One of the most enduring figures in hip-hop has been 2Pac Shakur. The rapper, who was gunned down in Las Vegas, left a lasting impression on not just his fans, but on the mainstream world. Well, for those doubting the kind of influence this artist had they can stop guessing as his Greatest Hits album went diamond nearly a decade after its release.
The story of 2Pac has as much to do with the public perception of hip-hop as his songs do with the hard life that he lived. There was no question that 2Pac was as street as they came. He was a serious rapper with plenty to vent about and an acute awareness for the world around him. He embodied that which the mainstream detested about hip hop. It was the piercing, the tattoos, the thuggish attitude that embodied a sort of defiance, but through all of it 2Pac rose above.
He was able to reach beyond the violence of hip-hop and reach down to the soul of the music. He reached back on a track like “Dear Mama” and gave thanks to the sacrifices and the hardships that his mother had. He had a voice for the voiceless and told stories of hard luck and struggle that couldn’t be imagined because it had to be lived.
The album going diamond, which means eclipsing the 10 million dollar mark, is a testament to his longevity as a cultural figure. The album has sold despite not having a lot of mainstream press the way artists like Kanye West and Lil’ Wayne have. There is no question that his status as a rap legend is cemented.
It’s a shame that 2Pac cannot be here to celebrate in the joy of such success. It’s a shame he’ll never get to savor the flavor of his voice really being heard. No doubt it lives on, though.
