1975-83-
Tupac and his family live in New York, in between The
Bronx and Harlem. They are so poor that they often have to live in
shelters. Aged 12, Tupac stars as Travis in "A Raisin In The
Sun" in the 127th Street Ensemble of the Harlem Theater Group.
1986-
Tupac and his family move to Baltimore where Tupac
enrols in Balimore School For The Arts and studies ballet and acting.
1988-
The Shakur family move to Marin City in California.
Tupac cites this move as a major turning point in his life. He soon moves
in with a neighbor and starts selling drugs. Tupac claims that he took
this action in order to fit in with the local crowd. In the same year,
Tupac's stepfather, Mutulu is given 6 years in prison.
1990-
Tupac
starts his journey on the road to imfamy by joining local rap group
Digital Underground. He begins as a roadie and dancer on a huge D.U tour.
Whilst on this tour he discovers that his mother has been using crack. The
following year Tupac has excelled himself enough with D.U that they allow
him to rap on "This Is An E.P Release". This is Tupac's
recording debut
1991-
"2PACalypse
Now", Tupac's first album is released. It contains such singles as
"Brenda's Got A Baby", "Trapped" and "If My Homie
Calls". This album was later denounced as having "No place in
American society" by then Vice President Dan Quayle, following an
incident in which a teenager shoots a Texas Trooper and blames 2Pac's
music.
1993-
Tupac
hits back at Dan Quayle by releasing "Strictly For My N.I.G.G.A.Z"
This album elevates Tupac's popularity by eventually going platinum. Tupac
experiences much trouble this year...
MARCH 13 1993-
Tupac has a fight
with a limo driver who accuses him of using drugs in the back of his
vehicle. Tupac is arrested for this offence but charges are later dropped.
APRIL 5 1993-
Tupac beats a
Michigan rapper with a baseball bat during a concert. He is given 10 days
in jail for assault and he later regrets his actions.
OCTOBER 31 1993-
Tupac is arested
for shooting 2 off duty police oficers. Charges are eventually dropped.
NOVEMBER 18 1993-
A 19 year old
woman comes forward with an allegation that Tupac raped her on November
14th 1993.
1994-
Tupac begins the year with trouble by punching out a
movie director for dropping him from his upcoming movie "Higher
Learning" which Tupac was set to star in. Later that year Tupac stars
in his second movie as Birdie in "Above The Rim". In November,
whilst still on trial for rape, Tupac is cornered and shot several times
and allegedly robbed of thousands of dollars of jewellery, in a Times
Square recording studio. The next day Tupac is found guilty of rape, for
which he is later sentenced to 4 1/2 years in jail.
1995-
In February Tupac begins serving his sentence in
Rikers Island Penitentiary. He becomes the first person to have a #1 album
whilst in jail. The album "me Against The World" debuts at #1,
riding on the sucess of its main single, "Dear Mama". The album
soon goes several times platinum. From behind bars Tupac implicates rival
rappers Puff Daddy and The Notorious B.I.G in his November shooting. The
pair later deny any involvement. The rivalry escalates when Tupac, upon
his $1.4m release from jail and transfer to Death Row Records, alleges
that he has slept with Biggie's wife, Faith Evans.
1996-
"All Eyez On Me" which was recorded
immediately after Tupac's prison release becomes rap's first double album.
This album sells copies to such an extent that it goes seven times
platinum, fuelled by the heightened East-West rivalry. Later that year,
words are exchanged and a weapon is brandished amongst the rival Death Row
and Bad Boy camps. The event occured at the 1996 Soul Train Awards, hosted
in L.A. Following this event, Tupac teams up with his group The Outlawz,
to make a classic "diss" record, "Hit 'Em Up", which
takes shots at numerous rival East Coast rappers....