Happy Birthday 2Pac!

Today is the birthdate of famed hip hop legend, Tupac Shakur. Some of you believe he's out celebrating while others have accepted the fact that he's gone on to glory. While it's great to celebrate the life and music of a man who provided so much (I mean damn, the guy is still putting out albums). What lies in the shadows of all the bright lights and celebrities is the way in which he died.

While there's not a lot known about who killed 2Pac. The fact that 2Pac was killed by gunfire at age 25. We all know 2Pac as a star from music to movies but in this category, he's just a statistic.

Deaths amongst young Black males by gun violence 2002 to 2007 had risen 57%. The collateral damage of this is more families left to grieve, in some cases - more children growing up without fathers, and sadly more other young Black men in a gang lifestyle seeking retribution against other young Black men. (Source)

All of a sudden "Hit Em Up" doesnt sound so good.

Life is like a jungle out there for the young men and women who live in areas plagued by gang violence. In an effort to stay safe while on the streets, one has to adopt the code set forth by the criminals in the hopes that they'll go unnoticed. Sadly enough, in these areas the laws set forth by the Land often fall secondary to survival.

One would think that a character like 2Pac would be above this. During his lifetime, he gave stellar performances in movies, recorded a countless number of albums with hits from "Dear Mama," to "Keep Your Head Up," to "Hail Mary." But the underlying statistic that most statisticians miss is that money doesnt change a thing. There is absolutely no correlation between the annual income and the daily decisions a person makes. More prevalent to today's society, we've seen that in NFL Cornerback Adam 'Pacman' Jones.

The irony in all of this is that as Black males, and Black people as a whole; we're taught to reach back. We're taught to go back to the neighborhoods and povertous areas we've come from and give and try to cultivate the same motivation we had when we left. What nobody tells you is that the evils you faced, and sometimes participated in, are still there for you when you get back. Because the same friends are there, sometimes so are the same beefs, the same girls, and the same drama that you thought you left. While the ills are prevalent, there's also an odd comfort that home still feels like home, no matter how crazy things are. So when one gets rich and gets out with his homies sometimes bad things happen. Sometimes one gets rich and takes the behavior of his old neighborhood to the worlds stage for all to see in hopes that those he grew up with will say he's 'Keeping it Real'.

Mr. Shakur kept it real. While he was known for his ability to go deep into dark characters such as Bishop from Juice and poignantly remind us to thank our mama for raising us, remind us that Brenda had a baby, but Brenda barely had a brain, and to Keep our heads up. He was also known on his strong stance on sociopolitical issues. However, also within was a man who's behavior on September 13, 1996 may or may not have played a role in his death.

So where's the common ground? More importantly, how do we turn our neighborhoods into areas where we cultivate kings and queens for success and growth into old age vs. not expecting to see 25? How do we break the cycle of violence that took the life of Tupac Shakur, Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace, and my friend Alonza "Pee-Wee" Slayden?

The Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation is preparing a star studded gala in Stone Mountain, GA in which the proceeds will benefit the Tupac Amaru Center for the Arts. While record labels, iTunes, bootleggers, and CD stores help us keep his memory alive. Let us not forget how he died; too soon.