What is Thug Life?: The Cultural and Political Ideologies of Tupac Shakur

• In Event: Fundamentally Hip-Hop: The Pedagogical Function of the Lyrical Art

Abstract

This paper identifies and explores Tupac Shakur's ideologies as expressed in his art. Was Shakur a Critical Race Theorist? Was Shakur a Feminist? What were ideas concerning violence and street organizations? These questions are vital as we celebrate 50 years of Hip-Hop and the legacy of one of the art form's greatest stars. This paper is the first step in my process of writing a biography of Shakur.

Author

• David Walton, Western Carolina Univserity