Song:How Do U Want It
Album:Greatest Hits
Today rapper Tupac Shakur is best known for his 1996 death due to a drive by shooting. But he was one of the more significant rappers of the era. How Do U Want It was one of his two number one hits. He was born Lesane Parish Crooks June 16, 1971 in New York City. His mother renamed him Tupac after an 18th century Peruvian revolutionary. Both his parents were Black Panthers so he grew up around that. Shakur began acting in high school. His family moved to Baltimore in 1986 and he attended the Baltimore School for the Arts. He also started rapping and he was considered the best rapper in his school. In 1988, his family moved to the San Francisco suburb of Marin City. He got into the music business as a roadie and backup dancer with Digital Underground. After appearing on the 1991 Digital Underground single Same Song, Shakur signed with their label Interscope and released his 1991 debut CD 2Pacalypse. Though there were no hit singles, it was hailed for its underground feel. Of course some of the songs were controversial. His 1993 album Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z..... was certified Platinum as the singles I Get Around and Keep Ya Head Up were top 20 hits. Then Shakur formed the group Thug Life and released an album. It did OK but he didn't tour with them. Also Interscope forced Shakur to re-record some of the songs because they thought they were too controversial. Shakur then moved to Death Row Records and released a solo album Me Against The World in 1995. It was certified 2XPlatinum. Dear Mama was his very first top ten single. He finally broke through with the 1996 album All Eyez On Me. It was certified Diamond and the singles California Love and How Do U Want It topped the charts. They were released as double A sides. How Do U Want it features K-Ci & JoJo from Jodeci. Shakur wrote and produced it with Johnny "Johnny J" Jackson who was a member of Thug Life and he produced much of All Eyez On Me. It samples from Quincy Jones' Body Heat. The song appeared in Shakur's final film Gang Related. After Shakur released an album under the name Makaveli, he was killed on Sept. 7, 1996 in a Las Vegas drive by shooting. Though there was a suspected shooter, nothing has ever been proven. Of course with the way Shakur died, he's a legend now and he's getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame this year. If he had lived, it's likely Shakur would have left music for films. He had already acted in a few films and acting is what got him into rap in the first place. Maybe if he stars in the 1993 film Menace II Society, he doesn't even go back to music. He was replaced by Larenz Tate after an altercation with director Allen Hughes. Morgan Creek Productions is making a Tupac Shakur biopic to be directed by Benny Boom. It is filming in Atlanta. Obviously Shakur was a talented guy. But his murder overshadows that talent and it always will. Here's the video for How Do U Want It by 2Pac featuring K-Ci & JoJo.
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