It has been 22 years since Tupac Shakur died. The controversial rapper was involved in a drive-by shooting on September 7, 1996. He died from the injuries he incurred six days later.
Tupac’s upbringing was influenced by political activism. Both of his parents were active Black Panther Party members. His godfather was Elmer “Geronimo” Pratt, one of the premier voices in BPP, and his godmother was Assata Shakur, who is currently living in Cuba where she gained asylum. She was sentenced to prison for killing a state trooper in 1973.
Tupac later joined the Young Communist League while in high school. After moving to Marin City, California and attending high school there, he wrote in one of his academic papers, “our raps, not the sorry story raps everyone is so tired of. They are about what happens in the real world. Our goal is [to] have people relate to our raps, making it easier to see what really is happening out there. Even more important, what we may do to better our world.”
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His debut album 2Pacalypse Now shed light on social challenges such as teenage pregnancy in the black community and unjust social practices.
He was also vocal in calling out the state of affairs in the country and the world, making him a suitable candidate for president.
Here are five reasons why Tupac would have been an ideal president today:
