Tupac, guilty of se*ual abuse, survived being shot 5 times, before fueling the worst rap rivalry of the 90's

Tupac is one name in the music industry that remains highly influential, but his career was also filled with controversy. He began his music career reportedly in the 1980s, first performing as MC New York before joining Digital Underground. He was later known by his stage names, Makaveli and 2Pac.

In a short span of time, he was found guilty of se*ual abuse, survived being shot five times in New York, and then helped escalate the East Coast-West Coast rivalry that continued to affect the music industry. 2Pac died in September 1996, at the age of twenty-five, from his gunshot wounds.

For the longest time, Tupac's murderer has been debated. But now, nearly three decades later, Duane "Keefe D" Davis was found guilty of orchestrating the rapper's murder.

Let's have a look at important events and controversies that followed the rapper throughout his revolutionary career.

Tupac and the controversies that followed his career

The se*ual abuse conviction

In November 1993, Tupac was reportedly accused by a nineteen-year-old woman of forced se*ual activity and unlawful confinement at the Parker Meridien Hotel in Manhattan, as reported by the LA Times. Shakur was facing many other legal issues that year, including assault charges and a battery case involving a woman who asked for his autograph, as per Atlanta police. Additionally, Shakur's album faced criticism over claims that its lyrics encouraged the killing of a Texas police officer. A civil suit was filed, but the musician was not found legally responsible.

In 1995, the New York Times reported that the rapper was sentenced to one and a half to four and a half years in prison over the se*ual abuse case involving his fan. The outlet also reported that Tupac said he had survived being shot five times and continued to put his faith in God, believing that everything happened for a reason.

2Pac and Charles Fuller were found guilty of first-degree se*ual abuse but were not found guilty of the sodomy and weapons charges. Later, the former CEO of Death Row Records, Suge Knight, posted his bail.

The rapper survived five gunshots at Quad Studios

On November 30, 1994, the rapper suffered five gunshot wounds during a robbery at Quad Studios in NYC. According to Fox5 NY, one of the bullets passed very close to his head. This was also just a day before his verdict was given and nearly two years before his death, which had a big impact on the hip-hop world.

According to Spice 1, Tupac said that the attacker fired again during their struggle, after he grabbed the gun, with one bullet hitting 2Pac in the groin and causing him to fall to the ground.

After the incident, the friendship between the two biggest rappers, 2Pac and Biggie, also started to fall apart as 2Pac blamed him and his record label, Bad Boy, and Diddy for the attack, since both were in the same building where the robbery and attack took place. However, they claimed that they were not involved.

Speaking to KYLD radio, The Notorious B.I.G. said that it was 'false' and wondered why he would do that.. He also added that the two had their differences, but they never intended to take things that far.

The rivalry between East Coast and West Coast rap

In his very early years, 2Pac faced many big controversies involving prison sentences and the shooting, but the controversies didn't stop there, as this also ignited one of the most infamous rivalries in the 90s: East Coast vs. West Coast rap.

In 1995, the rapper joined Death Row Records under Suge Knight, the former record executive who helped him with bail. And eventually, the East Coast and West Coast rappers released diss tracks and engaged in public disputes. On the West Coast, Tupac and Death Row Records became famous names, while The Notorious B.I.G. and Bad Boy Records were closely associated with the East Coast.

Biggie released a diss track titled Who Shot Ya?, which was interpreted as a response to the shooting involving 2Pac. A year after he joined Death Row Records, 2Pac also released a diss track titled 'Hit ’Em Up,' which was a diss track for Biggie and Bad Boy Records.

While it started as personal accusations, it soon grew into a rivalry involving diss tracks, media coverage, and tensions between the two records labels. 2Pac died after being shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996.

For a detailed look at what happened, read our full article here: Tupac Shakur murder: Photographer who captured rapper's final moments recalls Las Vegas Boulevard incident

Biggie died about six months after Tupac's death. He was twenty-four years old at the time of his death. The rivalry slowly came to an end after Louis Farrakhan helped bring both sides together for a peace meeting in 1997.

These events became a big part of Tupac's life and made him one of hip-hop's most talked-about stars.