Tupac Shakur, a renowned figure in the world of hip-hop, was born in the vibrant city of New York, specifically in the iconic neighborhood of Harlem. His early years were marked by a series of moves, as his family relocated to Baltimore, Maryland in 1984, where he forged a lasting bond with his dear friend, Jada Pinkett Smith.
As fate would have it, his family made yet another move in 1988, this time to the West Coast, settling in Oakland, California. It was during this period that Tupac's musical career began to take shape, as he rose to prominence as a member of the influential group Digital Underground in 1991.
The same year, Tupac's solo album "2Pacalypse Now" received widespread recognition, although it also marked the beginning of his notoriety as a leading figure in the gangster permutation of hip-hop, with lyrics that referenced cop killings and sexual violence. His foray into the world of film also commenced in 1991 with the movie "Juice," and he went on to co-star with the legendary Janet Jackson in "Poetic Justice" in 1993.
However, Tupac's life was soon marred by a series of legal entanglements. In 1994, he was sentenced to a 15-day jail term for assault and battery, and in 1995, he was convicted of sexually assaulting a female fan. After serving an eight-month sentence pending an appeal, Shakur was finally released from jail.
