Intercultural Communications

Tupac Shakur was the most significant rap-singer of the 20th century; his music has influenced the next generations and inspired many people to fight for their rights and changes. His full name isTupac Amaru Shakur (Leseyn Perish Kruks) (1971 - 1996) and he was a rap performer and the actor. Tupac was born in New York on June 16, 1971. In the childhood he often moved together with his family and when, at last, located in one city, began attend the school of arts of Baltimore. In the biography, Tupac when reached 17-year age, left his home and school. After he successfully passed the listening in 1990he  started to collaborate with Digital Underground group. The first album in his biography  left in 1991 under the name "2pacalypse Now". Following album ("Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. ") it left in 1992 when the singer moved to Los Angeles.

The further stage of Tupac’s life was filled with criminal actions. Several times he got to prison and in 1993 was accused in rape. A day before court session according to this case, the singer decides to write down a track. However, in recording studio three strangers make a robbery, and then open the fire. Tupac was wounded five times, but next day appeared in court in a wheelchair. On February 7, 1995 2pac was convicted by the court, which concluded that he was to spend  a period of up to 4.5 years in prison. Whiles in prison, the singer did not waste in vain time, he created an album "Me Against the World", read much and even married. After he left prison walls in October, 1995, he began again to write the songs. The following album in Tupac's biography was released in February 1996 – "All Eyez On Me". There was an album "The Don Killuminati later: The 7 Day Theory". In September, 1996 Tupac was shot when he went to night club.

"Changes" — Tupac Shakur's the posthumous song that was published as a single on October 13, 1998 in the collection of the best compositions of Greatest Hits. The original version was written by Tupac in 1992, but officially was not published anywhere. Only after Tupac's death, the composition was remade — in it there is a new chorus, which was earlier entering into a track of "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto", was added. In 1999, the music video consisting of cuttings of rare photos, and Tupac's performances was let out. The director of the clip — Chris Hafner; same year he removed a music video on "Dead Wrong" composition performed by The Notorious B.I.G. "Changes" in 2000 was nominated for "Grammy" as "The best solo a rap execution"; at that time it was the only nominated posthumous composition. The song “Changes” can be referred as an anthem for the life of Afro-American society of his time. This song touches not only problems of ‘ghetto’ but also the conflicts between classes and races in America, as well as conflicts inside the music industry. The song was written before Tupac’s death but published after his death. The media and Tupac had a battle during all his life. The journalists evaluated his music as ‘violence message’ or ‘pornographic smut’, in addition, feminists claimed that his music insulted the women. Till 1979 the rap was an informal movement, which was out of interests of musical media corporations and sound recording labels. In five years, in 1984, there was a new commercial style that is gold chains, cool four wheels and it proceeded prior to the beginning of the 90th when musicians of Los Angeles refused to follow the samples of East coast. While east rappers perfected speech skill, western addressed to experiments with music. As a result there was a special style of the Western coast in which is important both music, and the text. To the middle of the 90th, the center of rap movement moved to California. There was a division a culture rap on two wings: "east" and "western" coasts better known as west coast and east coast. Growth of influence of show business on rap culture led to growth of admirers’ turnip, and as rap formation by part of the world mass culture. The rap became part of pop culture. However, the changes a pop-music did not become during the nineties; there was "gangsta-rap" The gansta rappers were not anything that would point to belonging to "commercial" hip-hop. They were dressed in baggy trousers, hoodies, silver-black colors of local football fans. With use of the slang, any sentimentality and a maximum of naturalism and certainly brutal words, Gangsta-rap became very popular in certain circles. And everything proceeded before death Tupac Shakur in 1997. After that and still the subject of a rap was softened, now it proclaims a beautiful way of life, wealth and beautiful life.

In the 20th century, American society and the music industry were observed the influence of the new genre, which was different from the tradition. The emergence of such genres as hip-hop and rap changed the music industry and started the new era in music history. The beginning of the 70’s in America is defined as a time of economic development, social changes, and flourish of the American nation. There was one side of American society in that time, but also there was another, ‘dark side’. From the past century and until the 20th century, an African-American nation still lived in terrible conditions in ‘ghettos’ and fetl the pressure of racism. In the Afro-American community there was an increase of crime and poverty, and people always lived under pressure and danger, so this harmful experience flowed in the next “Harlem Renaissance,” where people expressed their suffering in their art and music. Hip-hop and rap music was the genre of art and music, and it is possible to draw a parallel with hip-hop music and impressionism. In the 19th century there appeared a new movement, well-known as ‘impressionism’. But the society coldly received its representatives and mocked them, moreover, impressionism even did not refer to art as well. Only next generations appreciated the talents of impressionist artists. Hip-hop culture was not appreciated for a long time some people thought that the way rap-singers sing could not be referred to singing, because they just read the lyrics. In addition, the lyrics included ‘vulgar’ words and touched such topics as violence, drugs addiction, hard living in ghettos, racism and etc. Those who think that his lyrics and songs contribute violence, should ask themselves, hoe the individual with his life experience can describe such issues as poverty, or racism with soft way. Hip-hop and rap music reflects the difficulties of life, and its brutal language is just a mirror of life of Afro-American society. 

In “Changes”, Tupac encouraged Afro-Americans to fight for their rights and make the changes, as Tupac sang in this song “We gotta make a change..” In this song, he speaks with all the American society, as well as with Afro-Americans, with the government, and with his colleagues. He names Afro-Americans as his brothers and claims to gather and to not fight with each but  to win the pressure against their society. Tupac encouraged them to change the way they live, to fight against the pressure, to know their rights. This song was the conclusion of his life and had a very important massage for all society. The music video of this song was made of his rare photos, where Tupac had a positive image, and did not include his ‘gangsta’ style. It was real Tupac, the honest boy who weas willing to make changes in the world. He was born in terrible conditions, and his life was very hard, but he found the way to escape from it through his creation, and his creation included a very vital message for the society. 

In conclusion, in the 20th century, American society and the music industry observed the influence of the new genre, which was differed from the traditional. The emergence of such genres as hip-hop and rap changed the music industry and started the new era in music history. Tupac was born in New York on June 16, 1971. Till 1979 the rap was informal movement which was out of interests of musical media corporations and sound recording labels. In five years, in 1984, there was a new commercial style called gold chains, cool four wheels and it proceeded prior to the beginning of the 90th when musicians of Los Angeles refused following to samples of East coast. While east rappers perfected speech skill, western addressed to experiments with music. "Changes" — Tupac Shakur's the posthumous song that was published as a single on October 13, 1998 in the collection of the best compositions of Greatest Hits. The original version was written by Tupac in 1992, but officially was not published anywhere. In 1999 the music video consisting of cuttings of rare photos, and Tupac's performances was let out. Tupac encouraged Afro-Americans to change the way they live, to fight against the pressure, to know their rights. This song was the conclusion of his life and had a very important massage for all society.