More than a decade removed from his death, rap is still in search of Tupac Shakur’s replacement. There have been a few rappers to come along, mirroring aspects of the legend’s capabilities, but they soon fizzle out after it’s apparent they can’t maintain the pace. Before long, their artistic limitations are exposed, and we return back to square one, hoping to embrace the second coming of this apocalyptic prodigy. In the meantime, let’s examine some of the almost Tupac’s that have failed to meet his standards.

DMX – Without a crew, and from relative obscurity, Earl Simmons, known as DMX, exploded onto the scene with “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot.” His Rough Rider Anthem paralleled that of Tupac’s “California Love.” Simmons had the thuggish exterior, and the grainy, deep voice that demanded attention. He appeared to be the second coming of Tupac. His lyrics weren’t comparable, but his beats and street credentials gave him a female audience that rivaled any rapper before him. He followed up with two more CDs, the first selling well, but the second paling in financial comparison. He lacked the depth and innovative creativity to make an indelible stamp on the industry. Fans quickly found themselves once again looking for Tupac’s replacement.

Ja Rule – Jeffrey Atkins, known as Ja Rule, was introduced by Jay-Z, and success was eminent. Often seen with a blue rag tied around his head in the same manner as Tupac while rockin’ the mic, Atkins seemed like he might have some of Tupac’s charisma. He even permanently decorated his stomach with a tattoo remeniscent of Tupac's. Like Simmons, his early albums were well received, and males and females were equally intrigued. His lyrical content was questionable, but his songs were catchy. But just when we were getting comfortable with him, and accepting a lesser thug than we wanted, 50 Cent came and ended Atkin’s career. They had a battle in which 50 Cent predicted he would bring demise to Atkin’s once flourishing career in which it seems he did just that. Atkins was finished, and has struggled to find airplay since the verbal scrap.

 50 Cent – Curtis Jackson avoided early career destruction after we forgave him for “How to Rob” as he insulted almost every established artist in the industry. He was fortunate enough to sign with Aftermath Records and reinvent himself with the help of Dr. Dre and Eminem. Jackson's first two CDs were multi-platinum selling, and he was on top of the game. He was well built, albeit with the help of steroids, and gave rap its first true opportunity to replicate the magic Tupac gave seven years earlier. His nine gunshot wounds didn’t hurt his case as a thug either. Then he signed The Game, Jacyceon Taylor, and his popularity soared even higher. Suddenly, everything changed. Jackson became jealous with Taylor giving Dr. Dre too much credit for his success, and the two rappers fell apart. This forced fans to decide where they wanted to cement their loyalties.

In what turned out to be a poor business decision, Jackson distanced himself from Dre and Eminem, because they remained impartial to either side. Jackson decided he wasn’t going to remain friends with anyone associated with Taylor, so he ventured out on his own accord. In his first album since his departure, Jackson's CD sells were down 600,000 in the first week, and he appears to be headed to the rap graveyard with the aforementioned artists.

The Game – As mentioned above, Taylor’s success with Jackson immediately propelled the rapper to the apex of the industry. His beef with Jackson seemed to help his popularity as he challenged, and defeated him in a war of words on wax. To demonstrate his respect amongst his peers, he brought in many of the top artists to collaborate on the “One Blood” remix. Fortunately, Taylor’s career is still going strong, but there is reason to be concerned. Like Eminem and Jackson, his first CD without the tutelage of the industries premiere producer, Dr. Dre, was noticeably deficient in production. It’s an obvious financial strategy on Taylor’s part to lay the tracks as well as write the lyrics to maximize his financial gain. Unfortunately, if the past serves as a warning, staying connected at the hip with Dr. Dre seems to ensure longevity and credibility in an industry very willing to move on to the newest player in the game if the elder statesman can’t continue at the level that made him successful.

It’s not that Tupac is the greatest rapper of all time, or even in the top five for that matter, but he brought an aura that has not been reproduced since. You respected this man that had thug passion that appealed equally to both genders. He made you not care that he shot at an off duty police officer, or was incarcerated on rape charges, or that he was really from the East Coast. He was above the law. If you didn’t like Tupac, and you lived in California, you were accused of blasphemy against your own. Even though Tupac was raised on the East Coast, moved to the Bay Area, and then represented Los Angeles, everyone was content with him constantly changing his address. He lived in Los Angeles for a few years, and wrote a song titled “To Live and Die in LA” without anyone questioning where he was from. He was not one of us, but we accepted him like he was. To put this into perspective, there isn’t a chance in hell that a west coast rapper could infiltrate New York the way Tupac represented Los Angeles or the Bay Area. He could disrespect anyone, and his fans would never betray him. Tupac was incapable of doing anything wrong. He was unique, but let’s hope he was not an anomaly. 

By Trent Hensley