Although I was nine at the time of his death, I saw his influence in older people through their tears and frustrations. Their pain seemed so deep as if they had lost a loved one and as I came into my own realm of understanding, I learned that figuratively many people did. It was a rough time, but with all the violence and assumptions being promoted, there was an incomparable realness that could be felt in his lyrics.
He was a rapper, relying on 808's and snares to provide the heartbeat of his music, but he was an individual before his time. To simply refer to him as a rapper is unfair, artists sounds better, but still doesn't accurately depict what he could have done.
This potential is eerily evident in his first film, "Juice" in which he played the power hungry Bishop. The character was written to play off the protagonist, Q, played by Omar Epps, but spoke to an entire generation of young adults searching for "juice" or in layman's terms, some sort of power in a world full others searching for the same thing.
Arguably, Bishop should be placed in the same sentence as characters such as: Jim Stark, Holden Caulfield, Bigger Thomas. In their own way each demonstrated to other American youth the hunger for more and the struggle to find oneself.
It hurts to think that Tupac was playing out the role of Bishop, but in some ways such an argument makes sense as the violence and chaotic environment promoted in the film, could be seen in his real life.
Whether the questionable sexual assault case or his dealings with Suge Knight, he was in a rough spot. Dickens says, "it is a melancholy truth that even great men have poor relations, a quote more than evident in the life of Tupac. Not to judge those around him, but I refuse to believe they knew the capacity Pac had to cause social change and if they did they were too caught in the life of money, fast cars and women.
His death, still shrouded in mystery, proves this point as he was murdered on one of the busiest streets in America, but no one can give a description of anything about his murderer. Conspiracy? One could easily make a case, and although I'd love to get into it, today is a celebration of his life...
To survive in the rap game there has to be some sort of braggadocio, and to say he never bragged about materialism would be false, but the overall message of pain and struggle seeped through.
And it was these lyrics that gave so many people hope. I wish he could have lived to fulfill his potential, but as those alive often say, "only the good die young."
As we celebrate the man's life, I wonder who will take his place in our hearts and minds? Having a de-facto leader who could accurately display the struggle while epitomizing the bad boy will not work in this day and age, but someone who has learned from Tupac what worked and what didn't could definitely hold the title. In this era of swagger and charisma there are few who can embody the spirit of Tupac.
Kanye West, for all he has been through in the last year, has the capacity to be a more progressive form of Tupac. A thug, he is not, but his artistic vision remains unmatched. His ability to remain outspoken about social issues is also worth noting.
Lil Wayne, at least in his interviews and songs related to New Orleans post-Katrina, also shows the potential to pick up where Pac left off.
There are others, millions of them, who have learned from his story and continue to work towards being better people. I'd like to say that I'm one of them and leave you with this...
"I will not change the world, but I will spark the mind that does" - Tupac Shakur
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