How Long Will They Mourn Me?
Considering Tupac Shakur Ten Years After His Death
Long before Eminem spit his personal vitriol at the world; before Game bit the hand that fed him; before 50 Cent portrayed himself on the silver screen; before "fill-in-the-blank" found their name in the police blotter as much as the Billboard charts, the young Tupac Shakur was notorious for such exploits in the 1990s. 'Pac patented such brash rebelliousness in the 1992 movie Juice, his first role. "You gotta get the ground beneath your feet, get the wind behind your back, and go out in a blaze!" he barks with fury, flame in his eyes.
If so many Hip Hop stars of today are following the path 'Pac blazed, what sets him apart from his imitators?
More than his death differentiates Tupac between those who attempt to emulate his martyrdom. Whereas 50, Em, and Game rap endlessly about their own narcissistic hardships, Tupac's charisma transformed his troubled life into a morality tale for all. By appearing vulnerable and honest rather than stoic and conceited, the chronicles of his plight become engrossing tales of the struggle between good and evil. "So many battlefield scars while driven in plush cars / This life as a rap star is nothin' without heart," he raps to open his CD All Eyez on Me.
He was also fantastically contradictory in his songwriting. He happily bragged about being a player on "I Get Around" but encouraged single mothers to "Keep Ya Head Up." Tupac wore his heart on his sleeve, "Thug Life" tattooed on his stomach, his gun always within reach; he hid nothing as the searing media spot light shined on him. And as a result, his personal life and his music became indistinguishable.
Critics may have accused Tupac of exploiting his survival of a NYC shootout, his gun fight with off duty Atlanta cops, and his incarceration for sexual assault, but his music seemed to indicate that he was forever in fear of such incidences. "I'm headed for danger, don't trust strangers / Put one in the chamber whenever I'm feelin' this anger" he admits in "Me Against the World." Witnessing Tupac's controversy filled stardom from 1991 to 1996 was akin to watching a speeding train derail: momentarily sublime, inevitably tragic. By surrounding himself with blood thirsty criminals and the treacherous trappings of fame, his death was a foregone conclusion. The haunting blues of his music and his ghostly presence on screen will always be a testament to his legacy.