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had released his second album, number one, making 2Pac the theories can ever be confirmed,
Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., which first artist to enjoy a number one just as the reasons behind his
became a platinum album, peak- record while serving a prison sen- shooting remain mysterious.
ing at number four on the R&B tence. While he was in prison, he Shakur was shot on the Las Vegas
charts and launching the Top Ten accused the Notorious B.I.G., Puffy strip as he was riding in the pas-
R&B hit singles “I Get Around” and Combs, Andre Harrell, and his senger seat of Knight’s car. They
“Keep Ya Head Up,” which peaked own close friend Randy “Stretch” had just seen the Mike Tyson-Bruce
at number 11 and 12, respectively, Walker of orchestrating his New Seldon fight at the MGM Grand,
on the pop charts. Late in 1993, York shooting. Shakur only served and as they were leaving the hotel,
he acted in the basketball movie eight months of his sentence, as 2Pac got into a fight with an un-
Above the Rim. Although Shakur Suge Knight, the president of Death named young black man. The case
was selling records and earning Row Records, arranged for parole was never solved, but it has been
praise for his music and acting, he and posted a 1.4 million dollar suggested that this was the cause
began having serious altercations bond for the rapper. By the end of the drive-by shooting, and it has
with the law; prior to becoming a of the year, 2Pac was out of prison also been suggested that Knight’s
recording artist, he had no police and working on his debut for ties to the mob and to gangs were
record. He was arrested in 1992 Death Row. On November 30, 1995 the reason; another theory is that
after he was involved in a fight -- the one-year anniversary of the the Notorious B.I.G. arranged the
that culminated with a stray bullet New York shooting -- Walker was shooting as retaliation for 2Pac’s
killing a six-year-old bystander; killed in a gangland-styled murder comments that he slept with Big-
the charges were later dismissed. in Queens. gie’s wife, Faith Evans. Either way,
2Pac was filming Menace II Society Shakur was shot four times and
in the summer of 1993 when he 2Pac’s Death Row debut, All Eyez was admitted to University of Ne-
assaulted director Allen Hughes; on Me, was the first double disc of vada Medical Center. Six days later,
he was sentenced to 15 days in jail original material in hip-hop histo- he died from his wounds.
in early 1994. The sentence arrived ry. It debuted at number one upon
after two other high-profile inci- its February release, and would Hundreds of mourners appeared
dents. In October of 1993, when be certified quintuple platinum at the hospital upon news of his
he was charged with shooting two by the fall. Although he had a hit death, and the entire entertain-
off-duty police officers in Atlanta. record and, with the Dr. Dre duet ment industry mourned his pass-
The charges were dismissed, but “California Love,” a massive single ing, especially since there were no
the following month, he and two on his hands, Shakur was begin- leads in the case. Many believed
members of his entourage were ning to tire of hip-hop and started his death would end the much-
charged with sexually abusing a to concentrate on acting. During hyped East Coast/West Coast hip-
female fan. In 1994, he was found the summer of 1996, he completed hop rivalry and decrease black-on-
guilty of sexual assault. The day two films, the thriller Bullet and black violence. Sadly, six months
after the verdict was announced, the dark comedy Gridlock’d, which after his death, the Notorious
he was shot by a pair of muggers also starred Tim Roth. He also B.I.G. was murdered under similar
while he was in the lobby of a made some recordings for Death circumstances. As Shakur’s notori-
New York City recordings studio. Row, which was quickly disinte- ety only increased in the wake of
Shakur was sentenced to four-and- grating without Dre as the house his death, a series of posthumous
a-half years in prison on February producer, and as Knight became releases followed, among them
7, 1995. heavily involved in illegal activi- Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
ties. (issued under the alias Makaveli in
Later that month, Shakur began 1996), R U Still Down? (Remember
serving his sentence. He was in jail At the time of his murder in Sep- Me) (1997), Still I Rise (1999), Until
when his third album, Me Against tember 1996, there were indica- the End of Time (2001), and Better
the World, was released in March. tions that Shakur was considering Dayz (2002).
The record entered the charts at leaving Death Row, and maybe
even rap, behind. None of those
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