I won't deny it, I'm a straight rider, you don't wanna fuck with me...
Tupac, "Abmitionz Az A Ridah"

Ten years ago tonight, Tupac Shakur finally died after suffering six days on life support. On September 7th, he had been shot four times in the chest and once in each arm and a thigh.

I became a Tupac fan after I bought the album Thug Life on a whim--I still consider it to be an excellent album. I remember watching him in the movie Juice back in high school; it was obvious he was talented.

But I never expected to see him come up the way he did. Tupac had an amazing lyrical talent for writing very clear and picturesque scenes. Tupac wasn't the Bob Dylan of mid-90s rap; he was more like the Phil Ochs of the gangsta rappers.

Right after he died, his name was changed to Machiaveli and he released an album called Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory which had a picture of Tupac being crucified in Salvadore Dali style.

There is a common misperception with older Caucasians that rap music isn't worth the plastic it's imprinted on but this is as ignorant a point of view as black people who don't think Hank Williams Sr. and Johnny Cash weren walking music Gods.

Here's the truth people--they are all plates on the buffet table of American greatness. Stop playing favorites and pile a little of everything on your plate.

Don't be afraid. It's life and life only.

Tupac was an American artistic genius and our culture suffered from the tragic loss of his death ten years ago today.

LINKS:

• Tupac Fans Dot Com

TAGS:
Tupac 2Pac