Not just stylistically, how easy it is to enjoy his music but because he meant something. How dynamic and magnetic he was an individual, how much of a force he was through music.
“He’s touched all parts of the world, people of all different cultural backgrounds, and brought people together because of who he was. “I’ve heard stories from friends in dangerous situations in rural parts of Africa who formed a common bond with what might’ve been perceived as threats over Tupac.” “You can still hear his music bumping in cars in South West Sydney, from young people to my generation, and we’re just talking about in Australia.” “He influenced generations upon generations,” he tells Double J in 2018. It's that same strong fervour that drew in Australian-Sikh rapper L-FRESH The LION. Almost like he knew his time was limited so every time he sparked, his flame was just huge. "There was something about the way Pac put so much passion into every line, every word, every breath – it hit me like a tonne of bricks.” “It was just an energy and life,” he tells Double J in 2018. He says that passion is the key characteristic that comes up time and again in relation to Tupac. Almost like he knew his time was limited so every time he sparked, his flame was just huge." Read on for a Tupac Shakur longread featuring interviews with Kendrick Lamar, N'fa Jones, L-FRESH The LION, Sampa The Great, journalist Ben Westhoff, filmmaker Lauren Lizen, and more.
More than two decades on from his untimely demise, Tupac remains an unparalleled influence on modern music - a legacy that seems to swell with age, rather than fade.Īs part of our ‘90s month celebrations, join Gemma Pike for the Tupac J Files from 8pm Thursday 13 September and Sean ‘Puff Daddy’ Combs would result in Shakur’s death, and one of music’s biggest unsolved crimes. But an increasingly violent hip hop rivalry with East Coast domos like Notorious B.I.G. Not even jail time or media vilification could slow his blockbuster success.ĢPac seemed invincible. Through a string of solo records, features, and film roles, he became a critical and commercial success. Through the decade he proved he wasn’t just a skilful MC but a masterful storyteller with the lyrical prowess to cover complex social issues, poetic reflection, and even raw party jams. Rising out of the West Coast gangsta rap scene of the early ‘90s, Tupac had raw skill on the mic and a passion that forced people to listen. In terms of impact, Tupac Shakur was arguably the most iconic and important rapper of his generation.