Thug Life Army

2politics: 2Pac for Prez 2008

The crowd sat on the edge of their seats as candidate Tupac Shakur rose to the podium to lay out his agenda for his 2008 run for president of the United States. He started rappin'' about how he was gonna feed the ''hood and reassured the "Brendas''" of the world that "2Pac cares if don''t nobody else care." After the crowd settled down after being worked into an emotional frenzy, Pac grabbed the mic and triumphantly yelled "On to Nevada." Two weeks later he would lie mortally wounded in the back of a bullet riddled limo.......

On January 15th, a new compilation CD will be released "In the Shadow of an Icon" which pays tribute to the legacy of the late Hip Hop artist, Tupac Shakur. Although the CD, released by Thug Life Army Records, does not contain any of Shakur's material it is an interesting blend of songs that could be consider biographical as it contains work by those inspired by 2Pac. The two disc set contains songs by new artists that represent the sometimes contradictory nature of the man who was heralded by some as a thug and others a revolutionary, simultaneously.

While some may consider comparing Shakur with heroes such as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X as sacrilege, a juxtaposition of the politics of Pac with US presidents such as Bill Clinton may not be that far-fetched. What would be the main source of contention against this comparison, Pac inhaled while Clinton didn''t or while Pac's sexual activities were done on the dance floor "Slick Willie's were done in the Oval Office. Also, was the tendency for Pac to solve his problems with a gat instead of diplomacy really any different from resident White House warmongers?

While some may bring up the morality issue, as it was often parroted when Bill Clinton got his hand caught in the cookie jar, we are talking politics not the priesthood.

The life and early death of Tupac Shakur over a decade ago has lead to much speculation. Would THUG LIFE, given a political platform, have been able to make fundamental changes in the way that oppressed and exploited people are treated in America. How about the relationship between the US and so called "Third World" nations fighting for independence and economic stability? The possibility is there.

Maybe the "In the Shadow of an Icon" CD will help us, at least imagine if only for a moment, the possibilities of not only Tupac Shakur, but the legions of young men and women who would follow his lead, if they politicized their lyrics and connected them with the struggling masses..

Although we will never really know what what would have been the legacy of Pac, the politician, what is highly probable is that if Tupac really challenged the powers that be on the national political stage and concentrated all of his energy, charisma and talent to confronting the real "gangsta's'' that rule the world causing a redistribution of social and economic power, his end would have probably been the same: Shot dead on a city street, courtesy of an assassin's bullet.

Paul Scott courtesy of www.nowarningshotsfired.com