Tupac Lives: Rappers Who Channel the Lost Legend

Azealia Banks, Kendrick Lamar, Killer Mike and more.

We Miss You Pac - On September 13, 1996, Tupac Shakur died. It was a violent death; a tragic Las Vegas drive-by that took the life of one of music’s most controversial, beloved, and best-selling figures. On the 19th anniversary of his passing, BET.com dissects the many sides of the iconic hip hop visionary who was equally adept at making clear-eyed Black nationalist statements (1991’s “Trapped”); and feel-good jams (1993’s “I Get Around”) as he was penning venomous; thugged-out threats (1996’s “Hit ‘Em Up”) and beautiful testimonies on everyday life (1996’s “I Ain’t Mad At Cha”). ‘Pac was a complex dude and his spirit can be heard throughout a myriad of acts today. Here are 10 artists that carry on a piece of the indelible legacy of Tupac Shakur. - Keith Murphy(Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ImageDirect/Getty Images)
Azealia Banks = Pac’s Unflinching Honesty - At this point in Azealia Banks’ mercurial career, the fearless (and some say reckless) Harlem rhyme vixen’s greatest hits album would be dominated more by her seemingly endless list of verbal and social media smackdowns than actual songs. “All of y’all b***hes are whack and make boring music and rip all ur styles off the downtown NYC girls,” she dismissed of Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj following their much talked about MTV Video Music Awards beef-triangle. At times cringe-worthy, other times refreshing, Banks keeps it real to unfiltered Tupac-ish heights.(Photo: Cassandra Hannagan/Getty Images)
Kendrick Lamar = Pac’s Heartfelt Poetry - Kendrick has often cited Tupac as his most indispensible artistic influence, so much so that he featured the celebrated rap icon on his acclaimed work To Pimp A Butterfly during the dreamy conversation track “Mortal Man.” Just like the man who composed the loving testimony “Dear Mama,” Compton’s exceptional bundle of emotions can induce listeners to tears, anger, and sheer gleefulness in just a matter of minutes. Don’t take our word for it. Check it out here. (Photo: Chiaki Nozu/Getty Images)Killer Mike = Pac’s Socially Conscious Fire - Indeed, there’s a reason Killer Mike, one half of the soaring duo Run the Jewels, is hip hop’s go-to commentator when things in the Black community fall apart. Whether it’s the game-changing murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri or the Baltimore riots sparked by the alleged police-connected death of Freddie Gray, you can always count on Mike to drop straight-no-chaser insight on the important topics of the day much like Pac did.(Photo: C Brandon/Redferns)

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We Miss You Pac - On September 13, 1996, Tupac Shakur died. It was a violent death; a tragic Las Vegas drive-by that took the life of one of music’s most controversial, beloved, and best-selling figures. On the 19th anniversary of his passing, BET.com dissects the many sides of the iconic hip hop visionary who was equally adept at making clear-eyed Black nationalist statements (1991’s “Trapped”); and feel-good jams (1993’s “I Get Around”) as he was penning venomous; thugged-out threats (1996’s “Hit ‘Em Up”) and beautiful testimonies on everyday life (1996’s “I Ain’t Mad At Cha”). ‘Pac was a complex dude and his spirit can be heard throughout a myriad of acts today. Here are 10 artists that carry on a piece of the indelible legacy of Tupac Shakur. - Keith Murphy(Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ImageDirect/Getty Images)

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