Hmmm...how come you admit that his persona was manufactured during the Death Row year, yet not before and after that? Huh? Kudos for the English lesson, but by those definitions much of America could be so categorized. You act like you don't know, but you know what a thug is...the kind of scum who habitually robs, steals, beats, rapes, shoots or even murders -- usually without an iota of remorse. Are you going to sit here and say that Tupac was one of these people? We shall agree to disagree.
Ice Cube is one of many other artists who had as many great songs. But he aint a gangsta though that is his rap persona.
The reason I believe his persona was manufactured during the Death Row year and not before (you said after too but he was killed during his time at Death Row) is because of one person, Suge Knight. Suge Knight was head of Death Row Records and at the time that was the most popular rap record company around boasting names like Snoop Doggy Dogg, Dr. Dre, etc. While Tupac was serving time in the pen Suge Knight came to him and waived a $1,000,000 get out of jail card, which Suge would pay for if Tupac signed with Death Row. Tupac agreed and Suge paid his bail thus his Death Row era began. Now if you're 23-24 years old a somebody is offering $1,000,000 dollars to set you free while looking at more years of confinement and then offering you millions more when you get out, don't you think they would have a little influence over you? Although Tupac confessed his displeasure for Biggie and Puffy before this, I believe Suge influenced him to "diss" Bad Boy on record by saying the things he said and flaunting his money, women, etc. because Tupac relatively kept this beef on a low profile before the "Hit 'Em Up" album. Suge just kept adding fuel to the fire because of what, jealousy. That's why I believe his persona was modified and manufactured during his Death Row year because he had somebody with the ability to do that. You can tell his rap style and subject changed to from pre-Death Row to Death Row too. Your description of a thug is completely different than the dictionary's but to a point Tupac was many of the things you list. He shot at Atlanta police, he beat one of the Hughes brother's for not getting cast in "Menace II Society", he was convicted of rape, he promoted cop killing and misogyny on albums, etc. and I do not believe he ever showed remorse for any of the things he did. So in a way he was a thug, even by your standards. Tupac's vision of Thug Life was different though. Thug Life stood for: The Hate U Give Little Infants F*cks Everybody. It meant something completely different than our perspectives on what a thug is.
You talk about Tupac like he was Jesus Christ. Some of his music was good but like someone said earlier, you almost deify him. Some people try to make it like he was a gansta with a heart because selling drugs to kids was against his Thug Life rules. Awwww, how sweet. I guess Tupac was the lovable Scarecrow with a 9mm.
How in the hell do I talk about Tupac as if he were Jesus Christ? Where did you get that crap out of the stuff I posted, huh? Idiot.
Chill out guys....we dont need a East Post, West Post rivalry in here.... I think the guy was a good rapper, he was just a punk though.
OK, how many of you sitting here talking about all the negative the guy did are actually fans of rap music or better yet his music? I know he did a lot of bad but he did a lot of good things to and although you might not see them he still did them. I know he did a lot of negative things and although many of us might not do those same things I think everybody can on this board can say they have done something that was exactly the right thing to do but I forgot some of you guys are perfect angels.
