Born Lesane Parish Crooks, the artist who would become known as Tupac Shakur was an African American rapper/producer/ and actor. Easily one of the most influential icons in hip-hop, Tupac’s albums are among the best selling in the United States, with his albums All Eyez on Me selling over 10 million copies, and his Greatest Hits also selling over 10 milllion. It was also announced that Tupac has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and is a part of the Class of 2017 inductees.

     Tupac’s rise to fame came through a feature on rap group Digital Underground’s Same Song. This feature allowed 2Pac to gain enough notoriety for a small, but loyal following, which would soon enough grow into a massive fan base. His style and poetic approach to rap allowed for a diverse sound among the growing hip hop scene. His upbringings helped inspire much of his lyrical content, as his mother was a former Black Panthers activist. As such, his songs spoke of life in the ghetto, problems faced by black youth, racism, and other similar social problems.

     The latter part of Tupac’s life would be plagued by run-ins with the law. After having been shot at a recording studio in Manhattan, Tupac would serve out a prison sentence for an alleged crime. This time away from the limelight allowed Tupac the time to re-collect himself. He would be released from jail where he would then go on to record his most successful and critically acclaimed albums to date.

     Tragically, Shakur would be fatally shot on night of September 7, 1996 in a drive by in Las Vegas, Nevada. He would be admitted to the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, where he would die just six days later. It’s undeniable the impact that Tupac had, not only on urban culture, but on the entertainment industry as a whole. He is easily one of the most credited, and inspirational artist of the late 20th century and led a cultural revolution that saw urban culture explode into the media in the mid to late 90’s.

     Featured are never before released picture of Tupac himself. The picture shows a young Shakur poised; his pants sagged below his waist, with an AK – 47 on his right arm, as he smiles for the camera. No stranger to controversy, a target board can be seen directly behind him, as what appears to be the left shoulder of a woman who stares on as the picture was taken. This original photograph measures 4 x 6 inches. Included is the negative from where this picture originate. The negative reveals other pictures similar to the one described, as Tupac had posed for more than just one picture. Truly a one of a kind picture, this photograph is a must for the ultimate Tupac Shakur collection.

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