Tupac: Political Hero or Commercial Product?
Posted on May 28, 2008 3:57 PM
A couple of years back I wrote the article below for The Source. It was right around the time that Resurrection documentary came out. I caught a lil flack from G-Unit fans for some of my analysis, but whatever. Sometimes the truth hurts.
Missing You
by Robert "biko" Baker
From clothing lines to books, Pac's images are everywhere. And the closer that Tupac comes to reaching saint-like status, the more individuals are willing to evoke his name for their own personal benefit.
Many of his closest associates, including his own personal security guard, have attempted to make a quick buck selling "Tupac and Me" projects. Much like Elvis before him, America's infatuation with the slain rapper has created a seemingly never-ending demand for Pac-related products and paraphernalia.
But in Hip-Hop music, a distant respect was maintained for several years. Other than Mobb Deep's ill-timed response track "Drop A Gem On 'Em", most rappers, East and West, were unwilling to mention Pac's name. But by 1999, things had changed.
Nas was one of the first of Pac's former adversaries to publicly address the slain rapper on I Am's "We Will Survive." Jay-Z was next, openly proclaiming to the world that he wanted the ladies to love him "long time like Tupac's soul." Since then, both battle-tested lyricists have repeatedly returned to the Tupac alter. In 2003, Nas popped up on "Thug's Mansion" remix, and later that year Hova and Beyonce re-made Pac's classic, "Me and My Girlfriend." for " '03 Bonnie and Clyde."
With former foes having fully excused themselves of any former ill will, a whole new batch of MCs have attempted to bottle Pac's ride-or-die attitude and repackage it for the masses, as everyone from Ja-Rule to DMX and even Cam'Ron have ripped a bar or two from the deceased lyricist.
But perhaps no Pac mash-ups is more controversial than Eminem-produced "Runnin' [Dying to Live]" from this year's Tupac: Resurrection soundtrack. Brought to you via the magic of digital technology, "Runnin" pairs Tupac with his ally-turned-nemesis the Notorious BIG. While die-hard fans raised an eyebrow to the strange pairing, the song quickly became one of 2004's biggest crossover smashes.
To his long-time road dog Treach, Pac's ubiquity has become a double-edged sword for the current generation of Thug apostles. "The hood still loves Pac because he stands for the ability to survive and make it through the most fucked up situations." says Treach, who often slips into the present tense, when talking about his deceased friend. "But it's like a lot of mu'fuckas ain't listening to Pac's jewels. Remember he said, "I ain't no killer but don't push me.' But now everyone is a killer and no ones' explaining why.
Since his death, Tupac has become the prototype MC for the record execs. From the clean-shaven baldhead to the crsiply pressed wife beaters, A&Rs have made a living casting MCs in the Tupac Shakur mold. Yet, while the traces of his influence are clearly visible throughout Hip-Hop culture, very few of his clones have done more than attempt to duplicate Pac's gangsta aesthetic and/or his fiery rhetoric.
Current rap king 50 Cent is perhaps the most obvious example of this. Like Pac before him. Dr. Dre's current protege's background is marked by a broken family, drug abuse and gun shot wounds. Yet as much as he yearns for rap fans to love him "like they love Pac." 50 Cent has resisted pushing his musical content beyond the live-fast-and-die-young mentality.
The same goes for 50's G-Unit homeboys Lloyd Banks and Young Buck. While both MCs proclaim their love for the slain soldier, they, like most rappers out today, are either unwilling or unprepared to continue Pac's new-age urban evangelism.
"If we got political, we'd probably be assassinated." Lloyd Banks told Allhiphop.com. "And that's just being real with you. I have no intentions of being political. My thing is bettering myself and things for my [family]."
However, whether the current crop of rappers realize it or not, it was Pac's lyrical selflessness coupled with his 'hood-first mentality that inspired young Gs around the world.
But many people like Treach aren't so quick to give up on Pac's vision of a nation of united thugs. Still dominating the charts years after his death, fans are still moved by Pac's passion and ability to outline the trials and triumphs of thug life in rhyme form.
"The next new nigga, not the next new rapper trying to be the next Pac, will be able to pick up right where Pac left off," says Treach, "because the forces that Pac was fighting are still here."
BOTH! YOU CAN DO IT ALL! YOU JUST GOTTA BE YOURSELF! I HELPED GET MORE PEOPLE TO VOTE THEN ALL OF YOU PUT TOGETHER! I KNOW THAT! BARACK KNOWS THAT! NOT SAYING HE DIDNT DO IT HIMSELF EITHER CAUSE HE DEFINITLY DID INSPIRE PEOPLE! BUT I KNOW WHAT EFFECT I HAD ON YOUNG PEOPLE! I BEEN SELLING PRODUCTS MY WHOLE LIFE! SO THATS A GIVEN! BUT YOU CAN VOICE YOUR POLITICAL VIEWS AS WELL! YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD! ESPECIALLY IF IT WERENT SO MUCH HATE! YOU EVEN HATE THE WHITE KIDS SHOWING THE SCISSORS! I SPEND 8 HOURS A DAY AT YOUR SIGHT! 20 MINUTES AT SOME WHITE KIDS SIGHT AND YOU LOOSE YOUR COOL! ITS JUST SO STUPID! SERIOUSLY! THIS IS WHY IM STUCK! WITH A DECISION THAT IS REALLY NOT EVEN A QUESTION! WHEN YOU FUCK WITH A MANS FAMILY AND MONEY! WHAT IS LEFT FOR ME TO DO! SERIOUSLY!
YOUR SO CORNY! YOU FIND SOME SHIT WRONG WITH WHATEVER! JUST LOOKING FOR AN EXCUSE TO WHY YOU DID WHAT YOU DID! WHEN ITS REALLY JUST PEER PRESSURE FROM MANIPULATIVE GREEDY RAPPERS! POINT BLANK PERIOD! AND I TOLD YOU ABOUT RAPPERS WHAT THEY DO! AND ITS REAL! THATS ALL THEY KNOW HOW TO DO! IS USE PEOPLE! THEY ARE SPOILED ACTORS WHO PUT TOGETHER WORDS THAT RHYME! ANYONE CAN DO IT! YOU DONT EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH THEY ENVY YOU AND ME! THATS WHY YOU FELL FOR IT! ITS SO STUPID! NOW ITS TROUBLE!
Pac is tha best that ever touch a mic..i was raised on dude..but i do agree wit people fukin wit his legecay...put pac wit new artist aint right...dont make him tha ric flair of rap..maybe re-release a greatest hits every 10 but let dude have rest
Round of applause for Bilo and Treach. I agree 100%. Pac was an amazing, lyrically inclined artist, that put passion, feeling, thug antics, and intelligence into each and every one of his songs. Pac was kicking str8 up knowledge that supprisingly these rap fools haven't caught on yet. Rappers today only talk about the material stuff. Pac rarely spoke about material things and is still the most selling rap artist to date, and he is not even here with us,(RIP). Ya'll still trying to catch on. Unless you start to get political and speak on the real issues that hinder the black race, in your ryhmes and messages you will not be heard. Treach said it just right,"Pac's Jewels". That is exactly what he left us. Pac was truly a gift from god who spoke for the black race and didn't care who he offended and took on some political figures who questioned him. That is my definition of "REAL. Once again, RIP Tupac Amaru Shakur. You will always be remembered and never forgotten my brother.
Pac talked about shit in the ghetto but u neva saw him actually do shit for the people....dudes like david banner, or Jay-z actually put their money where the mouth is (Katrina relief, digging wells in Africa) besides when that nigga got shot and was broke and in got bailed outta jail by Suge, he abandoned his 'political gangsta' rap for juss plain ol 'gangsta beef' rap, which is why he died and prolly led to Biggie dying also. thats why i say fuck pac, the nigga was a curse to hiphop.
It's a scary day when I actually understand and believe everything that cat Jonathan is talking about...
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One of the BEST blogs ever!! People loved Pac for his originality. How do you expect to be respected by trying to imitate? That goes against everything Pac was about. Just be yourself...don't always try to act like a thug.
I am one to love Pac for sure, but some of these comments seem to be a stretch. For example
"How do you expect to be respected by trying to imitate? That goes against everything Pac was about."
After he got bailed out by Suge, Pac changed his style. He was no longer the political gangsta trying to stick up for the hood, and bring the problems of the ghetto to light... he then became the problem. Suge F*cked dude up. He was original in many ways, he was also extremely deep not just in lyrics but in poetry. I think Pac is the GOAT, but I think his final year or so he changed and represented something he was originally trying to fight against.
Tupac was just another black leader slain because he knew and said too much. The same thing happen to Malcom and Martin. The were both murdered and powers that be named streets after them and use Dr.King whenever they wanna show that they relate to black people.
somebody break out the tampons for jonathan, geez....get offline and live a little bro trust me...
...The 2pac effect shows you how shallow people are, how needy society has made us for some kind of hero. 2pac made such an impact on our culture that society will NEVER let anybody like pac reach that status ever again in life, ever, not without being a corporate puppet he wont!! 2pac didnt rap about none of the shit these rappers are talkin about in 2008, its all similar cause who doesnt like or want money and pussy coming up from nothing but its nothing close to 2pacs meaning or vision about how we live or where we need to go as a people, thats where the dumb niggas get it twisted, They swear 2pac was all about not givin a fuck and try to live like that but forget he was just as intelligent as a Talib Kweli maybe even more and actually cared...the 1997 2pac would not fit into todays climate, no fuckin way... its too fake, too microwave and self destructive...in fact I think if Pac were still alive the majoirty of his fans would have flip flopped on him by now cause he would have flew over their heads by at least 2000...see nobody remembers "Tupac Shakur" they only remember "2pac" from death row that said fuck NY/biggie/Jay-z/Nas etc... the controversy shit.... 2pac's pain was from another decade, you couldnt last if you were a phony, now way, this is why all the greats of todays can keep coming back becasue of their cloth... alot of you have never lived life like this. You HAD to stand up for yourself back then or we wouldnt have gotten this far, there were nothing close to blogs back then...He came up in the 70's when it was REAL, poverty was SERIOUS and brotherhood was still possible because it was very necessary...these ills all obviously still exist but the effects are alot different nowadays and society has advanced where people can find a way to slack off and not get involved. it is what it is...if you'd like to argure this fact just look around you at whats happening...It kills me how people try to sum up something as powerful as 2pacs life with a few random words. Yeah rappers will copy, it SHOULD be expected by now. Its what pop america does, thats what this is now, from the internet all the way to the need for catchy hooks. Hip hop sold its soul and became completely commerical a loooong time ago, lets be clear. The last thing hip hop is is authentic...please... 2pac was genuine and 100% and thats rare in rap so yeah expect repackaged versions of him to pop up...just like everything else good that comes along...you gotta have the knock off version...we live in america....
it doesnt matter he's dead let him Rest In Peace
yo, thats a nice article. To be real, Many of these cats wanna be like pac, have that thug life i dont give a fuck attitude and act as if they are so talented and untouchable. The problem is, they dont wanna study what 'Pac was talking about. They dont wanna read the books that educated 'Pac and allowed him to speak about the problems that face our people! They wanna talk about shit that niggaz in the hood just dont have. Benzez,millions (which most dont really have), and females (which most only get bc they drive a benz) lol. its rediculous! these mc's need to understand that 'pac was real. He was a walkin Contradiction bc most gr8 artists in any field thier in are! The Death Row shit, wuznt the real pac, yea he wuz pissed who wouldnt be if u thought u were set up, but that beef shit took 'Pac away from what he was really tryin to say! anyone that knows hip hop knows what pac was about. THese new katz need to read, and actually LEARN what he was talkin about, not just memorize his material! R.I.P. Pac,big,bigl,freaky tah,big pun,jam master j,aaliyah,left eye,Pimp C,and every other artist we've lost! keep ya head up! ya diiiiig
Lukee Lefty said it best!
100% co-sign
PAC IS A LEGEND AND WILL ALWAYS BE THE BEST TO EVA BLESS THA MIC DUDE KILLED A COP FOR TRYNA BEAT DOWN SOME BROTHAS IN ATL HE WAS BEYOND RAP. BORN TO A BLACK PANTHER IN JAIL HOW REAL IS THAT. i HATED WHEN JAYZ REMADE THAT TRACK BUT I BUMPED THE TRACK NAS DID THO. RIP PAC
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/THAGRINDAHOLIC
I kind of look at it from both sides. Yes, Pac was a commercial rapper who really want a thug who sold drugs or shot up people in that nature so he was fake in that aspect. He also could be blamed with the ghettos infatuation with 'thug life" which does not improve your living conditions in the area you live in but actually destroys it. But in another light, I think Pac HAD the potential to be a grassroots leader. Remember people, he was only 24 years of age when he died and could have had a full life ahead of him. On his first album, 2pacolyspse Now, he was borderline Black Panther, but when his Strictly for my Niggaz came out, you can tell he dropped that gangsta music from pressure of the record label to sell more since Death Row was on top and he had to sell more records to survive in the music industry. When Pac went to jail, Suge Knight ( the sellout) bailed him out and in 2Pac Resurrection he claimed that "he sold his soul to the devil". Now All Eyes on Me was masterminded by Suge for him to outsell Bad Boy,, since they were at the top at that point in time. Now Makaveli was the "street militant" album and it is not a coincidence that he named himself after Nicolo Machiavellu, who in the 15th century, was a political advisor in Italy and came out with the book "The Prince" ( book came out after he died which coincides with 2Pac's life as well) which details on how to attain power and how to keep it as well. On the other hand he named his crew the "Outlaw Immortals" and their names were Khadafi, Castro, Napoleon, Edi Amin, Mussolini, Fatal Hussein - all world leaders. To cap it off, I think 2pac was definetly headed towards a life of defending the poor and creating a grassroots movement but he got clipped by the government before he did so. He was like Malcolm Little before turning into the "X".
I challange anyone who disrespects PAC, to play some new cat out any o'them w/"Lil's,Young's or Boy's" in they name. When life is Really kickin ya azz HARD, family issues, loose a good job, money Low, girlfiend is a bird And she claims she 4mo's pregnant, gas cut off... all at the same time. Play they CD's any one new artist. Put they whole catalog on 24/7 and see if that get you thru and gives you a clear vision on how you goin to man up and handle your biz to get yourself out this F*d up situation. Trust me after 2-3 days your probly have O'd off X or Sizzurp or even worse still sittin on the sofa drinkin and smokin weed & aint dun shyt. See PAC was a soldier who represented "Get Yours!" you go thru sumtin and play homie shyt trust me you Will find ya way out by standin on your own two & makin shyt happin for yourself. When Life get iLL I put that PAC in the deck and it dont come out, it puts me in the right frame of mind "me against the world!" We control our own destiny but party & bullshyt aint goin get us there. "You got to get the wind behind ya back, the ground beneath ya feet Patna! stand up and Die for what you want... otherwise you just a Fukkin punk,,,"
I am a huge fan of (Parish Lesane Crooks) A.K.A Tupac Shakur.I am Posting a comment Because everyone seems to think of tupac as a hardcore thug who didn't care for others or anything else in life. me and pac are 3 days apart i feel connected to him very deeply.Tupac Shakur is a person who everyone looks up to, but they only looked up to the lyrics tupac was a caring individual who was focused on the poverty of African Americans people.Tupac Shakur was very intelligent as well as a hard working individual who worked very hard to put knowledge in our heads Brenda' got a baby,Me against the world, keep ya head up,shed so many tears,smile featuring scare face.people dont understand that in the etertainment business you have to act and a different person that does not mean that is who you are behind closed doors remember tupac as aleader and when you get a chance watch tupac ressurrection learn who Parish Lesane Crooks really is.
Pac was great, best ever to rep Cali. (Yes, fukc Game).
As a matter of fact, he's so cool, he's still making money 10 years AFTER his death. How many people can say that? He even prepared for the afterlife by coming out with more songs then his last album (b4 death) could hold. It spilled over into a few more records and Bam! Still gettin green to provide for his Dear mama and fam. He was a political hero and a good man.