Rap star Tupac Shakur dies six days after he was shot in Las Vegas

Rap star Tupac Shakur, known by many as a violent rapper who died in the gangsta culture he glorified in his music, was recently remembered at his childhood church as the victim of a society that destroys Black youth.

"He had the genes, he had the ability, could we have provided the society that would have made him blossom," the Rev. Herbert Daughtry said during a recent Sunday sermon at The House of the Lord Pentecostal Church in Brooklyn, NY.

"Who will weep for Tupac Shakur?" asked Rev. Daughtry who is pastor of the church. "I will weep for Tupac," he replied.

Though he left Brooklyn in his teens, Shakur still is listed as a member of the congregation he joined when he was 15, with his mother and sister.

Shakur, 25, who had served prison time for assault, weapons violations and sex abuse, was shot four times in the chest on Sept. 7 in Las Vegas as he rode in a car driven by Marion "Suge" Knight, 31, the chairman of the rapper's record label, Death Row Records. The two were traveling down the casino strip after the recent Mike Tyson-Bruce Seldon boxing match (JET, Sept. 23).

He died at the University Medical Center in Las Vegas of respiratory failure and cardiopulmonary arrest on Friday, September 13.

Knight suffered minor injuries in the shooting.

The Rev. Daughtry, who was Shakur's spiritual counselor for the past decade, described the rapper as "a young man who lived a violent life."

Violence will flourish, the minister warned, as long as Black communities must struggle against high unemployment, poor housing and drugs.

Charles Barron, a former member of the Black Panthers and now Daughtry's assistant, described Shakur as a "very sensitive and a very shy young man."

"I knew Tupac as a 10-year-old, and he wrote some poetry to me then. He was very sincere, very secure," Barron said.

Rev. Jesse Jackson, who visited Shakur in the hospital, told the Los Angeles Times, "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."

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who counseled the rap star while in prison, said: "I found him a very warm, sensitive and intelligent person, very unlike the public image. 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."

A month ago, Shakur and Knight both attended an event in Los Angeles to protest the California Civil Rights Initiative, which targets affirmative action. The young rapper said if his fans would vote as often as they purchase albums, they could change politics (Jet, Sept. 2).

"My record sales, we've got 6 million, Snoop's got 4 million... If we could represent that many votes, we've got to let these politicians be scared of us," the rapper said.

He was born Tupac Amaru Shakur in the Bronx, NY, on June 16, 1971. Shakur is Arabic for "thankful to God."

His mother, Afeni Shakur, was a member of the Black Panther Party. The rap star said during interviews with the press that he never knew his biological father.

He made his acting debut at age 13 in A Raisin in the Sun at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, NY. The production was a benefit for Rev. Jesse Jackson's 1984 presidential bid.

Shakur, who sported several tattoos including one across his chest and belly that read, "Thug Life," began his career as a rapper with the group Digital Underground.

In 1991, he left the group for a solo career. His first album, 2 Pacalypse Now, featured the song Brenda's Got A Baby, based upon a true story which made headlines in New York.

His second album, Strictly 4 May N.I.G.G.A.Z., produced smash tunes such as Holler If Ya Hear Me, I Get Around and Keep Ya Head Up.

The rapper's third album, Me Against The World, released in 1995, included the hit singles So Many Tears and the loving tribute to his mother, Dear Mama, which won him a Grammy nomination. Ironically, the album also featured two songs with death-related themes, If I Die 2Nite and Death Around The Corner.

Shakur, who used the name 2Pac as a recording artist, left Interscope Records to join Knight's Los Angeles-based Death Row Records in 1995.

His first album on Death Row Records, All Eyez On Me, has sold 5 million copies and is continuing to skyrocket in sales. The first single from the top-selling album, California Love, featured former Death Row labelmate Dr. Dre.

The rapper's latest tune, How Do U Want It, which features the vocals of K-Ci and Jojo of the popular group Jodeci, is riding high on the charts.

The late entertainer not only enjoyed a successful career as a rapper, but he also won notice as an actor.

In 1992, Shakur gave a powerful portrayal of a tough hood named Bishop in the movie Juice. In 1993, he starred opposite Janet Jackson in the hit movie Poetic Justice. He portrayed the free-spirited postman named Lucky in the film. He also had a supporting role in the 1994 film, Above the Rim.

Prior to his death, he completed acting roles in the upcoming films Gridlock and Gang Related. He also recently co-directed a video for the single 2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted, which features him and fellow Death Row Records labelmate Snoop Doggy Dogg.