Legacy of Tupak Shakur still living on

Even 15 years after Tupak Shakur´s death on the 13th September 1996 his legacy is still living on.
He was shot in Las Vegas watching a boxing match at the MGM.

One of Pac's greatest qualities was his ability to compliment emcees on the microphone, and the artistic mentality he carried often reflected on the performance of those around him.

Born to two Black Panthers, Tupac understood poverty and black struggle, and he wasn't afraid to express it through his music. As intelligent, profound and articulate as he was in song, 'Pac also remained relatable, controversial and contradictory. So while tracks like "Brenda's Got a Baby," "Keep Ya Head Up" and "Dear Mama" were made to uplift, fiery anthems like "Hit 'Em Up," "Ambitionz Az a Ridah" and "Against All Odds" stood as chest-pounding, testosterone-filled thug anthems. Other hits like "I Get Around," "How Do U Want It" and "Toss It Up" celebrated Tupac's flirtatious side.

After his death, Tupac's legacy lives, particularly with the eight albums that have been released, including a double-disc greatest hits collection. He has been immortalized in film, books and even college courses, as well as through the works of musicians who have come after him. Traces of 'Pac can be found in nearly almost every rapper from 50 Cent to T.I. Jay-Z, Eminem, and others - all sampled from Shakur.


In his death he has remained firmly rooted as a hip-hop legend, but at the same time his legend has surpassed musical genre. Tupac Shakur was more than a rapper or poet or a thespian; he is a motivator, an inspiration to all of us -- even in death.