Before Barack, there was Tupac!: Manifestations of Afrocentricity within the Lyrical Component of Tupac Shakur

Due to increasing social relevance, the messages contained within rap music are instruments that possess information that allows for a better understanding of the communicative culture of those who produce this music. Tupac Shakur is selected as the focus of this study because he personifies the connection between ¿oppression/paranoia¿ and rap music as a cultural expression. Utilizing a textual analysis, this study aims to tease out manifestations of Afrocentricity within the lyrical component of Shakur¿s Me Against the World. The dire need to produce research that is both congruent to and supportive of the fundamental connection between communication and culture is the fundamental basis for this study. Rap music, a derivative of African culture, is concrete proof of the need for critical research geared toward understanding the intricate interplay between communication and culture. Through the thorough analysis of his lyrics, as performed in this study, our understanding of both rap music¿s cultural relevance and Tupac Shakur¿s influence will definitely be broadened.