Tupac was a very controversial figure in the early ninety's of American pop culture. People believed many different things about him. Some thought he was a gangster, a bad influence on society. Some believed that he was a sort of prophet, an activist in the fight for equality. I believe that Tupac had the interest of his people at heart, he was in a constant fight to show "middle America" what the city life of a young black man was like.
Tupac believed in education, he was raised by his mom, Afari Shakur who was a black panther activist. Growing up with the "black panther" mentality, he believed in knowledge is power, and that the pen was mightier then the sword. He was very aware of politics and what was going on socially and politically around him.
Tupac also stood up for the people who he identified with the most, the street type, gangsters who were lost souls in his eyes. He rapped about the street life, the hustle, making money, and fucking hoes, but most were blind to the hidden meanings that he laced his tracks with. He criticized the government, both local and federal for the misuse of their power.
Tupac, on one very strange occasion shot 2 police officers, was arrested and was put on trial. He was forced into a media blitz, and the complete mayhem that surrounded this scandal. In the end it was found that the two off duty officers were harassing an African- American man with a gun that was stolen from the evidence locker.
Everyone sees Tupac as a Gangster rapper with no aim but money and drugs. But in fact this misconception is widely accepted as false. Now as we know it, Tupacs lyrics have come to light, and new songs have been released. He even has a book of poetry called, "The Rose that Grew From Concrete", which shows very deep, touching poetry written throughout his lifetime.
Now some people would say that Tupac was a Gangster, that he carried guns and used them without cause.