Tupac Shakur with Mopreme and Mouse Man

This photo contains legendary rapper Tupac standing between his step-brother Mopreme (Maurice Harding, b. 1967) and childhood friend Mouse Man (Dana Smith, b. unknown).

Tupac/2Pac (Tupac Amaru Shakur, 1971 - 1996), born in New York, and son to parents and relatives who were members of the Black Panther Party, Tupac’s political ideals on racial injustice highly influenced Tupac’s music and social consciousness. As a Harlem and Baltimore native, Tupac began his music career as a member of the Oakland Hip-Hop group Digital Underground before his solo career in 1991 with the release of his debut album, 2Pacalypse Now. Tupac emerged in the 1990s as a central figure in West Coast Hip-Hop scene, introducing social issues on Black life in American where Gangsta Rap was dominant in West Coast Hip-Hop. Tupac's consistent themes in his lyrics addressed contemporary social issues in inner cities, including violence, hardship, and racism. During his career Tupac has sold over 75,000,000 records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. His talent as a rapper, actor and social consciousness has influenced many and garnered him the respect as one of the best rappers in history.