TupacBorn in 1971 as the son of Black Panther Afeni Shakur, Tupac Amaru Shakur left this world a promising, young rapper at the ripe age of 25. On Sept. 13, 1996 Tupac was gunned down leaving a Mike Tyson fight on the Las Vegas strip.
Witnesses say they saw a white Cadillac pull up to the black BMW of which Tupac was a passenger and moments later nine shots rang out striking Tupac several times in the chest. He would later die of respiratory failure and cardiopulmonary arrest. Death Row Records chairman, Marion “Suge” Knight, was the driver of the black BMW that escorted Tupac.
The death of Tupac brought plenty of talk and debate of violence back into the world of rap and hip-hop. In his turbulent past, Tupac had been in trouble with the law, also having a brush with death in 1994 after he was shot and robbed outside of a Manhattan recording studio. He also served eight months in a New York prison for sexual abuse. Aside from his self-acclaimed “thug life” that Tupac often times described it in his music, he also added a positive touch to many of his rhymes. He also had millions of fans that felt the messages of his lyrics and the beliefs that he wanted to express through his music. Not only a skilled rapper, but also a talented actor, Tupac had a love for the silver screen appearing in several films including Juice and Above the Rim. Contrary to some belief, the death of Tupac never hampered his album sales. He remains a platinum-selling artist and another of Tupac’s posthumous albums is scheduled for release in November. His murder remains unsolved.
Notorious B.I.G.Brooklyn born and raised Christopher Wallace, aka Notorious B.I.G. (aka Biggie Smallz), left a life of drug dealing to become one of the most profound and most recognized hip-hop artists of this era. Wallace contributed a unique style to rap, also bringing a new image of how we portray hip-hop today, but on March 9, 1997 his life would end tragically on the streets of Los Angeles in the midst of gunfire and confusion.
After leaving the Petersen Automotive Museum where a celebration following the Soul Train Music Awards was held, a black Chevy Impala pulled alongside the Chevy Suburban. Wallace was shot multiple times. The shots would prove fatal less than an hour later at a nearby hospital where Biggie died.
While no immediate evidence connected the previous murder of Tupac Shakur with that of Wallace, the two were proven enemies and at the center of the East Coast-West Coast tentions in the rap world. In his life as a talented rapper, Biggie would gain many honors and and much success, such as rapper of the year at the 1995 Billboard Awards.
Before his death, Wallace was working on his second album, “Life After Death,” a double album which was released shortly after his death. His murder remains unsolved.
Freaky TahAlthough many never talk about the death of Lost Boyz rapper, Freaky Tah, no one can forget the grusome details of his murder March 28, 1999.
While leaving a hotel party in Queens Raymond “Freaky Tah” Rodgers was approached by a ski-masked gunman, shot and killed. A single shot to the head landed the 27-year-old fighting for his life, but later dying at nearby Jamaica Hospital within moments of arrival.
Robbery was ruled out and police left clueless, with only a comparison of the execution-style murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G.
In the past, Rodgers and remaining members of the Lost Boyz admitted to drug dealings, but all agreed to giving up that lifestyle for one of music. Their 1996 album “Legal Drug Money” was said to be their resolution to living life as law-abiding citizens after witnessing the shooting of a fellow drug dealer.
On July 24, 2001, the murderer of Rodgers, Kelvin Jones, plead guilty and was sentenced last Thursday.
Big PunisherThough the circumstances were much different from those of other rappers including Tupac, Biggie and Freaky Tah, the death of Big Pun sent harsh waves crashing through the world of hip-hop, rap and Latin music. Christopher Rios, aka Big Punisher debuted back in 1998 with the release “Capital Punishment.” It quickly fell into the hand of hip-hop fan worldwide. It was different and it was explosive, and it took the hip-hop world of American and mixed it with Latin soul which proved to be a platinum worthy.
At the start of a new year and the continuing growth of a new star, Rios would soon fall to one of the most troubling realities of his life; his obesity.
On Feb. 7, 2000 Rios collapsed in the presence of his wife at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in White Plains, New York. He and his family were staying at the hotel while their home underwent renovations.
When emergency crews arrived they found Rios in full cardiac arrest and due to his weight, it was reported that they had borrowed a construction dolly to transport the 698-pound rapper to a nearby hospital. Doctors also added that the double-platinum rapper had suffered from an oversized heart and various other health problems due to extreme obesity. His second, posthumous album “Yeeeah Baby” was released in April following his death and received lots of praise. He left behind his wife Liza and children Amanda, Vanessa and Christopher.
AaliyahShe is often described as a queen that has departed this lifetime too soon.
At the height of her career, 22-year-old Aaliyah Dana Haughton died tragically Aug. 25. After filming the video for her hit single “Rock the Boat” in the Bahamas, Aaliyah and crew headed back to the states. The small Cessna 402B that carried Aaliyah, as well as eight others, fell to the ground and burst into flames soon after takeoff.
Reports days later would prove that the plane was overloaded.
Not only was Aaliyah a talented hip-hop diva, she was also at the height of her acting career. Her debut film entitled “Romeo Must Die” left fans anxious for more and she was later casted to star in two upcoming sequals for “The Matrix.” She was due to begin filming her scenes this fall. Aaliyah’s death was both shocking and tragic. Hundreds of fans filled the streets of Manhattan outside of St. St. Ignatius Loyola Roman Catholic Church the day of her funeral. Aaliyah will be remembered as so much more than an entertainer. Even in her afterlife, she will remain a symbol of elegance and grace.