Tupac attended The Baltimore School for the Performing Arts where he studied Acting and Ballet after his family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, as a result of his mother losing her job in new York. At the time, Baltimore had the highest rate for black killings in the country. This was when Tupac was really exposed to poverty. ?œI was living in the ghetto. We didn?™t have lights and electricity.??At the age of 15 he discovered his love for rap music, and writing lyrics. As MC New York, he wrote his first rap.

His family moved to California to escape the violence, but was exposed to more poverty. At this point Tupac began hanging with the wrong crowd. He didn?™t have enough credits to graduate, so he dropped out. He needed a way to make money, so he tried selling drugs. But instead, the drug dealers used to give him money and tell him, ?œDon?™t get involved with this. Get out there, do your dream.??/P>

?œSo they was like my sponsors. My dream was to make a living rapping. Just to make music that was coming from my heart. When I first started rapping, I needed the money, and I had to work.??/P>

At the age of 20, Tupac joined the Rap group Digital Underground where he began his career as a dancer. Later on, Leila introduced him to Atron who was managing Digital Underground: ?œI?™ll send you to Digital Underground. They?™re in the studio. Rap for Shock G on the spot. If he like you, I?™ll pick you up.??/P>

Tupac made is first appearance in Digital Underground?™s hit Same Song. From this point, Tupac went on to become the most notorious rapper in history. Now with the alias 2Pac, he released his own album ??Pacalypse Now?? which was a huge success. Amongst the tracks, was the hit Brenda?™s Got a Baby which gave him the boost he needed. Another of the tracks featured on 2Pacalypse Now, Tupac rapped about police brutality. Ironically, shortly thereafter, he was allegedly assaulted by Oakland police following an arrest for Jaywalking - he filed a $10 million lawsuit, but settled with $42 thousand.