Tupac Shakur had a larger-than-life presence. In interviews, he was fiery and passionate with a sweet, charming smile. In his acting, his films were elevated immensely by his charisma. In his music, fans adored his booming voice and his ability to alternate between tense paranoia and bulletproof confidence.
All of this manifests during Pac’s concert performances, making him one of the most magnetic artists we’ve ever seen in hip-hop. All of his charisma, power, and emotion became evident as he rapped to crowds. But what are the best performances from Shakur?
Thankfully, Noisey has you covered with three of the best stage outings in his short but deeply impactful career.
Three of the Greatest Tupac Performances of All Time
“Hit ‘Em Up” at The House of Blues in Los Angeles, 1996
Due to his fiery passion, few rappers sold vitriol as Pac did. Sure, “Hit ‘Em Up” is angry and wicked by itself, but watching him perform it brings another level of rage and spite. “They tried to ban the song. They don’t wanna play my song, but they wanna play fat boy all g**damn day,” Tupac scoffs before the beat drops. He’s ironically dressed in all white, like an angel converting into one of the Devil’s demons to drag his enemies down with him. The way he paces back and forth gives a deranged energy you can’t get in the studio version.
“Out On Bail” at The 1994 Source Awards
One of the most impressive things about Tupac’s live performances is that he always kept his voice on point. Frequently, artists can sound different than how they sound on an album, occasionally for the worse. They can sound hoarse or lack the same presence as in the studio.
But Tupac rapped exactly how you heard him on the CDQ version of “Out On Bail“. He bounces all over the stage in his red sweatshirt at the 1994 Source Awards, never missing a breath or letting his hype-men finish lines for him. Anytime they did, it was for emphasis, warrior chants as Pac leads the pack.
“I Get Around” on ‘MTV Jams’, 1993
Amidst all of Tupac’s raw passion and intensity, he was also one of the most charismatic artists of all time. Records like “I Get Around” show Tupac with a wink and a smile, making every woman around him swoon.
On MTV Jams in 1993, he brings that care-free energy to the forefront in his baggy denim vest, anointing how there ain’t no party like a Thug Life party because a Thug Life party don’t stop. Pac’s powerful voice slices through the live, funky instrumentation, his take on a jam session. There was never a dull moment or an audience member wondering where the drinks were.
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