ART of the 1990’s
The 1990’s was not an era known for it’s art. It may not have had wonderful memorable artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, or Pablo Picasso. But it did have other memorable artists in different forms of art. There were great movies, street art, and also a new generation of music.
During these times art didn’t offer many different things. The music business had many changes during this time, which attracted the new generation. Country music introduced Alternative Country. This new style of Country was the dark side of Country because it had a rock theme to it. This helped the popularity grow and attracted many other people to this music. Another genre was Rap which was another style of Hip-Hop. This new style took off in the 90’s with many young, fresh new artists. Rap was not the same all around America. In the East Coast rap was more hardcore while in the West Coast it was more laid back an easy to ride to.
Tupac Amaru Shakur was one of these big influential figures in the rap game during the 90’s. Tupac was born June 16, 1971 in East Harlem, New York to a very messed up family. Shakur got into the rapping business early in the 90’s with the group Digital Underground. He later made his solo debut with his album 2Pacalypse Now which made gold. Tupac’s later albums topped the charts and his popularity grew and grew. On the night before his trial began Tupac was shot five times in a recording studio in New York. This lead to a major conflict between the East and West coasts. The main feud was between Death Row Records (west) and Bad Boy records (east). Tupac was still put in jail about a year later however but was able to get out on bail. After getting out of jail he released another album titled All Eyez on Me which was probably his most famous and it went 9x platinum. Unfortunately, the beef with the East went too far and on September 7, 1996 Tupac was gunned down in Las Vegas after a Mike Tyson fight. His murder still remains a cold case. Some believe that Bad Boys rapper Biggy called a hit on him and others believe it was gang related. Some day we will find out who did it. Until then it’s just a mystery.
Another big influential rap artist was Christopher Wallace or better known as Notorious B.I.G. or Biggy Smalls. Wallace was born May 21, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York to a single Jamaican mother and was also an only child. Christopher started rapping at the street corner of his neighborhood at a young age. He made his rapping debut with Junior M.A.F.I.A. who at the time got caught in the East coast vs. West coast fued with former friend Tupac Shakur and Death Row. Like Tupac Biggy was also influential and had many top charted albums. After the death of former friend Tupac, Wallace was being blamed on the murder and that he hired a hit man. Wallace released one more album in 1997 titled Life After Death. This was his last because in 97’ Christopher Wallace was shot in Los Angeles. His death also because of the coastal feud made many think Death Row records owner Suge Knight was behind in it in retaliation of Tupac’s murder.
Both of these men left a huge legacy behind them but unfortunately for both their life came to a sudden end. They will be remembered as some of the greatest MC’s of all time. Their music was influential and they rapped about how hard it was to grow up in the streets not just money, fame, and girls.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biggy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupac_Shakur
