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Without a doubt, one of the most prolific, influential, controversial, multitalented, and absolute best entertainers of all time is the rapper, actor, writer, poet, and activists is Tupac Shakur. While Tupac is best known for his profound lyrical content and, as a result, his successful rap career, where he is said to have sold more than 75 million records worldwide, during his short time on earth, he was also recognized for his magnetic appearance on screen as an actor. As a rapper, Tupac has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry, such as fellow West Coast rapper/actor Ice Cube, rapper/producer Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Bone Thugs and Harmony, and many other buzzing names during that era. As an actor, he also grabbed the attention of top movie directors, such as the late John Singleton and Jeff Pollack. Here are the highest-grossing films of rap extraordinaire, Tupac Shakur, ranked.
Poetic Justice - $27.4 Million
Still in the early stages of both his rap and film career, Tupac Shakur always had an interest in acting and film, and his on-screen presence commanded attention effortlessly. In 1993, he auditioned for the role of the main character in the romantic drama, Poetic Justice. The most exciting thing for Tupac was that he would be co-starring with the popular singer, actress, and sex symbol Janet Jackson. The movie centered around the life of Justice (Janet Jackson), a young and attractive African-American woman living in South Central, Los Angeles who recently lost her boyfriend, Markell, played by rapper Q-Tip, to gun violence. After some time, she meets a postal clerk and single father named Lucky (Tupac Shakur) while working at a hair salon. After their initial encounter, the two go on a trip to Oakland together with Lucky's co-worker, Chicago (Joe Torry) and Justice's friend Iesha, played by Regina King, who is also Chicago's girlfriend. Together, they each experience loss, heartbreak, disappointment, and love in different ways. The film grossed $27.4 million against a $14 million budget.
Juice - $20.1 Million
Tupac had every intention of furthering himself in the arts, and when he moved from Baltimore, Maryland from New York, he attended the Baltimore School for the Arts, where he honed his acting skills and also met fellow entertainer and friend, Jada Pinkett. He put his elite acting skills to use in 1992 by playing the role of Roland Bishop in the crime thriller, Juice. Roland is part of a group of young African-American friends which includes Quincy 'Q' Powell played by Omar Epps, Raheem Porter (Khalil Kain), and Eric "Steel" Thurman played by Jermaine Hopkins. Quincy is an aspiring DJ, but is sucked into a plot to rob a convenience store together, with Bishop holding the gun. Things go awry when Bishop decides to shoot and kill the store owner, then later turns the gun on Raheem and kills him. Against a budget of $5 million, the film was a major success, grossing $20.1 million in worldwide sales.
Above The Rim - $16 Million
It didn't take long for Tupac to land a role in another movie, this time in the 1994 sports drama, Above The Rim. Like his previous role in Juice, Shakur's character, Birdie, embodies that of an antagonist who is a local drug dealer and basketball team owner. The star of the movie, Kyle-Lee Watson, played by Duane Martin, is a talented basketball player with an arrogant attitude and a short fuse, who is about to graduate from high school with the promise of a scholarship to Georgetown University. However, Watson gets caught up in a deal with Birdie for a basketball tournament, which he later finds out is a trap. He then meets Thomas Sheppard (Leon Robinson), who is also a star athlete who Watson would like to be his coach. It is later revealed that Sheppard is Birdie's older brother, and they have a bitter sibling rivalry that has lasted years. Other quality actors in the movie include the late comedian Bernie Mac, Wood Harris, and Marlon Wayans.
Nothing But Trouble - $8.4 Million
At the start of his rap career, Tupac joined the Digital Underground rap group, consisting of Money B, DJ Fuze, its leader Shock G, and many other artists. It was while on the road with Digital Underground that he first appeared briefly in the 1991 comedy horror, Nothing But Trouble. The main characters of the film include actor/comedian Chevy Chase, Canadian actor/producer Dan Aykroyd, the late John Candy, actress and sex symbol Demi Moore, and many others. Shakur appears with the Digital Underground in a short scene in the court room where they are being held for charges of speeding, where they charm their way into the judges good graces by putting on an impromptu rap performance before the entire court. The film grossed $8.4 million against a $45 million budget, which is a major flop. But by the following year, Tupac landed his star role in the movie, Juice.
Tupac Resurrection - $7.8 Million
Despite the epic and enduring impression he left on the world in such a short period of time, Tupac Shakur tragically died of gun-inflicted wounds on September 13, 1996 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was only twenty-five years old at the time and lived a life full of intrigue, wonder, violence, drama, love, and hate, the latter of which cost him his life, and subsequently the life of his friend-turned-rival The Notorious B.I.G. While there remains much speculation over his actual cause of death, the worldwide fame he attracted led to a documentary film being released in 2003 titled Tupac Resurrection, which details the struggles he encountered from birth, throughout his adolescence, and into early adulthood, ending with his death. According to Wikipedia, as of July 2008, the film grossed $7.8 million.
Gang Related - $5.9 Million
From Ice-T to Ice Cube and even the late actor/rap legend DMX, it's quite ironic how many rappers who spoke of the injustices they faced by police in their rap songs ended up playing the roles of police themselves in movies. And Shakur was no exception. During his short and enigmatic life on earth, he was a strong voice against police brutality, having been a victim of it personally. But in 1997, one of his last films, Gang Related, was released showing him as a crooked police officer alongside Hollywood actor James Belushi. Other celebrity actors who appeared in the film include Lela Rochon, actor Dennis Quaid, and the seasoned actor James Earl Jones. The film grossed a total of $5.9 million globally at the box office.
Gridlock'd - $5.5 Million
It's safe to say that many of the roles Shakur played in his films, both good and bad, were borrowed from experiences he had personally throughout his life. For his role in Gridlock'd, he embodied that of a heroin junkie named Spoon, struggling to make ends meet as a musician, along with his fellow junkie band members Stretch, played by Tim Roth, and Cookie, played by actress Thandiwe Newton. The film begins with Cookie overdosing on heroin after a successful stage performance, while Spoon and Stretch frantically try to get her help. Realizing that Cookie almost died, Spoon informs Stretch that as a New Year's Resolution, he is also planning to kick the habit. But the two soon realize that it's not so easy to check into rehab as they lack proper government documentation. The film does an excellent job at exposing the futility of the rehabilitation system in America, and the hurdles that addicts have to jump through to get help.
Sources: The New York Times, Roger Ebert, Focus Hip-Hop, Wikipedia
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