Monday, October 29, 2007

 

Midterm submission

Today students submitted their essays to me in the Writing Center (L-234). Your logs and class notes on Dyson are due tomorrow. We will meet in the classroom. Late papers can be posted at the midterm site. Each day the paper is turned in late, is a day the grade drops one whole grade point. All essays need to be in no later than Wednesday 12 noon.

Students read and worked on exercises in Bedford Handbook (Grammar). Other databases are: Grammar 3-D, Skills Bank, and for reading, vocabulary and spelling--Skills Bank, Townsend Press, Reading Road Trip, and Missing Links. For typing there is Marvis Teaches Typing.

These databases are only available in the Writing Center (L-234). Bedford is Rules for Writers. The exercises have answers, and since students are not reading or doing the exercises I thought this would be good practice.

Homework
Homework is to read chapter 1 in Evolution of a Revolutionary. Don't forget to keep logs. Cyber homework is listed above. Check here for the weekly question each Thursday; it will be related to the reading. Please respond to the question and to another student's response to the question.

Comments:
Sophia Andrews
10/26/07
Ms Sabir
Initial Planning
1. What is the subject of your paper?
The subject of my paper is Tupac’s references to God in his musc was a lyrical cry for help and salvation.
2. Why do you want to write about this subject?
I would like to argue the point that Tupac used references to God in his music as a cry out for help from the only one who cared to him God.
3. What audience will you write to?
I am writing to an audience that is interested in Tupac his history, life and any others who may argue aginst my points.
4. What question do you want your research paper to answer?
Do you think that Tupac’s references to God in his music was a cry for help or salvation?
5. What is the main writing stragety that you will use? I will use describtive argument.


Sophia Andrews
10/26/07 Outline

Topic: Do you think that Tupas refernces to God in his music was a cry for help or salavtion?
1) Topic sentence: Tupac used his music as a tool to lyrically cry out to God for help from his suffering, salvation for his sins, and appriciation for the battle of making sense of it all.

A) Lets first acknowledge that when Tupac referenced to God in his songs it expressed the pain and suffering he endured, and eager about rejecting.

1) His song “so many tears” the ideas he expresses about God hindering his pain
2) His song “picture me rolling” the ideas he expresses about possibly not being forgiven.
3) His song “are you still down” the ideas he expressed about understanding that he was given from God, and gos id the only one that can help.

B) With the Thug life title that Tupac carried and wore proudly tattooed on his stomach Tupac and many others knew that his time was limited.

1) Refrences to Lelia Steinberg, and Vondie curtis Hall ( In Dyson)
2) His song “ so many tears” his ideas expressed about being forgiven from God because he knew he was leaving earth soon.
3) The evidence provides information to verify that Tupac knew he was leaving soon. Which made his point of pleading for salvation stronger.

C) Although Tupac cried and pleaded to God for help, he also acknowledged and appriciated God for every moment of it.

1) His song “Dear Mama’ the idea he expresses about gratefullness rhat the Lord made him
2) Although his life circumstances were crucial he was appriciative for it. It gained him extreme knowledge
3) Tupac kept a relationship with God through all that he did and experienced.
 
Sophia Andrews
10/26/07
Ms. Sabir

Tupac was an extremely talented challenged individual pertaining to thug life image. His disturbed childhood, and life struggles could very well be his vouch for the choices that he made as a young male adult. However he believed deeply in the existence of God. Tupac understood that to the extremes and measures that he choose to live his life God was the only shoulder her had to cry on, with the power of taking action in making a difference. Whether the action took place in or after his life it didn’t matter. Tupac used his music as a tool to lyrically cry out to God for relief from his suffering , salvation for his sins, and appriciation for the battle of making sense of it all.
Let’s first acknowledge that when Tupac referenced to God in his music it continuosly expressed the pain and sufferring that he endured, and eager to reject. In his song “ so may tears “he ask for God to hinder his pain he says, “ God can you feel me ?/ Take me away from all the pressure and all the pain” In his song “picture me rolling” Tupac questions whether or not he will be forgiven for all of his sin, “ Will God forgive me for all the dirt a nigga did to feed his kids?” these lyrics clearly state that Tupac had bottled in cries of hurt and pain that envolved the thought that only God can make things better. In his song “ Are you still down” he says, “ God come and save me/ Had to work with what you gave me “ These songs expressed tupacs realization that although he had very little, it was given from God with out a choice. Unfortunately his life circumstances pushed him to take action in commiting sin. Underneath the surface of his sins Tupac buried guilt, cries, and years of pain as he pleaded to God for salvation.
With the thug life title that Tupac carried and wore proudly tattooed on his stomach. Tupac as well as many others knew that his time was limited.
I think he absolutely knew that [his death]was coming soon says Lelia Steinberg The first to see
Tupac’s poem “ In the Event of my Demise” written when he was twenty one “ He knows he was
Never going to hit thirty” says director Vondie Curtis Hall. Such a belief is dangerously liberating. It
Allows you to live with a certain level of abandonment. It allows you to accept destiny without
Fear (225 226)
In his song “ shed so many tears “he says “ please Lord forgive me for my sins/ cause her I come” Tupac experienced his life with the understanding that his time would come sooner then later. The confidence that he carried in this idea only gave him more of a reason to plead for salvation, and shout out his hurt and pain before his flesh no longer exsisted to ask for forgiveness. However one may argue that Tupac pertaining to his thug life image only made matters worse, and despising his circumstances he could have made life better. “ many critics think that his remedy –an elevation of thug rhetoric and glorifiction of gang behavior-only increases the suffering” To counter that argument, with the place that Tupac knew he had on earth as a black male, He clearly understood that life was something that he was given. According to the empathy that Tupac had for Thug life. He felt obliged to never loose track of where he came from. Through accepting it Tupacs suffering and pain only strengthen the Value that God had in his life. Tupac used this value, and trusted it with all his heart. By crying out loud through his music for the help and relief of God.
Unfortunately the role that spirituality had in Tupacs life was not visible. Greatfully the devotion that He had for spiritual connectivity never vanished from his thoughts. This exsisited as a back bone for tupac to grow appriciation and understanding of his lifes circumstances. “ He had his own relationship to God according to Jada Pinkett Smith “I think threre was a part of Pac that knew that God had his hand son him” Although Tupac dampered severely from poverty and other Thug life negative impacts he grew gratefull for these circumstances. For they gained him knowledge and a forcing hand of becoming mature at a young age. This made Tupac acknowledged God for giving him life even if it consisted of hard times and years of pain. He recognize his Love for his diamond in the rough life style it was God that was there through it all. It was God that gave him this life. It was God that faught the battle with Pac to make sense of it all. Tupac reconciled with the fact that if he brought him this far then he has got to still be there to hear his cries and see his pain so why not shout to the only one who cares? In his song “ Dear Mama” he says “ even though I act crazy/ I gotta thank the lord that you made me” Tupac loved his life, and appriciated the lord for making his life possible.
Tupac entered a world of hard core struggle, he was challenged without any proper direction to make good choices. Constantly feeling like the victim in the streets and to the critics of society, and eternally bruised by the the ultimatum choice of thug life. Tupac relied on the power of relief from God to see him through in and after his life. So through the only tool he knew to use, musically he cried a river for diliverence. To be healed from a broken life that wasn’t going to be mended while he exsisted on earth.



Johnae wright
10/26/07
Topic: Tupac over exaggereating his mysogynistic lyrics to mask the sensitivity he had for wemon.
1) Topic sentence: Did Tupac become a rap idol based upon his lyrics actuall meaning, or what people precieved them to be?

A) Tupac had a respect for certain wemon, and showed it to those he felt deserved it threw his music.
1) His song “Dear Mama” shows the respect he had for his mother.
2) His song “Keep your head up” supports the fact that he had a love an respect that he had for strong black wemon.
3) His song “ Brendas got a baby” shows the concern and worry that he had for the young wemon who struggle with the harsh realities of life.

B) Many people question the true love and respect that tupac had for wemon do to the disrespectful lyrical content that was sometimes uesed in music towards wemon.

1) Refrences to his words in song “same ho”
2) His song “ I get around” “break down or be clowned baby doll are you down? i
3) His song” toss it up” touches on how he doesn’t have time for love just sex.

C) Did tupac disrespect wemon lyrically to receive the upmost respect from his male fans?

1) Reference to dyson “dear mama” “do we hate our wemon?
2) Tupacs interveiwe braking down how all wemon are not bitches.
3) Tupac states how he hates for men to be disrepectful to wemon.

Johna’e wright
10/26/07
Ms. Sabir

“I wonder why we rape our wemon, why we take from our wemon ,do we hate our wemon”? Would you ever think that a person that cared this much about wemon ever disrespect one ?many would argue yes to this question. His name is tupac a young talented artist with good intentions at heart , but is oftn misunderstood threw the meaning of his music and his thugish mentallety. Tupac was a very gental soul with a spilt personally, and made this very clear threw his music.
Anyone who knew tupac as well as his music knew that he had a repect for certain wemon to those he felt who deserved it . In song “dear mama” tupac shows the respect that he has for his mother stating “even as a crak fiend mama, you alwayz was a black queen mama” “ I finally undersatnd for a woman it aint easy tryin to raise a man” “my moms is my homie “ tupac says smiling ive always loved my moma. Tupac gives hands down repect to the women who gave him life. Tupacs also exspresses the love as well as the respect shown for the strong black wemon in “keep yo head up” he gives props to the ladies telling to keep faith and there is indeed somone out there who cares dishing out all the disrespect that the men has insatlled with in wemon. “ and if he tells you aint nothin don’t believe ‘em and if you cant learn to love him you should leave ‘em cuz sista you don’t need him” a piece of caring advice that tupac shares with the ladies around the world.
Many question the true love and respect that tupac had for wemon due to some verbal lyrical content. Many believe that tupac was indeed a womenizer and no type of compassion about wemon. Tupac from time to time would have songs degrading wemon but to most it was a form of entertaiment. “same ho” tupac says “want to know how I got my ass caught up with this badd bitch” clearly disrepcting wemon by using the bitch word while refering to a women in the song. People often think how could tupac”love” all wemon when all you want to do is sleep around with them? That’s not loving wemon. “break down or be clowned, baby doll are you down? I get around” tupac says in a quote from the hit “I get around “ getting straight niddy griddy telling the women basically lets have sex or lets have nothing. And im gong to make a fool of you if you don’t give me what I want. Although these songs were not the best way to come across wemon they were not made for evey women out there. This is where the undersatnding of tupac and his music would fall short. Because of this vulgar lyrical content tupac automactically became a target to the media and to female politics who wanted tupac to put a end to the verbal abuse of wemon threw his musical, and powerful choises of words that was being used to refer to wemon.
One would arugue that tupac would put on a lyricall front to boost up his image infront of his male audience. Many peole belived that tupac was a people pleaser and would put on an act not wanting eveyone to know the gental man behind the tatoos and jewerly. “The rap was costume” jada says in interview, he was really the sweetest kind hearted person you would ever know.
Though his music at tmes could be somwhat a target to wemon, tupac made it clear in a telivision interweiw that just because he calls a women a bitch or a hoe it not directed to all wemon. Simling tupac sates “ were not talking to all wemon” theres only certain wemon we call bictches and hoes. This is something you earn” “I love wemon “ says tupac and im not talking about all wemon when I say these things”. They know who they are when the hear it. And that’s the difference between the two. Tupacs intentions like many artist was just to call it how it is. Only difference was that tupac atually was able to do this, in a way that no one eles could. This is why tupac was hit with both sides of critisium some negitve some positive. Everyone couldn’t understand where he was coming from as a artist, as a person. And unfortunatly to this day some still don’t.
Thoughts of tupacs masks being placed because of his male audience in my eyes are staring to be questioned. In Dyson’s holler if you hear me” in the 6th chapter entilled”do we hate our wemon “ quotes tupac saying “ive seen guys speak to wemon with this much respect and I deplore that” tupac thought that the idea of men disrespecting wemon was a sicking habbit that men picked up on and wanted to do somtning about it. “my plan is that I keep telling girls not to let them call you these names”tupac was totally for wemon back then with no shame “im going to woo black men into repecting wemon” pac says with confidence. He determined to help girls find inner respect and had no problem with helping them with this battle against males.
In conclusion tupac being rasied by a women benifited him in a way that would progress his out look on wemon as a whole tupac was gifted soul that new how to separate a real women from a fake women. Threw music he let everyone know that there is an indeed difference between wemon and that we are mot all the same, as appear to be. He gave men a different outlook on female and put time and devotions into every word wheater it be queen or bitch.
 
Jessica Ramos
English 201A m/w 1-3

Planning Sheet
1. What is the subject of your paper?
Tupac
2. Why do you want to write about this subject?
To learn more about Tupac and his work.
3. What audience will you write for?
For an audience who is curious to know why tupac is so admired after his death
4. What question do you want your research paper to answer?
Why was he (Tupac) so admired after his death and not before the event of his demise?
5.what is the main writing strategy you will use?
Discuss why people like tupac so much after his death.


Outline:
Jessica Ramos
English 201A m/w 1-3

Question: Why is Tupac so admired after death, and not before the event of his demise?

Intro: Do you listen to hip hop? Are the artists you listen to alive? Many of those who listen to hip hop, listen to artists who are already dead.

Thesis: Tupac is very admired after his death because many people still like his work, new generations are born and they like his music so more people continue to like him. By Tupac being dead doesn’t mean that people would stop liking his work.

2nd ¶: Most of the people who listen to hip hop, they listen to Tupac. People like listening to Tupac because they like his lyrics. People like his lyrics because they can connect themselves to the song, they relate to it. P.105- Big Tray Dee says “But [his songs] wound up in my head because they would grow on me, and I would see where he was coming from. I had to get that feeling or be in that mood to really relate to what he was saying at that particular time, on that particular song.

3rd ¶: There are many people who still listen to Tupac because they think his work is very great. When Tupac wrote his songs it was like he was writing about his life and many people have gone through the same things that Tupac went through. P.37- Tupac had to “escape his mother’s addiction, her foul treatment at the hands of a violent boyfriend, and the trauma of moving from home to home.” In his song Dear Mama Tupac talks about his mom, and how she was addicted and didn’t pay much attention to him. Many people can relate to this because they either have their mom or dad who is addicted to drugs and they don’t have much connection with them.

4th ¶: Tupac is much admired after his death because up to this day his songs are still being heard at any place. People still hear his songs because they believe Tupac was a very good and important artist, he was and artist who wrote lyrics who many people relate to. When Tupac died many people were really sad, many were in grief and pain. P.202- Tupac was a person “who brought a message that [people] can identify with, related to what was real, that spoke to the reality of the circumstances, situations [and] environments they have to deal with every day.”

Conclusion: When Tupac was alive he had many admirers, but when he was killed many of those admirers got really sad because Tupac was not going to write any more songs or perform anymore. After his death Tupac gained more admirers because they wanted to learn or hear what Tupac had done in his life.


Do you listen to hip hop? Are the artists you listen to alive? Many of those who listen to hip hop listen to artists who are already dead; one of those dead artists is Tupac. Now there are many new artists who write very good lyrics and many people like them, but I believe that there won’t be someone else who can write like Tupac did. People still listen to Tupac up to this day because they really like his lyrics. Many of those who listen to Tupac relate to his songs and they think that he wrote some very good ones, many think that his work is great. Even though Tupac is dead there are many people who still admire his work and still listen to the songs he wrote years ago. Many people who didn’t listen to Tupac when he was alive, they listen to him now and love his work, and they could relate to the songs because they have gone through the same things that Tupac wrote about. Tupac is very admired after his death because many people still like his work, new generations are born and they like his music so more people continue to like him. By Tupac being dead does not mean that people would stop liking his work.
Most of the people who listen to hip hop, listen to Tupac. People like listening to Tupac because they like his lyrics. People like his lyrics because they can relate to the songs. Big Tray Dee says, “But [his songs] wound up in my head because they would grow on me, and I would see where he was coming from. I had to get that feeling or be in that mood to really relate to what he was saying at that particular time, on that particular song.” Pg.105 (Dyson). When people listen to Tupac’s songs they listen very carefully to what the song is saying and then they conclude that what the song is saying is the truth. Many of those who listen to Tupac like his songs because he wrote about the real world and they can relate to them. There could be many reasons of why people listen to hip hop, but one reason of why people listen to hip hop is because Tupac sings that genre and there are many people who like Tupac’s songs.
There are many people who still listen to Tupac because they think his work is very great. When Tupac wrote his songs it was like he was writing about his life and many people have gone through the same things that Tupac went through and that’s how they can relate to the songs. Tupac had to “escape his mother’s addiction, her foul treatment at the hands of a violent boyfriend, and the trauma of moving from home to home.”p.37 (Dyson). In his song ‘Dear Mama’ Tupac talks about his mom, and how she was addicted to drugs and didn’t pay much attention to him. Tupac and his mom didn’t have much communication. Many people can relate to this because they either have their mom or dad who is addicted to drugs and they don’t have much communication with them. There are many new hip hop artists who write similar to how Tupac wrote, but there won’t be anyone writing just like him because he wrote what he felt, went through, saw, and thought. Many people were impressed to hear Tupac’s work, it was very good, he also wrote some very good poems. It could be that Tupac wrote very good poems and lyrics because he did a lot of reading. Most of the reading that Tupac did he didn’t do it at school because he didn’t like what he was being taught in school, Tupac did most of the reading on his spare time.
Tupac is much admired after his death because up to this day his songs are still being heard at any place. People still hear his songs because they believe Tupac was a very good and important artist, he was and artist who wrote lyrics who many people relate to. When Tupac died many people were really sad, many were in grief and pain. Tupac was a person “who brought a message that [people] can identify with, related to what was real, that spoke to the reality of the circumstances, situations [and] environments they have to deal with every day.” p202 (Dyson). Knowing that Tupac had died many people felt sad and they knew that he wasn’t going to be writing any more songs. When ever someone dies is sad and because Tupac had many admirers, there were many people who were very sad. There’s people who just now started to listen to Tupac and they start to like him a lot. Sometimes people don’t like hip hop at all and when they start to listen to Tupac they begin to like it. Even though Tupac is dead he could have as many admirers as an artist who is now alive. Tupac has many admirers and he will continue to have as long as his songs are heard and as long as people remember him.
When Tupac was alive he had many admirers, but when he was killed many of those admirers got really sad because Tupac was not going to write any more songs or perform anymore. After his death Tupac gained more admirers because they wanted to learn or hear what Tupac had done in his life. Tupac was a very good artist who wrote very good songs and poems many of which are still being heard and read up to this day. When you know that an artist dies, you know that you won’t have the opportunity to see him/her perform anymore, so you decide to buy an album. Many of Tupac’s albums are still being sold today because there are more people who want to know how Tupac’s work was. There could be those curious who want to find out about Tupac because they hear others talking about him. Tupac is not physically in this world anymore, but he is still in the minds and hearts of many people, especially his family and those who were his true fans, who followed him wherever he went and who bought all the singles he did. Tupac has many admirers and would continue to have more.
 
Planning sheet

1. What is the subject of your paper?
- About tupac, is he villain or god or in between.

2. Why do you want to write about this subject?
-the reason why I chose this subject to write about is because I want to explain that tupac is neither god nor villain, he is in between.

3. What audience will you write for?
- The audience that I will write for is the reader..

4. What question do you want your essay paper to answer?
-the question that I want my essay paper to answer is the answer to my thesis.

5. What is the main writing strategy you think you will use?
-I plan to explain about the tupac reality so that to evaluate that he is villain or god or in between.


IS TUPAC GOD, VILLAIN OR IN BETWEEN?
Tupac Shakur , one of the most popular rapper. He is also said as king of the hip hop. He died on Sep 13, 1996 but till today his songs are very popular. And no one can forget him. In his whole life he did bad things and good things. He also struggle very much to reach at this point.he is not only the rapper, he writes poem, plays in movie etc. His mother was the person to help him to reach at this point. So, he loves his mother very much. Tupac insists “ My mom is my homey”.(pg.22).
In my view Tupac is neither god nor villain. He is just a human like everyone.
Tupac is one of the popular rapper in the world. That doesn’t mean that he is god. God is the ruler of the universe. Tupac did not rule the universe. He is one who live like us. In December 1993, Shakur and others were charged with sexually abusing a woman in a hotel room. According to the complaint, Shakur sodomized the woman and then encouraged his friends to sexually abuse her. Shakur vehemently denied the charges. On that time he was like a villain. In 1993, Shakur formed the group Thug life with a number of his friends. He also helped many people in his life. Only helping means not being god. But Tupac was one of it to trust in god. He says that god gave him this life.
he formed a group called thug life.He declared that the dictionary definition of a "thug" as being a rogue or criminal was not how he used the term, but rather he meant someone who came from oppressive background and little opportunity but still made a life for themselves and were proud. he says he didn't creat it he diagonised it.In 1994, he was convicted of attacking a former employer while on a music video set. He was sentenced to 15 days in jail with additional days on a highway work crew, community service, and a $2000 fine. In 1995, a wrongful death was brought against Shakur for a 1992 shooting that killed Qa'id Walker-Teal, a six-year old of Marin City, California. The child had been the victim of a stray bullet in a shootout between Shakur's entourage and a rival group, though the ballistics tests proved the bullet was not from Shakur or any members of his entourage's guns. he was also shot five times by two black men in november30 1994. tupac was easy to know because he was ghetto's everyman, emdoying in his arts the horrors and pleasure that came to millions of other who were in many ways just like him.( give me a paper and a pen).most of his documenting and his process was really and internal process lived out loud,publicly for you to question everything you do, how you live whats right and wrong and who decides it. thats really who he was in all these fragments.(pg 93)
by his poems , songs we can learn something.
In October 1993, in Atlanta, Georgia, Shakur shot two off-duty police officers (one in the leg, one in the buttocks) who were harassing a black motorist. Charges against Shakur were dismissed when it was discovered that both officers were intoxicated and were in possession of stolen weapons from an evidence locker during the occasion.in this situation tupac had no choice caz the police officers were harrasing the black man with no reason.
after seeing the things done by tupac i just noticed that he was neither god nor villain. he is in between them.
 
is tupac god or villain or in between ?
outline

intro:
-about tupac background

thesis:
- tupac is neither god nor villain he is just in between god n villain

1st paragraph..
-compare of god n villain

2nd paragraph..
-things done by tupac
-his thug life

3rd paragraph..
-tupac criminal acts.

4th paragraph
-tupac is just a human like us ..
 
Initial Planning sheet

1. What is the subject of your paper?
The subject of my paper is was Tupac really a thug or was he just playing the role of one.
2. Why do you want to write about this subject?
I want to write about this subject because I actually do think Tupac was a true thug and wasn't pretending to be one.
3. What audience will you write for?
I will be writing for the people who agree or disagree with me on if Tupac was a thug.
4. What question do you want your research paper to answer?
Was Tupac really the thug he personified himself to be or did he get stuck playing a character in the longest role of his short lived life?
5. What is the main writing strategy you will use?
I will use description.
 
Outline

intro- tupac's background

thesis- Tupac was indeed a true thug.

first paragraph- tupac growing up

second paragraph- tupac and the
music industry.

third paragraph- Tupac as a rapper.

fourth paragraph- summary
 
Tupac grew up very poor in the ghetto with his mother who battled with using cocaine. His father left before he was born. While growing up Tupac had to deal with all the bad things going on around him. The environment he was living in shapped him into the man he soon grew up to be. Some say that people are products of their environment, Tupac grew up in an environment where a true thug was looked up to. With all he delt with in his life Tupac became a true thug.

The music industry had a major rool in the development of Tupac's thug mentality. Death Row was a music label famous for having the most gangster of rappers on their roster. Joining death row to Tupac may of meant becoming a "true thung mc". He was labelled as a thug and idolized for it. This brought upon a bad boy like attitude that Tupac had.

The truth was that Tupac was a knowledgeable intellectual as well as an amazing writer and poet. His great success brought the attention of many people who hated him. For example like how fellow rapper Biggie Smalls and him we not exactly the best of friends. With people who hated on him this gave Tupac a cold and untrusting personality. He named his way of living the thug life.

Tupac's thug personality was a defensive shell hiding its true personality which was sensible and kind. His childhood creating the stepping stones to the start of a thug personification. The music industry accepted and incouraged Tupac's lifestyle and ways, helping build the shell. The problems he had with others turned his heart cold making him fearful of his life. Given the circumstances Tupac was indeed a true thug mc.
 
Planning Sheet


1 What is the subject of your paper?
How tupac has two faces and how.
2 Why do you want to write about this subject?
Because it show wide range of interest in tupac shakur.
3 What audience do you write to?
The professor.
4 What question do you want your research paper to answer?
Does tupac have two faces and if so what are they.
5 What is the main writing stradegy you will use?
Compare/ contrast.
 
OUTLINE

Thesis: going through and seeing so much tupac had his own beliefs. And with such differences in his lifespan, over the time he had two faces; revolutionary and gansta.

1 revolutionary leader
A. the way he felt about black panther versus his life.
B. how black panther influenced him
C. what and how did he want to make a change
D. what he did to accomplish this

2 gansta
A. pac’s definition of a gansta
B. rapping and thug mentality
C. the worlds view of tupac
D. how he lived out his image

3 compare/ contrast
A. how are they similar
B. how are they different

4 tupac as a whole person
A. who was tupac

Conclusion:
Many people saw hid good spirit, his potential, and his talent. And although tupac disapproved of himself and believed he wasn’t shit, the people around him had an impact on his life. But fearing his almost unavoidable undoings
“ he was one of the one’s we let fly by.”
 
MIDTERM


“ Our best chance of understanding Tupac’s dilemmas, and his failures and triumphs, rest in probing the ideals with which he was reared that shaped his life for better and for worse.”
Like martin luther king, tupac had a dream; and I believe it was to stay true to himself and make a difference in what he felt was wrong. With a post revolutionary childhood and a poor lifestyle in which he had to survive the streets; shaped tupac to be complex person he is today. Going through and seeing so much, tupac had his own beliefs. And such differences in his lifespan, over the time he had two faces; revolutionary and gansta.

Tupac had revolution written all over him; the way he acted, the way he spoke, and the way he felt about world wide situations. Being forced into such history tupac experienced a life of both being poor and having good maorals. As a child tupac recognized the fact that having good moral stays unvalued, and this partially caused the turn in his mothers lifestyle which effected him. Tupac didn’t like the way the panthers left the homes and lives of the black race. He felt the panthers forced the men and fathers to leave behind the women and children. He knew black pride meant to stand up for one’s right and this is what influenced some of his decisions in life. Tupac recognized the problems in the society and he wanted to stop the violence between blacks and other races. His plan was to start the panthers bach up but on a different theology; he wanted to educate the black race and teach them respect. And throughout his career you see he made a cry out for respecting women and respecting yourself.

Although tupac had a positive intuition, obstacles in male ego stood in his way of purity. Having no father and losing the father figures he had to black panther era, tupac was forced to grow up on his own. To learn an detach himself the way of life. Tupac felt he was the realest nigga in the game typically because he rapped about real things he experienced contrary to others who rapped about an ideal image. He felt could no one tell him what he though was right and wrong. All through his career you see tupacs thug mentality through his clothes, his lyrics, and most of all his tattoos. He made every women want a thug nigga, and compared to his childhood, he survived the streets, and in doing so, no one could back him down in anything. He sold drugs, banged gang signs, and killed, living up to his thug mentality.

Tupac had large personality and they were none alike. While tupac grew up seeing his family stand up (fight) for their beliefs and kill furthermore having to come up in the poor and protect hisself and his rights. What the panthers portrayed to him, he believed you were suppose to stand up for yourself and fight if you have to. And on the opposite side, trying to change the philosophy of panther pride and teach black youth respect versus selling drugs and killing people. These things was a wide range apart and people were scarred he could do both.
No matter the foundation, the most meaningful life is the most beautiful. And what tupac was given he turned his mistakes into lessons. He loved the arts and he loved to learn, but would kick someone’s ass who would try to cross the line. He was very educated and played as a scapegoat to black youth everywhere.

Many people saw his good spirit, his potential, and his talent. And although tupac disapproved of himself, the people had an impact on his life. But fearing his almost unavoidable undoings,
“ He was one of the one’s we just let fly by.”
 
Intro: Tupac’s mother influenced him in many different ways. She paved the road for his life and career. She made everything possible that Tupac ever accomplished.
Thesis: Tupac’s mother influenced him to be the person he was by not following the crowd.
Outline: 1. she was there for him when he was doing bad or good.
2. she taught him not to be racist.
3. she taught him life values.

Conclusion: Tupac’s mother was extremely influencing to Tupac.

Tupac’s mother influenced him in several different ways. She made everything possible that Tupac has ever done not just by giving birth to him, but by paving the road for his life and career. She influenced him not to follow the crowd and be himself. No matter if he was doing bad or good, she was still there for him. She taught him not to be racist, which lead to him learning many more life values from her.

If Tupac was selling drugs, having sex, or in gang violence, and he needed someone to talk to, his mother would be the perfect person because she loved him and she went through the same bad experiences that were talking about. When he would rap about changing the world and coming together, she would encourage him to keep it up and give him motives like read his raps and complement him on certain lines. His mother loved him for no matter what he did, as long as he did it with an intention of succeeding. When he came home all tatted up, she always said, “Wow, I love those new tattoos, they remind me of character and symbolism”. Afeni Shakkur was one who new exactly what she wanted for herself in life, but she just couldn’t pursue it sometimes due to her crack-cocaine addiction. Tupac respected his mother for everything that she was, and this is one of the main reasons why he followed her footsteps. Another reason why he did this is because he grew up with absolutely no male figure to represent his father, so no one could really tell him what to do. Luckily, he respected and loved his mother so much that he let her tell him what to do. She influenced him not to do what she did and pursue his goals, whether they be doing things that gangsters do, or continuing to write songs that meant something to society. After he noticed that he was pretty well organized in his speeches, he put more effort into most of his songs, knowing millions of young people would hear them and hopefully accept a meaningful change in their life.

Afeni Shakkur spoke to her son about racism very seriously. This was an issue that screwed with her life a lot due to non-black people labeling her as a good for nothing “nigger”. She had been through a lot in this subject and wasn’t going to let the same thing happen to her son. Tupac realized that you get what you give, no matter what aspect in life you are focusing on. Tupac proved he understood why racism was so unhelpful to society by having so many different races of friends in his social life. He accepted most anyone to be a friend as long as they weren’t out to kill him or ruin his career. Most of Tupac’s friends were black, due to were he grew up and the kind of people he met throughout his adolescent life. Many of his friends were extremely racist, making Tupac realize that he had to put his voice out there and make a change. The only reason why Tupac got so many ignorant people to learn about racism is because they all respected him, and they believed whatever he said. Luckily, most everything Tupac ever rapped about was true, because he was the realest rapper of his time, and he had no time to lie, unless it was to a judge. After a while, he realeased a song called “Changes”. A quote from the songs says, “ I see no changes, all I see is racist faces”. This line proves that he was trying to make a change in society about our problem with racism, and that no one was helping the goal to make that change. His mother was extremely connected throughout the black community due to the fact that she was part of a notorious female gang called the Black Panthers. She was able to convince all of her gang members and friends that racism is not an option and that they needed to accept all races for who they are by having Tupac as a son. By this I mean that Tupac was famous and everyone loved him, so they started showing love to his mother as well by listening to what she had to say and then actually physically showing a change.

His mother was best at teaching him life values. Tupac had always been getting into loads of troubles with his gang members and friends, and usually never accepted what people tried to tell him, until he realized that everything his mother tried to teach him proved itself to be true. Tupac learned how to sell drugs from his mother, which was a life value to him because it put money in his pocket so that he could survive and not have to kill people to get money. Other life values that were good all around were taught to him by proof. Tupac’s mom would let him stay out late and after a while, he didn’t want to be out in the middle of the night working those hard streets with the risk of getting killed. This made him stay home and spend more time with his mom to learn other life values such as being nice to women. Tupac hung out with the sort of crowd that would slap a women on her butt if she even walked past them. This was not Tupac’s idea of being polite to women, because his mother was one and she let him know what girls really like. After these life lessons, he went out there and tested it out for real by going on dates with pretty ladys, being nice to the ugly ones still even though his friends weren’t, and buying them gifts or writing them songs to show that he truly cared and wasn’t just putting on an act to get inside of their pants for a night. His mother let him know what truly felt good in the long run, which is to succeed in life legally with no worries or regrets. This is what gave Tupac all of his beliefs and good intentions in all of the lyrics he wrote. Most of his songs in the middle and end of his career talked about good things and helping change the world or make it into a better place by taking away drugs, poverty, racism, and treating women better.

Afeni Shakkur made Tupac realize many aspects about life that needed changing, knowing he could make the change by writing it in his songs because he was so famous and everyone would listen to him. If it wasn’t for Tupac’s mother, we wouldn’t have him here to teach us all of these life morals and be blessed with his beautiful music as well. Tupac’s mother was the perfect influence for him when he needed her most.
 
Initial Planning Sheet

1. What is the subject of your paper? Tupac Shakur
2. Why do you want to write about this subject? To learn and share more about Tupac & his work.
3. What audience will you write for?
For those who want to know more about Tupac
4. What question do you want your research paper to answer?
Why was Tupac admired after his death and not before his demise?
5. What is the main writing strategy you will use? Description


Outline

Question: Why was Tupac so admired after his death and not before his demise?

Introduction: Tupac’s legacy continues to live on because of the talent he had. How many hip- hop artists do you know who have died and you find yourself still listening to their music not many right but Tupac is one of those artist that even eleven years after his death you can still relate to the lyrics he wrote.

Thesis: Tupac was admired after his death because of the kind of artist he was he was like a renaissance man who did some of everything and people from all ages could relate to. There are generations that may not have listen to Tupac while he was alive but may have took a chance to see what kind of artist he was after his death.

Conclusion: Tupac legacy that he left before he died still lives on today through his music, movies, poems he wrote I still ask myself what kind of artist would Tupac be today would he be able to go with the flow of the hip-hop world or would he be doing his own thing to take his self to the next level in hip-hop I guess we will never know.


Tupac was an extraordinary hip-hop artist whose dream was short lived due to his tragic death in 1996 .Tupac’s bequest continues to live on because of the talent he had. How many hip-hop artists do you know who have died and you find yourself still listening to their music? Not many right but Tupac is one of those artists that even eleven years after his death you can still relate to the lyrics he wrote. There are so many new artists who have come along after Tupac and yes some of them are good but none can compare to what Tupac brought to the hip-hop world he brought realness, even through his pain. Ray J says “Tupac is one of the greatest poets out there right now,” pg 3 (Dyson)
Tupac was admired after his death because of the kind of artist he was he was like a renaissance man who did some of everything and people from all ages could relate to. There are generations that may not have listen to Tupac while he was alive but may have took a chance to see what kind of artist he was after his death. Big Tray Dee says “His songs wound up in my head because they would grow on me, I would see where he was coming from.” pg 105-06 (Dyson). Some feel that he was taken too soon from us. Big Tray Dee says “He didn’t have a chance to reach his full potential” pg 105 (Dyson) I believe that Tupac knew he wouldn’t live a long life in his Poem In the Event of My demise he writes how “I hope I die for a Principle or a belief that I had lived for I will die before my time.” pg 150 (Rose).
Tupac wanted the world to like him although he never thought he wasn’t much of nothing. Tupac is admired after his death because he was a real artist who wasn’t ashamed to cry out in his songs about the pain and struggles. Tupac’s gift lives on today because the world can still relate through his music the trials, troubles and struggles he went through in his life. Growing up in a home with a single parent, having to hustle to make a living for himself our young kids look at that and connect with it and say things like I want to be like Pac when I grow up I want the money, the cars the lifestyle he had.

Many people admired the man Tupac was and wondered the man he would have become and even after his Posthumous he still is putting out music just as much as any other artist that is still alive and it somehow remains with the time and place of now. Tupac’s legacy that he left before he died still lives on today through his music, movies, poems he wrote I still ask myself what kind of artist would Tupac be today would he be able to go with the emanate of the hip-hop world or would he be doing his own thing to go to the next level in hip-hop I guess we will never know.
 
Ashley Dorsett
11/14/2007
Ms.Sabir Midterm
Tupac
Tupac was born on June 16th, 1971 in Brooklyn,NY he was an American Artist renowned for his rapping, misogynistic lyrics in Hip Hop Music, as well as movies. Shakur's work is known for advocating political, economic, racial, and social equality as well as his raw descriptions of violence, drug and alcohol abuse.
Sometimes yes i do think that Tupac over exaggerated his misogynistic lyrics to cover up the fact that he had deep love for women. He shows sensitivity in some songs and movies like Poetic Justice, with Janet Jackson, or songs like Brenda's Got A Baby, Keep Ya Head Up, and You Are Appreciated.
As he stated in Holler If You Hear Chap.6 p.175-176. That he did respect women but when he was in High School and he was “extra “ nice to a young lady that he liked but when he approached her she claimed he was to nice, and thats when he felt “stabbed “ in the back, and made his mind up that he wanted to be like a “BAD BOY” because that's what the ladies were looking for.
In paragraph (3) sentence (7) he admitted to being a “Scapegoat” for the ladies, luring them into him by telling them its not ok to let your man call you names and hit on. That showed much of his soft side and his love for women, but when he got in the booth “a troubled sexism seized his microphone and throbbed in hateful lyrics.”p.(177)
The reason why he was like this was because no man can let anther man see their sensitive side or that would make them a punk, pussy, anything but hard. If any man knew better they would cover up to because everyone wants to be in the Masculine Box.
I wouldn't say Tupac had to have Love for women but in a sense he did because he was always talking about the love he had for his mother and how he felt when some men would be punks to leave a women who is carrying their child.”Keep Ya Head”.
A good point that Dyson made was The clash between male supremacy and feminist resistance has necessarily strained gender relations, as men grapple to preserve their uncontested social authority. pg.(177). “B**** is a one-word thesaurus for male supremacy”pg.(178)
I feel that it wasn't really Tupac wanting to degrade women but it was the women letting him because that made him feel more secure about his manhood when they let him call them B****. It was away for the women to fell secure made making them fell that somebody did care.” We are proud to be called B**** is what they seem to say”pg.(178)
So to answer my second thoughts on this question no i dont think he was over exaggerated by his lyrics. Tupac was always around his mother and loved her dearly but when you hear from your mother “ I know im a B****. You can call me that. And if your a B****, you know you're a B****, and if your not then you not that too.”pg.(180). So to hear that from a mother it gives you right to say it to any women without caring.
A word that Dyson uses a lot in this chapter is Femiphobia-The fear and disdain of the female, expressed in the verbal abuse and protracted resentment of women. He says that Hip Hop culture has been particularly virulent in its feminphobic sentiments. pg.(181)
Some would also say that “Tupac's troubled, complex relationship with his mother decisively shaped his vision of women.” pg. (182) Karen Lee says that he was like this was the stoked experience on the road so much, which mirrored those of his rap peers. pg. (183)
Being that was all he was around were B**** and Hos how was he suppose to respect any “real” women that came around, he didnt know how. So that's when he gave us a definition. “If a women give up sex easily they're “hos” If they dont then they're “B****'es” pg. (186). In “I Get Around” he brags about how him and his mates celebrate their promiscuity and dalliances.
Tupac says “ After you get past your mad, angry F the world stage, you really get into your freaky I want to F the world stage, and thats where im at now” pg. (186). If you can remember we really did see him freak the stage when we was member of Digital Underground sexing blow up dolls on the stage.
Tupac's femiphobia was certainly of this Manichean variety, said Jada Pinket Smith. pg. (189), Tupac's view of women reflected the extremities of his existence. Dyson feels he reflected on what may be termed the emotional utility of intimate relationships.
One of Tupac's quotes was “ This is what I do believe about some relationships, even though they end bitter, it's like this person was suppose to just come be with you, do this and leave. Pg. (190)
Despite his harshest dimensions of his femiphobia views Tupac was capable of warm relations. He could charm anyone he was Moody and interesting. pg. (190)
On his song “ How Do You Want” he insults Delores Tucker a black women by calling her a mother F***er, and then he makes another song for her “Why They Call U” justification for calling women B****es”. pg. (198) she comes back and says “ I dont believe he meant one word of it”. Besides his revolutionary heritage and rap career, Tupac's insistence on his identification with the black community had a lot to do with the love he felt from his female member's.
Yes Tupac was a hiperict, and he didnt know what to expect from a women this what end up happening a male who is torn between to sides “Nice Guy” or “Bad Boy”. Women who were attracted to his sensitive side couldn't understand his thug side and women who were attracted to his thug side couldn't understand his sensitive side. I also do believe we as women make it hard for a man to really be a man,That was one of the biggest dilemmas that we deal with in society.

9:14 PM
 
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