What was Tupac Shakur’s birth name?

Tupac Shakur’s birth name was Lesane Parish Crooks.

He was born on June 16, 1971, in New York City. His mother, Afeni Shakur, later changed his name to Tupac Amaru Shakur when he was about one year old. The name honors Túpac Amaru II, an Indigenous South American revolutionary leader.

Shakur became one of hip hop’s most influential artists through albums including Me Against the World and All Eyez on Me. He also acted in films such as Juice, Poetic Justice, and Above the Rim.

The birth name is often overlooked because he became famous entirely under Tupac Shakur, 2Pac, and Makaveli. Makaveli was an alias connected with his later artistic persona, not his original name. Shakur died in Las Vegas on September 13, 1996.