2Pac & Ice Cube

First of all, happy (late) 38th birthday to Ice Cube, born O'Shea Jackson on 15 June 1968. Ice Cube was a former member of hiphop groups N.W.A and Westside Connection, enjoying success there as well as in his solo career. He has also starred in movies such as All About the Benjamins (2002), Boyz N The hood (1991), the Friday trilogy of films (1994-02), and most recently Are We There Yet (2005). My favorite Ice Cube song is, I guess, "It Was A Good Day", from his 1992 album The Predator.

Next, happy 35th birthday to Tupac Shakur, born today (16 June) 1971. He wouda been 35 if not for his untimely death in Las Vegas on 13 Sept 1996. Like Ice Cube, Tupac was a key figure in the 90s west coast rap scene, with bestselling albums in his living carreer 1991-96, as well as several posthumous works including the poetry book The Rose That Grew From Concrete (1999) and the documentary Tupac: Resurrection (2003) directed by Lauren Lazin. Apparantly, as part of the East/westcoast rap war, he died in Las Vegas when watching a boxing match on 13 Sept 1996. My favorite 2pac song is "Keep Ya Head Up" (1993, Strictly For My...) because it's one of the more "redeeming" rap songs out there - encouraging fair treatment of women, complaining about the governments preference to spend "money for wars" in stead of to "feed tha poor". Compare that to most rap music of today, and you'll find yourself wanting Tupac instead. R.I.P. Tupac Shakur, 16 June 1971-13 Sept 1996.