By the time I hit the lunchroom, it felt like the whole school knew. PAC was the kid who'd rap at the drop of a hat, whether he had a beat or not. My friends would egg me on, tapping rhythms on the tables or lockers to hype me up. And when I stood up to rap, even the lunch ladies would pause to listen.
One day, my boy Sean came up with a crazy idea. "Yo, PAC," he said, grinning. "You gotta spit something in the canteen. I'll get the chef to bring out a radio."
I shrugged, smirking. "Let's do it."
Sean disappeared and came back with a beat-up radio. I didn't wait for him to find a station. Instead, I pulled a tape out of my pocket—one I'd made on my DMX drum machine the night before. Sean's jaw dropped. "Man, you carry beats in your pocket?"
"You gotta stay ready," I said, sliding the tape into the player.
The beat hit, raw and heavy. Heads turned as the first snare cracked. At first, they thought it was just music. Then I stood up, letting the rhythm guide me.
I felt that familiar rush as the beat dropped—a raw, aggressive rhythm that fit my mood perfectly. I sat down at a table, the whole canteen going quiet as the music filled the air. At first, they thought it was just some track on the radio. But then, when the first verse hit, they realized: It was me.
[Uh, Martin had a dream, Martin had a dream, Tupac had a dream]
Everyone around started circulars when they knew I was sing the songs
[Uh, Martin had a dream Martin had a dream Tupac have a dream]
[All my life I want money and power Respect my mind or die from lead shower I pray my dick get big as the Eiffel Tower So I can fuck the world for seventy-two hours]
"Ohhhhhhh, that's crazy!" everyone in the hall exclaimed after listening to the lyrics. Even the people who weren't paying attention started running toward the crowd, curious to see what was happening.
I put my finger to my lips, "Shhh," and then started moving my hands and fingers with the beat:
[Goddamn I feel amazing, damn I'm in the cloud nine My mind is living on cloud nine and this nine is never on vacation]
[Start up that Maserati and VROOM VROOM! I'm racing Poppin' pills in the lobby and I pray they don't find her naked]
"Ohhh, what the fuck?" That was everyone's reaction after the bar.
[And I pray you niggas is hatin', shooters go after Judas Jesus Christ if I live life on my knees, ain't no need to do this Park it in front of Lueders, next to that Church's Chicken All you pussies is losers, all my niggas is winners, screaming]
I took a deep breath and rapped again: [All my life I want money and power].
Right after that lyric, everyone joined in, saying it with me:
[Respect my mind or die from lead shower
I pray my dick get big as the Eiffel Tower
So I can fuck the world for seventy-two hours.]
The lyrics echoed through the entire school centeen , with everyone screaming at the top of their lungs.
[Start up that Maserati and VROOM VROOM!]
Everyone shouted back: "VROOM VROOM!"
[I'm racing Poppin' pills in the lobby and I pray they don't find her naked]
After that, everyone became my fan. People were giving me handshakes and bumping fists, chanting, "Once more, once more!".
I smirked. "Nah, the lunch time is over ." I grabbed my tape and waved goodbye to everyon.
After that all most everyone in the school knew what happened in the canteen. The legends of PAC or rumours started in the whole school.
Tupac's popularity wasn't just confined to the U.S.; he had a massive following in South America, especially in countries like Mexico and Brazil, where gangster rap resonated deeply due to the challenges faced by the youth in those regions. The streets of these countries were often filled with struggles similar to what Tupac rapped about, and his music became a voice for the voiceless. His fanbase in South America grew so strong that basketball, while still second to football, started gaining traction and attention, with Tupac's connection to the sport playing a part in its growing popularity.
Tupac became one of the most beloved figures in music, with a hardcore following rivaling that of Michael Jackson. His influence spread across continents, bringing new fans to the game of basketball and creating a lasting bond between sports and music. The NBA began to see increased interest from South American countries, where Tupac's presence had sparked a renewed interest in the game