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Tupac Shakur, to many, is synonymous with the words “rap excellence,” no more, no less.
Sonic Editions is aiming to capture that excellence in a print set launched in celebration of the rapper’s 1996 album, All Eyez on Me, his last album before passing in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. The photo set dropped by Sonic Editions captures important moments and figures in hip-hop history from the 1990s. Viewers are treated to appearances from big names like Nas, Redman, and Chuck D snapped alongside Shakur while in New York or Chicago. Our chosen prints were captured by the likes of Al Pereira and Raymond Boyd, the two main contributors for photos in this drop. Every print is available on Sonic Editions’ website.
Prints of each scene can be found in black and white or in color, and begin at $99. Sizing and framing of your chosen print determine pricing. Sizing goes up to XXL. Every framed print is glazed with crystal-clear, gallery-grade shatterproof plexiglass for premium protection and printed on archival-grade Fuji Crystal Archive paper for depth and color accuracy. These prints are also mounted with acid-free, conservation-grade materials that ensure longevity.
Nas, Tupac & Redman 1993 by Al Pereira
This photo depicts rappers Nas, Shakur and Redman dated July 23, 1993, at Club Amazon in New York. Not pictured was fellow rapper The Notorious B.I.G., who famously beefed with Shakur. This image captures a moment of peace and unity among the rappers before their East Coast-West Coast rivalry began.
2 Pac in Chicago by Raymond Boyd
This print is a photo taken at the Regal Theatre in Chicago in 1994. This performance photo was taken while Shakur was still a part of the group consisting of Big Syke, Mopreme, Macadoshis and The Rated R. Shakur would leave the group around 1995. This print captured a moment of the rapper’s iconic and short-lived career.
One of the unique sets of photos in this print set is those taken at Club Amazon in New York on July 23, 1993. The set features appearances from rappers mentioned above along with The Notorious B.I.G., who wasn’t in these prints. This freeze-frame captures peace, a point in time before Shakur and B.I.G.’s infamous East Coast-West Coast rivalry began.
This 1990s rivalry was birthed from a battle of cultural dominance and a hunger for success, primarily between Bad Boy Records, owned by Sean “Puffy” Combs, a New York-based label, and Death Row Records, a Los Angeles-based label. Shakur was signed to Death Row in 1995, while Biggie was signed with Bad Boy in 1993, cultivating a natural beef that was often violent and ugly.
Shakur has more than five No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and eight No. 1 albums on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. All Eyez on Me landed on the Billboard 200 and included hits such as “California Love” and “How Do U Want It.” Shakur died in a drive-by shooting shortly after the launch of All Eyez on Me in 1996. Skaur’s death was a direct consequence of the violent East Coast-West Coast feud. The Notorious B.I.G. would also fall victim to the beef, dying a year later in 1997.
Tupac Shakur & Chuck D by Al Pereira
Rapper Chuck D served as a mentor to Shakur throughout his life and is seen here in a July 23, 1993, print of the pair in New York backstage at one of Shakur’s shows. After Shakur’s death, Chuck D participated in a 2015 Grammy Museum exhibit nodding to Shakur’s 1996 album with a title “All Eyez on Me: The Writings of Tupac Shakur.”
Tupac at Club Amazon by by Al Pereira
Shakur graced Club Amazon on July 23, 1993, in New York. His appearance at the club was a pivotal moment in hip-hop history, capturing a snapshot of the era before the notorious East Coast-West Coast beef.
