers, poets, thugs, leaders of the hip/hop movement, and inspiration to generations of people young and old.
I remember the first time Tupacs voice, and unique style of writing/rapping first hit my ears. It was his Greatest Hits CD,(which I was borrowing from friend), a 5 hour bus ride, and I listened to that entire album on repeat until I got home, and even once I was home I insisted I continue my borrow into the next day. "Hail Mary" was one of the most passionate tracks I had ever heard, which still might be the case now.
In other news, a man named Dexter Isaac who said that he took part in an attack that occurred on Nov. 7, 1994, at the Quad Recording Studios in Manhattan in which 2Pac was shot and robbed of jewelry he was wearing, sat down for an interview, ( link below) with allhiphop.com. His main motivation was the $2,500 dollars paid to him by then friend James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond, who is now on the run from the feds. Isaac is currently serving life in prison for distributing kilos of cocaine.
Tupac was always under the impression that Biggie was somehow involved in his '94 shooting/robbery, and it tarnished their relationship to irreconcilable levels. It triggered the hate songs back and forth, like "Who Shot Ya?", and ultimately lead to the homicide of both The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac.
When in doubt, blast some Tupac and spread some peace, and wish Mr. Shakur a Hip Hop Happy 40th Birthday!!