Tupac Shakur Timeline

(June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996)

Tupac Shakur (1971–1996), also known as 2Pac, was one of the most influential rappers and cultural icons of the 20th century. Known for his raw lyrics addressing social injustice, poverty, and life on the streets, he released landmark albums like 'Me Against the World' and 'All Eyez on Me' while also building an acting career before his murder in Las Vegas at age 25. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Early Life

Tupac Shakur is born in New York City

Jun 16, 1971

Lesane Parish Crooks, later known as Tupac Amaru Shakur, is born in East Harlem, New York City. His mother, Afeni Shakur, was a member of the Black Panther Party. He was named after Túpac Amaru II, an 18th-century Peruvian revolutionary.

Image source: Tupac Shakur

Family moves to Baltimore

1984

Tupac moves with his family to Baltimore, Maryland, where he attends the Baltimore School for the Arts. There he studies acting, poetry, jazz, and ballet, and befriends future actress Jada Pinkett Smith.

Moves to Marin City, California

1988

Tupac relocates to Marin City, California, a community near Mill Valley. He begins writing rap lyrics and performs as a roadie and backup dancer for the hip hop group Digital Underground.

Music Career

Appears in Digital Underground's 'Same Song'

Jan 1991

Shakur makes his recorded debut on Digital Underground's 'Same Song' from the EP 'This Is an EP Release', rapping under the alias MC New York and appearing in the music video.

Image source: This Is an EP Release

Releases debut album '2Pacalypse Now'

Nov 12, 1991

Tupac releases his debut album '2Pacalypse Now', which addresses social issues including police brutality and poverty. The album earns praise for its raw social commentary, though Vice President Dan Quayle criticizes it after its lyrics were linked to the killing of a Texas state trooper.

Image source: 2Pacalypse Now

Stars in 'Juice'

Jan 17, 1992

Tupac makes his feature film debut as Bishop in Ernest Dickerson's film 'Juice', earning critical acclaim for his portrayal of a troubled teenager who spirals into violence in Harlem.

Image source: Juice (1992 film)

Releases second album 'Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...'

Feb 16, 1993

Shakur's second studio album features the hit singles 'I Get Around' and 'Keep Ya Head Up', marking his commercial breakthrough and cementing his reputation for socially conscious lyrics.

Image source: Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...

Stars opposite Janet Jackson in 'Poetic Justice'

Jul 23, 1993

Tupac co-stars with Janet Jackson in John Singleton's romantic drama 'Poetic Justice', playing Lucky, a postal worker and aspiring poet. The film is a box office success.

Image source: Poetic Justice (film)

Releases 'Me Against the World'

Mar 14, 1995

Recorded before his imprisonment, 'Me Against the World' is released to widespread acclaim. Featuring hits like 'Dear Mama' and 'So Many Tears', it is widely regarded as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.

Image source: Me Against the World

Signs with Death Row Records after bail posted by Suge Knight

Oct 1995

Marion 'Suge' Knight posts Shakur's $1.4 million bail in exchange for a three-album deal with Death Row Records, marking Tupac's move from Interscope's East Coast orbit to the West Coast label.

Image source: All Eyez on Me

Signs with Death Row Records after bail posted by Suge Knight

Stars in 'Gridlock'd' filmed role and other late films

1996

During 1996, Tupac continues building his film career, completing work on films including 'Gridlock'd' and 'Gang Related', both released posthumously in 1997.

Image source: Gridlock'd

Releases double album 'All Eyez on Me'

Feb 13, 1996

'All Eyez on Me' becomes one of the most influential albums in hip hop history, featuring hits like 'California Love', 'How Do U Want It', and '2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted'. It tops the Billboard 200 and eventually achieves diamond certification.

Legal Troubles and Controversies

Accused of sexual assault in Atlanta

Nov 18, 1993

Shakur is charged with sexually assaulting a woman in his hotel room in Atlanta. He maintains his innocence, claiming the encounter was consensual.

Shot five times at Quad Recording Studios in Manhattan

Nov 30, 1994

Two days before his sexual assault trial verdict, Tupac is shot five times and robbed while entering Quad Recording Studios in Times Square. He suspects associates connected to Bad Boy Records and Sean Combs of involvement, fueling the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry.

Image source: Murder of Tupac Shakur

Serves prison sentence at Clinton Correctional Facility

Feb 14, 1995 - Sep 22, 1995

Tupac begins serving his sentence at Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York. While imprisoned, his album 'Me Against the World' debuts at number one on the Billboard 200, making him the first artist to top the charts while serving time.

Convicted of sexual abuse and sentenced to prison

Apr 7, 1995

A jury convicts Tupac of first-degree criminal sexual abuse but acquits him of more serious charges of forcible sodomy and weapons charges. He is sentenced to one and a half years in prison.

Records diss track 'Hit 'Em Up'

Jun 4, 1996

Tupac releases 'Hit 'Em Up', a scathing diss track aimed at The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, and others, intensifying the East Coast–West Coast rivalry that defined mid-1990s hip hop.

Image source: Hit 'Em Up

Death and Legacy

Attends Mike Tyson fight at MGM Grand in Las Vegas

Sep 7, 1996

Tupac attends Bruce Seldon vs. Mike Tyson at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. After the fight, he and Suge Knight are involved in an altercation with Orlando Anderson in the casino lobby.

Fatally shot in drive-by shooting in Las Vegas

Sep 7, 1996

While riding in Suge Knight's BMW on Flamingo Road, Tupac is shot four times by an unknown assailant in a white Cadillac. He is taken to University Medical Center, where he dies six days later. His murder remains officially unsolved.

Dies from his wounds at age 25

Sep 13, 1996

Tupac Shakur dies of respiratory failure and cardiac arrest caused by his gunshot wounds. His death shocks fans worldwide and becomes one of the most famous unsolved murders in music history.

Posthumous album 'The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory' released

Nov 5, 1996

Released under the alias Makaveli just two months after his death, this album features tracks like 'Hail Mary' and 'To Live & Die in L.A.', debuting at number one on the Billboard 200.

Image source: The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory

Afeni Shakur founds Amaru Entertainment

1997

Tupac's mother, Afeni Shakur, establishes Amaru Entertainment to control her son's unreleased recordings and manage his estate, releasing numerous posthumous albums over subsequent years.

Image source: Afeni Shakur

Posthumous films 'Gridlock'd' and 'Gang Related' released

Jan 29, 1997 - Oct 8, 1997

Two final films starring Tupac are released posthumously: 'Gridlock'd' in January 1997 and 'Gang Related' in October 1997, both showcasing his range as a dramatic actor.

Posthumous album 'R U Still Down? [Remember Me]' released

Nov 25, 1997

The first posthumous album released through Amaru Entertainment compiles previously unreleased material recorded between 1991 and 1994, selling millions of copies.

Image source: R U Still Down? (Remember Me)

Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Apr 7, 2017

Tupac becomes the sixth hip hop act and one of the first solo rappers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, honored in Brooklyn by Snoop Dogg and Alicia Keys.

Image source: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Biographical film 'All Eyez on Me' opens in theaters

Jun 16, 2017

The biopic directed by Benny Boom, starring Demetrius Shipp Jr. as Tupac, premieres on what would have been Shakur's 46th birthday, grossing over $45 million worldwide.

Image source: All Eyez on Me (film)

Hollywood Walk of Fame star unveiled

Jun 7, 2023

Nearly 27 years after his death, Tupac receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with his sister Sekyiwa accepting the honor on his behalf.

Duane Davis arrested for Tupac's murder

Sep 29, 2023

Las Vegas police arrest Duane 'Keffe D' Davis, a former gang member who admitted providing the gun used in the 1996 shooting, charging him with murder — the first arrest in the case.

Key Facts

Tupac Shakur was born on June 16, 1971, in New York City to Afeni Shakur, a member of the Black Panther Party.
His 1995 album 'Me Against the World,' recorded largely while he was imprisoned, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
'All Eyez on Me' (1996) was his first double album in hip-hop and one of his best-selling records.
He was fatally shot on September 7, 1996, in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas and died six days later at age 25.
Beyond music, Tupac acted in films such as 'Juice,' 'Poetic Justice,' and 'Above the Rim,' and remains one of the best-selling artists with over 75 million records sold worldwide.

Source

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