She built this foundation in the hopes of helping other troubled youth find their purpose in the arts.Īs a renowned gangster, Tupac was entangled in several disputes with rival gangs. This is one of the reasons why Afeni was inspired to start the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation – an arts program for the youth. They welcomed Tupac and his talent, and helped him discover his passion for the arts. She was extremely thankful to the 127 th Street Ensemble that Tupac joined when he was 13 and homeless with Afeni. She was a reformed drug addict, and battled against her dependence on crack and cocaine while raising Tupac. Afeni was in jail for charges of bombing multiple city landmarks while pregnant with Tupac. One of Tupac’s earliest struggles is his relationship with his mother, Afeni Shakur. However, at age 17, Tupac dropped out of the school and settled in Marin County, California. Shortly after his first acting debut, Tupac went on to attend the Baltimore School of the Arts. This jumpstarted his desire to pursue the arts, a desire which Tupac would continue to fulfill for several more years to come. At age 13, he auditioned for several theatre productions and successfully landed a role in a production of A Raisin in the Sun for Jesse Jackson’s 1984 presidential campaign. Tupac spent his earliest years in New York neighborhoods – Bronx and Harlem.īefore he became one of the world’s most influential rappers, he first focused on building an acting career. He was born on Jas Lesane Parish Crooks before his fans came to know him as Tupac or 2pac. Tupac Shakur was the son of a former Black Panther activist named Afeni Shakur. The InfluenceTupac Shakur Left to the World.

2pac life goes on