Tupac Amaru Shakur
June 16, 1971 - September 13, 1996

i see you blackboy, bent toward destruction, watching for death with tight eyes

-Sonia Sanchez,poet

Reactions to Tupacs death

"The most unfortunate thing that has ever happened in the hip hop culture. It saddens me. I hope this is a wake up call for a lot of us. I pray for him and his loved ones."
-- Recording Artist, actor and Uptown Records Chief Executive Officer Heavy D

"This is so, so sad. Sometimes the lure of violent culture is so magnetic that even when one overcomes it with material success, it continues to call. He couldn't break the cycle."
-- Rev. Jesse Jackson

"There ain't nothing wrong with speaking the truth. But I want my brothers to realize we're killing ourselves. It's a crying shame to still be living this way."
-- Michelle Swift, Shakur fan in Las Vegas.

"Despite some of his shortcomings, he always gave you something with his music. He gave you some things to think about or he gave you something to laugh about or he gave you something to cry about."
-- fellow rapper Coolio

"I hope in the midst of this tragedy, we can put together an aggressive and strong drive against violence among young people and dedicate it to Tupac's memory."
-- Rev. Al Sharpton, who counseled Shakur in prison

"Nobody wants to help the police. What for? What are they going to do? I'm just saying that whoever did this is going to get found. The people who find him, I don't know what they'll do."
-- Marcos, a friend of Shakur's at University Medical Center

"I'm here to pay my respects - for fan support and moral support. There's anger. The anger is directed at an individual who is at large somewhere."
-- Kevin D, a fan who gathered outside University Medical Center

"I just feel bad, real bad for him. He was somebody I really looked up to."
-- Chris Spamm, a fan at a mall in Crenshaw District of Los Angeles.

"I was devastated, like man this is a real shame how rap music has turned now,"
-- Jerry Kirby, a fan at a mall in Crenshaw District of Los Angeles

"That's the funny thing about life, you never know what's going to happen to you, you know what I'm saying? He wasn't expecting it. You never know, man, when your time's going to come you know?"
-- Elmont Robertson, a fan at a mall in Crenshaw District of Los Angeles.