Tupac “2Pac” Amuru Shakur By Jesus Rivera Tupac “2pac” Amaru Shakur By Jesus Rivera

Tupac was born in Brooklyn, New York in Tupac soon became interested in acting and became a member of 127 th ensemble, a Harlem based theater.

As a teenager Tupac attended the Baltimore School of Arts, where he studied acting and dance. While living in Baltimore he found a passion in rapping and began performing as a Master of Ceremonies or MC in New York

In the late 1980’s Tupac and his family moved to Oakland, California where he joined a group called Digital Underground Tupac was featured in the song “same song”, which that got his out in the main stream.

In 1991 Tupac came out as solo artist using the name 2pac with his debut album 2pacalypse now The album featured the track “Brenda’s got a Baby” the song reached top 3 on the rap/hip hop billboard charts

Tupac came out with his debut film “Juice” He also came in the movie “Poetic Justice”

As his songs he lived to his persona as a gangsta rapper, he got arrested several times in the 1990’s for violent offenses. In 1994 he got arrested for assaulting the director Alan Hughes, but he only spent 4 days in jail.

While in New York he was heading to a recording studio where Sean “P.Diddy” Combs and Christopher “Notorious BIG” Wallace was also recording. Tupac got mugged outside the recording studio and got shot 5 times.

The CEO Suge Knight of Death Row Records paid a 1 million dollar bond to let Tupac get release from jail

After being released from jail he came out with his third solo album “ Me Against the World” which started out as a number 1 in the Billboards.

In 1996 Tupac came out with his fourth album “All Eyez on Me” He featured Dr. Dre Rapper and producer in the song “California Love” which was in the top five in the charts This album was one of the biggest in his entire career.

On September 7, 1996 he was in Las Vegas for a boxing match, he was joined by CEO of Death Row Suge Knight, while on a way to an after party Tupac was shot in a drive by. He was escorted immediately to the hospital he died 6 days later of the wounds.

Composition History Changes: It was recorder at Interscope records in 1992 and was produced by Deon Evans. In the song he wanted to reference the Black Panther party, the war on drugs, and show the treatment of black people by the police. This song hit number one in the countries like Norway and the Netherlands.

Composition History Dear Mama: Tony Pizzaro produced it; the song was featured in his third album Me Against the World. This song was mostly for his mother and the struggles she went through trying to raise this boy without his father. Many critics believe that this song is the greatest hip-hop song that has ever came out. This song was number 1 in the charts for several weeks in different countries.

Composition History Brenda’s Got a Baby: The song produced by Deon Evans and was recorded in 1991 in the Interscope recording studios. This song talks about how a 12 year old girl who lives in the ghetto and is having a baby.. The song was never popular in the charts, but it made a huge impact in the social world.

Composition History Keep Ya Head Up: Was a sequel to the song “Brenda’s got a Baby” the song was mostly dedicated to Latasha Harlins who was shot during the L.A. riots. The song became a big inspirational to the African American Community in Los Angeles because it showed this gangster rapper his soft side and that things one day will soon get better.

Listening Guides Changes: 1. 0:00 Introduction the song begins with the piano in a melody with a talent singing in the background. 2. 0:12 Verse 1 Begins: The piano is still in the background and the drums are making the rhythm to words that are being said., while Talent sings in a very low tone in the background. 3. 1:00 Chorus: Talent sings the chorus while Tupac in a low voice says, “Come on come on”. The piano is still playing. 4. 1: 36 Verse 2 begins the piano cuts for a little while it’s only the drums and snare. Talent is still singing in the background. 5. 2:10 Bridge The Pianos cut out and the only thing playing is the drums while Tupac is talking on how people have to change. 6. 3:08 Verse 3 Begins: He begins strong almost like he yelling, the piano and drums are still in the background with Talent singing. 7. 3:56 Bridge: Talent sings “Something’s will never change” until the piano fades away with the drums it gets quitter and quitter. 8. 4:29 Ends

Listening Guides Dear Mama: 1. 0:00 Introduction: Begins with the piano and the violin being in Harmony with Tupac saying “ You are Appreciated” 2. 0: 12 Verse 1 Begins: The violin fades out and the drums come in, while the pianos are still playing. 3. 0:36 a guitar begins to play with the drums and the piano. 4. 1:00 Tupac begins to slow down his lyrics 5. 1:12 Chorus: There is a choir signing in the background the piano and the drums play while Reggie Green sings and Tupac joins as if having a conversation. 6.1:37 Verse 2 Begins: The drums and the cymbals make the introduction for the verse. The guitar and drums with a little bit with piano going on in the background. 7.2: 01 The piano cuts out and the only thing that is playing is the drum while Tupac raps and the piano come back into the track. 8. 2: 45 Chorus the piano cuts out and Reggie is the only one singing. 9. 3: 02 Verse 3 begins the Piano cuts out and the drums again give Tupac an intro : 45 the piano and drums begin to come back in and out :59 Chorus the voices, Piano, drums, and Guitars begins to fade away :40 End

Listening Guides Brenda’s Got a Baby: 1 0:00 Introduction Drums and claps with the electronic piano begin. 2 0:14 Lady begins to sing the title of song 3 0:40 Verse 1 Begins the voice in the background is still singing while Tupac rap his verse. The electronic piano is harmonizing with how fast Tupac is rapping. 4. 1:09 Tupac begins to rap faster while the Electric piano follow the drums stay the same tempo. 5. 1:30 Tupac slows down while trying to explain what is happening to Brenda. 6. 2:05 Tupac speeds up again 7 2:15 Violin comes in while the drums play and electronic piano fades away. 8 2:38 Verse ends and the choir come in and signs the title the violin stops playing the drums are fading away they keep repeating the title. 9:3:00 there are few more background singers joining in to sing the title. 10 3:56 Ends

Listening Guides Keep Ya Head Up: 1. 0:00 Introduction The Piano begins the intro while to Tupac says a few dedicating words. 2. 0:10 Verse 1 Begins: Drums come in while the Piano and Guitar is playing. 3. 0:40 Tupac slows down to the beat 4. 1:12 Speeds back up with the drums following 5. 1: 28 Chorus All instruments stop for second while the singer is introduced to sing the chorus. Then all the instruments begin to play again. 6. 1:49 Verse 2 Begins Instruments slow down to introduce Tupac’s verse there is a singer in the background of the song. 7. 2:29 Hesitation of instruments because Tupac’s begins to slow down. 8. 2:31 Speeds up the tempo 9. 3:00 Chorus begins instruments again stop for second until the singers comes in to sing the chorus :26 Verse 3 begins the drums cut out while the only thing playing is the piano until Tupac says his first words than the drums come back in :28 the instruments stop and Tupac says his last word of the verse :29 Ends

Bibliography "Tupac Shakur." The Biography Channel website. Jul , 07:00 shakur shakur IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 07 July 2013 "2Pac on AllMusic." AllMusic. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 July Google.com/Images/ Tupac Shakur