In my essay I will touch on aspects of Tupac’s life and reference his own words and life events. After reading my essay you will have a better understanding of the transparency of Tupac and the life he lived. I will express in my own opinion on the idea that despite the positive messages in Tupac’s music, he didn’t live up to these messages in his own life.
Tupac often referenced the struggles he faced and saw others facing during his childhood through adulthood. He gave inspiration to others through his music, In his song “Keep Your Head Up,” he targets men and how they need to respect women and realize that without women they are nothing by saying “since we all came from a woman” (Shakur). Meanwhile, as he is depicting his passion for change, he often contradicts himself, rapping about respecting women, “why we rape our women, do we hate our women”? (vs1,18). Tupac’s view of women in his music was compassionate, caring and supportive. He encouraged women to stand up to men who didn’t treat them right and disrespected them: And if he can’t learn to love you you should leave him (vs1,10). That woman have a voice and deserve better from a man. While encouraging women in his lyrics, he was accused of sexual assault in 1993 (Wikipedia, 109).
I feel Tupac got caught up in the thug life because he was used to experiencing that kind of life growing up in the inner city. What he rapped about was a fantasy, an escape from reality. He blamed his shortcomings on the system: “we aint meant to survive, cause its a setup” (vs2,25). Tupac believed he was a product of the “system”, and that he and other youth had no chance to succeed no matter how hard they tried. He often promoted the opposite of what he preached by blaming the “system” which resulted in negative actions and often violent outcomes that followed. His recklessness resulted in the wrongful death of a 6 year old in 1992 (Wikipedia,103). The assault charges in 1993 involving Tupac’s attempt to beat a fellow rapper with a baseball bat set in stone the stigma he tried to reverse (Wikipedia, 105).
The thug image and lifestyle he lived showed no respect for authority, carrying guns on him, among other things, hurt his cause and his dream for a better life for himself and the people he was reaching out to help.
All rappers before Tupac use the same foundation of lyrics in their songs. I think that rap music changed course from its original purpose of inspiring others and creating hope. To being all about money and business, about getting one’s name out there to the public with marketing. I also feel rap music often depicts the opposite of what Tupac’s message was intended to be regarding women. Even though Tupac rapped about a brighter future, he didn’t make enough choices or influences in his own life to make his dream a reality.
In my opinion, Tupac dressed the part for the way society viewed him, and he didn’t seem to care. From his baggy pants to the bandana on his head, the cocky swagger he projected in his music video for the song “Keep Ya Head Up,” he painted the negative image that he was trying so hard to deflect (“Keep Ya Head Up” music video).
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