Important Figures

2Pac

One of the top-selling artists of all time, rapper and actor Tupac Shakur embodied the 1990s gangsta-rap aesthetic and, in death, has become an icon symbolizing noble struggle. Tupac began his music career as a rebel with a cause to articulate the still-relevant travails and injustices endured by many Black Americans. The boundaries between his art and life became increasingly blurred, as Shakur faced legal problems and jail time. On his fourth album, All Eyez On Me, Tupac leaned fully into celebrating the thug lifestyle. It was the last album Tupac would live to see released. On September 7, 1996, the 25-year-old was gunned down in Las Vegas and died six days later. Police continue to investigate his murder.

Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, who performs as Kendrick Lamar, was born in Compton, California, on June 17, 1987. After writing stories as a child, he put to music some lyrics about the rough Compton streets he grew up on. He rapped under the name K-Dot, releasing a series of increasingly popular mix tapes, which brought him to the attention of hip-hop super-producer Dr. Dre. Lamar’s debut major-label recording, good kid, m.A.A.d City, was released to great acclaim and impressive sales for an up-and-coming recording artist. He continued to receive accolades for his 2015 album, To Pimp a Butterfly, and his 2017 follow-up, DAMN.; both won Grammys for Best Rap Album, while DAMN. also made history as the first of its genre to earn a Pulitzer Prize.

Playboi Carti

Best known for his playful melodies, Playboi Carti charted a slow but steady track to popularity in the rap scene. He was born Jordan Carter on Sept. 13, 1996, in Atlanta and grew up in what became his hometown of Riverdale, Ga. In high school, he balanced his time between making music, attending classes and being a retail worker. In 2012 he took the name Playboi Carti and began releasing music through the label Awful Records. He took part in multiple collaborations as he hopped from New York to Texas to Los Angeles, working alongside rappers Da$h, A$AP Mob and Maxo Kream. He became known for his fun, melodic intonation that emphasized emotion and atmosphere over lyrical meaning. He left Georgia to carve out his path in the music industry. With every release, Playboi Carti seems to adapt to an entirely new type of sound, cementing himself as one of the biggest influences and pioneers of the modern-day rap scene.