The incredible career rise and tragic murder of Tupac Shakur, who died 21 years ago

Get the Full StoryAP Columbia PicturesRapper Tupac Shakur died 21 years ago, after succumbing to injuries from a shooting that took place on a Las Vegas street nearly a week before. He was only 25 years old. He would have been 46 today.

Shakur's controversial and influential career lasted just five years, but the world of rap music and the music industry at large still feels his impact two decades after his untimely death.

From his first appearance with the rap group Digital Underground to starring roles in Hollywood movies and his final, blockbuster studio album, "All Eyez on Me," Tupac shook up the culture and gained a massive following.

Here are the biggest moments of Tupac Shakur's career leading up to his death: After studying poetry, theater, and music in high school, Shakur got his first break when he became a roadie and backup dancer for the rap group Digital Underground in 1990. His first music credit came on a soundtrack single for the 1991 Chevy Chase-led film "Nothing But Trouble," which he also appeared in.

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Source: CBS News

In November 1991, Shakur released his debut solo album, "2Pacalypse Now," on Interscope Records. The album was certified gold for sales of 500,000 or more copies minuscule compared to the success of his later records but his social commentary on songs like "Brenda's Got a Baby" established him as an important voice in rap.

Interscope

Source: RIAA

Shakur had his first starring role in the 1992 New York City crime thriller "Juice," acting alongside Omar Epps, Samuel L. Jackson, and Queen Latifah.

Paramount Pictures

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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