People think Tupac was a human rights activist because he was. His library of music is about equality for people of all colors, and he humanized those communities that are raised in a culture of violence and poverty while Biggy (agreed, greatest lyricist of all time) was rapping about rims and hoes with Puffy dancing in the background.
I understand that a casual hip hop fan might not understand how someone who lived and died in a world of violence and gang affiliations might seem an odd fit for "Dr. King of Hip Hop," but in fact Thug Life was a complicated ideology Pac popularized about the cycle of violence and poverty that he himself embodied, struggled with, and connected to all people who have been forced to desperate measures in order to survive in hard times.
I know almost all songs by both Biggy & Pac by heart, and so do most of their fans. Biggy is in my pantheon off greatest ever hip hop artists, no diss to him, but all that tongue twisting was empty noise in comparison to the depth and humility that Pac brought to his music. Pac presented himself as vulnerable, fallible and 3 dimensional. If you like word play, Biggy was the man. But Pac had something better: meaningful, honest content. That, and not the fact that I'm a whiteboy (see my previous discussion on this thread), is why I have his name tattooed on my arm and will play him at my funeral.
couldnt have said it better..thats how i see it completely
A Reggie guy AND a Pac guy? 2 TPs, I would def buy you a beer anytime 
oh mos def...tp back at ya....
heres my stance.....people cant separate Pac's lyrical efforts to send a message from his issues with the law. However, an artist musical gifts to the world should not be tainted by any indiscretions they may have had with the law. The messages Pac sent cross racial boundaries and were far deeped than most of his peers.
To me, it seems like a lot of the modern great rappers (meaningful lryics wise) aka Talib, Common, Kanye are simply following in Pac's footsteps but are much wiser and maybe better "citizens" to avoid Johnny Law.
Without tryin to bring the hate, heres something i wonder about, i own every mos def album, i like him enough but i dont see why his music is held in such regard. I simply cant pop in one of his albums and just enjoy like i can w/Talib, Kanye, Pac, or Common. I know thats an unpopular view, but i will say i do enjoy his acting very much..,Something The Lord Made, wow, he deserved an Emmy for that
edit: my original "mos def" to start the post had nothing to do with my later question about Mos Def...coincidence, more of an homage to D'Angelo from the wire
