21 years ago today the hip hop world lost one of the most popular M.C.s of our time - Lesane Parish Crooks - many you know him as 2Pac Shakur.

From The Sun, 2Pac was fatally shot on September 7th 1996 in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas.  Suge Knight the founder of Death Row Records was driving the car with 2Pac along with their entourage.  The shooting occurred at 11:15pm when 2Pac was shot 4 times in the chest, arm, and thigh.  He would eventually die 6 days later (September 13th) from respiratory failure which led to him having a cardiac arrest after the removal of his right lung.

Shawn Knight
Shawn Knight
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This memory of 2Pac is so vivid to me because I was interning at NBC Towers Chicago for the Jenny Jones Talk Show in the research department assisting with the show topic "Tupac Shakur and The Negative Impact of Gangsta Rap".  I remember it like it was yesterday. I arrived and immediately went to work listening to various CD's to write down lyrics of certain rap songs (wayyyyyy before Google) for the show.  The show guest were Hip Hop Artist Domino, Rev. Al Sharpton, Old School Hip Hop Artist The Sugar Hill Gang, and radio personalities Pink House and Spank Boogie from Chicago Radio 106 Jamz (No relation to Hot 107.3 Jamz).

Video Source: Hezakya Newz & Music

The show was very intense as the panelist and audience weighed back and forth on 2Pac's lifestyle and how 'gangsta rap' lyrics are the cause of violence that affect our communities and if you watch the video closely you will see a very young Shawn Knight in the audience awaiting to give my 2 cents on the show topic. (STOP LAUGHING!)

Shawn Knight - Youtube
Shawn Knight - Youtube
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Even though 2Pac's murder was never solved his death is still one of the most high profile open cases today and there are STILL conspiracy theories that say the rapper is still alive!

Today 2Pac has sold over 75 million records, and is always in the conversation of being one of the greatest of all time.  I think I will watch his biopic "All Eyes On Me" and continue to keep his musical legacy alive.

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