Biography of 2Pac

Rapper 2-Pac (b. Tupac Amaru Shakur) threatened to supplant Luther Campbell and Ice-T as the most demonized figure in hip-hop in the early '90s. The former Digital Underground member became a solo performer with 2Pacalypse Now, then his status soared following a critically acclaimed performance in Juice. His follow-up album also earned a hit with "Keep Your Head Up." But Shakur generated much more negative publicity for several incidents, one of which earned him a criminal record. He was convicted of assault for attacking the Hughes brothers, who'd fired him from the film Menace II Society. He was also awaiting trials on other charges stemming for various incidents. This hadn't stopped his acting career; there were appearances in the films Poetic Justice with Janet Jackson and Above the Rim. While he was serving his jail sentence for sexual battery in early 1995, 2-Pac released Me Against the World on Death Row Records, which entered the US charts at number one and spawned the Top 10 pop single, "Dear Mama." 2-Pac was released from prison in the summer of 1995. In early 1996, he released All Eyez On Me, the first double-disc set of newly recorded material in hip-hop history. It entered the charts at number one. In September of 1996, 2-Pac was shot in the chest as he was riding in a car in Las Vegas. After struggling to stay alive for a week, Tupac Shakur died on September 13, 1996. ~ Ron Wynn

Biography of 2Pac

Rapper 2-Pac (b. Tupac Amaru Shakur) threatened to supplant Luther Campbell and Ice-T as the most demonized figure in hip-hop in the early '90s. The former Digital Underground member became a solo performer with 2Pacalypse Now, then his status soared following a critically acclaimed performance in Juice. His follow-up album also earned a hit with "Keep Your Head Up." But Shakur generated much more negative publicity for several incidents, one of which earned him a criminal record. He was convicted of assault for attacking the Hughes brothers, who'd fired him from the film Menace II Society. He was also awaiting trials on other charges stemming for various incidents. This hadn't stopped his acting career; there were appearances in the films Poetic Justice with Janet Jackson and Above the Rim. While he was serving his jail sentence for sexual battery in early 1995, 2-Pac released Me Against the World on Death Row Records, which entered the US charts at number one and spawned the Top 10 pop single, "Dear Mama." 2-Pac was released from prison in the summer of 1995. In early 1996, he released All Eyez On Me, the first double-disc set of newly recorded material in hip-hop history. It entered the charts at number one. In September of 1996, 2-Pac was shot in the chest as he was riding in a car in Las Vegas. After struggling to stay alive for a week, Tupac Shakur died on September 13, 1996. ~ Ron Wynn

Biography of The Notorious B.I.G.

The Brooklyn-born rapper the Notorious B.I.G. (born Chris Wallace) first gained attention for his work on Mary J. Blige's "What's the 411?" When he delivered his debut album, Ready to Die, in 1994, it became one of the most popular hip-hop releases of the year. In June of 1995, his single "One More Chance" debuted at number five in the pop singles chart, tying Michael Jackson's "Scream/Childhood" as the highest debuting single of all time. Ready to Die continued to gain popularity throughout 1995, eventually selling two million copies. With its success, the Notorious B.I.G. became the most visible figure in East Coast hip-hop, and he became a target in the heated feud between the two coasts; especially as he and Tupac Shakur, a former ally, became vicious rivals.As the Notorious B.I.G. was preparing his second album, Shakur was shot and killed in Las Vegas. Many in the media speculated that Biggie's camp was responsible for the shooting, accusations that he and his producer, Sean "Puffy" Combs, vehemently denied. However, the wheels had been set in motion for another tragedy. Early on the morning of March 9, the Notorious B.I.G. was returning to his hotel in Los Angeles after a Soul Train Award party when another car pulled up aside his car and opened fire, killing him instantly. Shakur had been killed just six months earlier.The Notorious B.I.G.'s second album, the double-disc Life After Death, was released three weeks later, debuting at number one on the charts. His legend continued to grow in the years to follow thanks to subsequent posthumous releases, including 1999's Born Again. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Biography of The Notorious B.I.G.

The Brooklyn-born rapper the Notorious B.I.G. (born Chris Wallace) first gained attention for his work on Mary J. Blige's "What's the 411?" When he delivered his debut album, Ready to Die, in 1994, it became one of the most popular hip-hop releases of the year. In June of 1995, his single "One More Chance" debuted at number five in the pop singles chart, tying Michael Jackson's "Scream/Childhood" as the highest debuting single of all time. Ready to Die continued to gain popularity throughout 1995, eventually selling two million copies. With its success, the Notorious B.I.G. became the most visible figure in East Coast hip-hop, and he became a target in the heated feud between the two coasts; especially as he and Tupac Shakur, a former ally, became vicious rivals.As the Notorious B.I.G. was preparing his second album, Shakur was shot and killed in Las Vegas. Many in the media speculated that Biggie's camp was responsible for the shooting, accusations that he and his producer, Sean "Puffy" Combs, vehemently denied. However, the wheels had been set in motion for another tragedy. Early on the morning of March 9, the Notorious B.I.G. was returning to his hotel in Los Angeles after a Soul Train Award party when another car pulled up aside his car and opened fire, killing him instantly. Shakur had been killed just six months earlier.The Notorious B.I.G.'s second album, the double-disc Life After Death, was released three weeks later, debuting at number one on the charts. His legend continued to grow in the years to follow thanks to subsequent posthumous releases, including 1999's Born Again. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine