All Articles Tagged "tupac album sales"
Tupac Shakur: Celebrating His Career and Commemorating the 15th Anniversary of His Death
Yesterday marked the 15th anniversary of the death of Tupac Shakur. The legendary rapper and actor touched millions of fans with his tough-yet-heartfelt lyrics on beloved albums such as “2Pacalypse Now” and “All Eyez on Me.” Having sold over 75 million albums worldwide, Shakur remains one of the best-selling recording artists ever. To celebrate this luminary’s legacy, the Atlanta University Library has just announced the opening of the Tupac Shakur Collection to the public. According to HollywoodReporter.com: “Including song lyrics, poems, track lists and video treatments, the collection comprises of approximately 11 linear feet, with 30 boxes of materials. It is one of the few publicly available research collections of an individual hip hop artist. Spanning from 1969 to 2008, a few of the most noteworthy items featured include a handwritten video treatment for ‘Dear Mama,’ a notebook of songs eventually recorded for ’2Pacalypse Now,’ and a handwritten draft of ‘The Rose That Grew from Concrete.’” What a marvelous way to celebrate the memory of this hip-hop giant. Join us in further commemorating the 15th anniversary of Tupac Shakur’s death by reminiscing on the ten of the most stellar moments of his brief career.
1991: The release of “2Pacalypse Now”
“Who knew that back in 1991 after he made his musical debut with 2Pacalypse Now that the saggy jean-wearing, wide-eyed MC who rapped about the fictional teenaged Brenda and her baby would grow to be one of the most revered figures in modern American history?,” writes Rob Markman of MTV.com. This album launched 2Pac’s brief five-year career and inspired future greats in the game like Eminem and 50 Cent.
The Business of Dead Rappers
By Eric L. Hinton
For the rare few that get to experience it…fame is fleeting. A hit single, or random guest spot on the reality TV show of the moment gives a few fame mongers their 10 minutes before they slip back into mediocrity. Some, like Amy Winehouse, wither and self-destruct tragically under the white hot supernova of celebrity, while an elite group of others ride the ups and downs of fame most of their adult lives…think Tom Cruise or music phenoms like Madonna.
Then there are the very very select few for whom fame extends… even grows… into their deaths. In life they were celebrities, but in death Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Jimmy Hendrix, Elvis… more recently Michael Jackson, they’ve become iconic.
Included on that eclectic list are Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace, aka Biggie Smalls. The two men, former friends turned bitter rivals murdered at their creative peaks within 6 months of each other, are now linked in death in the minds of millions of fans much as they were in life.
Jeffrey Ogbar, professor of history and Associate Dean of the Humanities at the University of Connecticut, has researched the impact both men had during their lives and the sway that they both continue to have in death. “If they had been marginal figures at the time of their deaths this wouldn’t have happened,” said Ogbar, author of Hip-Hop Revolution: The Culture and Politics of Rap. “But because they were the two biggest figures in the industry at the time, it made them attractive figures for canonization as hip hop icons.”
Remebering Tupac: His Musical Legacy and His Top Selling Albums
It’s been 14 years since Tupac was murdered in Las Vegas. He was only 25 when he died. But, along with former nemesis Biggie Smalls, his legacy in music continues to remain strong. He established himself at a young age and even though he promoted varying identities and personas during his music career, fans still associate him with a very focused brand of brash passion. In honor of Tupac’s legacy and his continuously successful discography, we compiled a list of his best selling albums thanks to data from the media firm Nielsen SoundScan.
10. Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z
Units Sold: 1,366,000
Released: February 16, 1993
9. Resurrection
Units Sold: 1,660,000
Released November 11, 2003
8. Better Dayz
Units Sold: 1,758,000,
Released November 26, 2002
7. Still I Rise
Units Sold:1,686,000
Released December 14, 1999
6. R U Still Down? (Remember Me?)
Units Sold: 2,160,000
Released November 18, 2007
5.Until The End Of Time
Units Sold: 2,204,000
Released March 27, 2001
4. Me Against The World
Units Sold: 2,439,000
Released March 14, 1995
3. The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
Units Sold: 3,492,000
Released October 29, 1996
2. All Eyez On Me
Units Sold: 4,473,000
Released February 6, 1996
1. Greatest Hits
United Sold:4,810,000
Released November 24, 1998
