'I'LL SPARK THE BRAIN THAT CHANGES THE WORLD!'

In this famous clip from a 1994 MTV News interview, hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur (1971-96), one of the most influential artists of the genre, explained to TV producer and writer Abbie Kearse why he continued to advocate for Black people and against the establishment, despite having 'made it out' of poverty himself.

Until his tragic murder in 1996, Tupac remained committed to amplifying the struggles of marginalised and disenfranchised Black people in the United States. The messages in his raps appealed to audiences globally. However, they also attracted the attention of those who viewed him as a threat to their establishment. Rather than choosing to play it safe and polite, his artistry relayed the realities of US society.

Three decades later, questions of racism, police brutality, and street violence, among many more issues that he wrote songs about, remain pervasive, disproportionately affecting Black people in the US.

In this interview, Tupac emphasised that his refusal to conform parallels his aspirations to see a better world. Therefore, even if he doesn't change the world, he will not be so selfish as to not plant seeds for the ones who will.

Video credit: @MTVnews (X)

Sources

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/29/arts/music/tupac-shakur-death-legacy.html

https://vocal.media/history/tupac-shakur-the-legacy-of-a-revolutionary-artist

https://variety.com/2023/music/focus/tupac-music-hollywood-walk-of-fame-1235636404/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ogdenpayne/2016/09/13/20-years-later-tupac-shakurs-legacy-by-the-numbers/

https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/

https://naacp.org/resources/criminal-justice-fact-sheet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHOrL-qcwRU