What was Tupac’s Net Worth?
Tupac, also known as 2Pac, was an American rapper and actor who passed away in 1996. He had a net worth of $200 thousand at the time of his death. He rose to fame in the early 90s as a pioneering figure on the West Coast hip hop scene. Tupac is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers in history, and he sold over 75 million records worldwide. Sadly, he died on September 13, 1996, after being shot in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas.
Tupac’s Financial Woes
Despite selling $60 million worth of albums in 1996 alone, Tupac had very little to show for his enormous success at the time of his death. He owned no real estate, had no retirement accounts, no stocks, and did not even own the Woodland Hills mansion he lived in at the end of his life. His primary assets were a five-figure life insurance policy, two cars, and a single checking account containing $105,000. Court fees and taxes consumed all of those assets in short order, leaving his estate with very little. The only asset of value that his mother received from his estate was a Mercedes Benz SL 500.
Tupac’s Estate and Financial Disputes
When Tupac died without a will, his mother Afeni took control of his estate. However, he was $4.9 million in debt to his record company Death Row. Afeni sued Death Row for withholding royalties and failing to deliver advances promised under his contract, but the company denied the claims, citing Tupac’s lavish spending habits.
Death Row produced records showing that they had loaned Tupac millions of dollars to fund his lifestyle, including buying cars, renting homes for himself and family members, paying for a $300,000 hotel tab, and supporting his mother with a $16,000 monthly payment. They also fronted $2 million to cover album and video costs related to “Makaveli: The Don Killuminati”.
When Afeni threatened to forbid the release of the album until financial questions were answered, Death Row’s distributor Interscope Records paid his estate $3 million and forgave half of the $4.9 million debt. They also agreed to pay his estate $2 million in one year and increase his royalty rate from 12% to 18%.
Despite the financial disputes, Tupac’s estate earned tens of millions through posthumous album releases, merchandise sales, and licensing deals over the following decades.
Tupac Shakur’s Early Life
Tupac Shakur was born in New York City on June 16, 1971 to Black Panther Party members Afeni and Billy. He grew up with a number of family members who were involved with the Black Panthers and many were convicted of crimes and imprisoned. Shakur attended multiple schools, including the Baltimore School for the Arts where he studied acting, jazz, ballet, and poetry. He later moved to Marin City, California and attended Tamalpais High School. Despite not graduating, he earned a GED.
Shakur’s Early Career
In 1989, Shakur began recording as MC New York and later worked with manager Leila Steinberg. He landed a role with Digital Underground and made his debut as 2Pac on the 1991 single “Same Song.”
Tupac’s Music Career
Tupac Shakur released his debut solo studio album, “2Pacalypse Now,” in late 1991. The album featured singles such as “Brenda’s Got a Baby,” “If My Homie Calls,” and “Trapped.” His second album, “Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z…,” came out in early 1993 and included hit singles “Keep Ya Head Up” and “I Get Around.” Shakur’s third album, “Me Against the World,” was released in early 1995 while he was incarcerated, and is considered his masterpiece with hit singles such as “Dear Mama,” “So Many Tears,” and “Temptations.” The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Shakur’s fourth studio album, “All Eyez on Me,” was released in 1996, also reaching number one on the Billboard 200 and featuring hit singles “How Do U Want It” and “California Love.” Shakur’s music career continued posthumously, with several albums released after his death, including “The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory,” “Still I Rise,” and “Pac’s Life.”
Shakur’s Hip Hop Group Thug Life
Aside from his solo career, Tupac Shakur formed a hip hop group called Thug Life in late 1993. The group consisted of Big Syke, Macadoshis, the Rated R, and Shakur’s stepbrother Mopreme. Thug Life released one album in 1994 titled “Thug Life: Volume 1.”
Tupac’s Film Career
Tupac Shakur starred in several films throughout his career. He made his debut as a lead actor in the 1992 crime thriller “Juice.” The following year, he appeared alongside Janet Jackson in the romantic drama “Poetic Justice.” He also starred in the sports drama “Above the Rim” in 1994. After his death, three of his films were released posthumously – “Bullet,” “Gridlock’d,” and “Gang Related” – from 1996 to 1997.
Tupac Shakur’s Legal Troubles
Shakur had numerous altercations with the law, including charges of sexual assault and violence. In 1993, he and two others were accused of raping a woman in New York and illegally possessing a firearm. While he was acquitted of some charges, he was found guilty of first-degree sexual abuse and sentenced to prison.
Later that year, Shakur was arrested in Atlanta for shooting two off-duty police officers, which some claimed was in self-defense. The following year, he served jail time for assaulting a director of the film “Menace II Society,” in which he was supposed to star. He also faced legal troubles in 1994 for misdemeanor assault and in 1996 for concealing a firearm and violating his release terms.
Shakur’s High-Profile Friends and Short-Lived Marriage
Tupac Shakur had several well-known friends who supported him through his legal issues, including Jada Pinkett, Mickey Rourke, Madonna, and Jasmine Guy.
While serving time in prison in 1995, Shakur wed Keisha Morris. However, their marriage was annulled just ten months later.
Shakur’s Murders and Suspected Culprits
Shakur was shot for the first time in 1994 during a robbery at Quad Studios in Times Square. He suspected that the shooting was a setup, alleging involvement from music manager James Rosemond and rival rappers Sean Combs and the Notorious B.I.G.
In 1996, while riding in a convoy in Las Vegas, Shakur was shot four times at a stop light and died six days later. The culprit remains unknown, with allegations ranging from Crips gang member Orlando Anderson to the Notorious B.I.G., who was also murdered in a drive-by shooting in 1997.
Tupac Shakur’s Legacy
Tupac Shakur is considered one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time. He was inducted into the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
Shakur’s life and legacy have been the subject of several films, including the Academy Award-nominated documentary “Tupac: Resurrection” and the biopic “All Eyez on Me,” which starred Demetrius Shipp Jr. as Shakur.
You May Also Like
ncG1vNJzZmiopaG9ta3SraCcZpOkunDA1KmYnGWemsFuw86rq6Fn