Tupac Shakur, also known as 2Pac, Pac, and Makaveli, was best known as an American rapper. In addition to rapping, he was also a successful film actor, social activist, and poet. He was born in 1971 in New York City to Black Panther activists. His song lyrics and poems portrayed a life of growing up amid violence, hardships in the ghetto, racism, problems in society, and conflicts with other rappers. His work advocated for political, economic, social, and racial equality, as well as violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and conflicts with law enforcement. Tupac was an outstanding writer. He was able to deliver deep messages through his work. One of his most famous poems, “The Rose That Grew From Concrete,” is an excellent example of his capabilities. “The Rose That Grew From Concrete” is not really about a rose that grew from concrete, but about a man and the struggles that he went through to succeed …show more content…
“It learned to breathe fresh air” (line 6), he writes about no longer having to struggle through a life of poverty or violence. He was able to overcome the obstacles in his path by holding on tightly to his dreams and in the end, he succeeded. He felt relief. “Long live the rose that grew from concrete, when no one else cared” (line 7-8), brings praise to the man. He is giving hope for a long, prosperous, fulfilling life to the man who succeeded, overcoming the hardships, breaking through “concrete”. “When no one else cared” (line 8), describes how the lack of care from others did not prove to bring hindrance to his success. He kept pushing through the hard times even when there was no one to help him and when no one else cared. He was able to succeed alone, through determination, by keeping his dreams in