Reflecting On Hip Hop Legend Tupac Shakur On the 21st Anniversary of His Death

“I am not a gangster and never have been.  I’m not the thief who grabs your purse.  I’m not the guy who jacks your car.  I’m not down with people who steal and hurt others.  I’m just a brother who fights back.  I’m not some violent closet psycho.  I’ve got a job.  I’m an artist.” — Tupac Shakur

Prophet.  Poet.  Gangster.  Thug.  Hip hop icon.  During the life and times of Tupac Shakur, he was labeled many things, but after his death, the polarizing, legendary rap artist was universally accepted as an extraordinary and influential talent.  Personally, whenever someone asks me about Tupac Shakur, the immediate thought that comes to mind is “tortured soul.”