Tupac had received a nomination in his first year of eligibility. His friend Snoop Dogg represented him at the induction ceremony.
A laser-constructed image of Tupac performed two songs onstage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, making headlines worldwide.
A gunman opened fire on a car carrying Tupac while it waited at a red light in a Las Vegas intersection. He died six days later. No one was ever charged with the murder. A"Los Angeles Times" investigation concluded that Orlando Anderson, a Crips gang member who had personal history with Tupac, fired the fatal shots. Anderson died in a shooting two years later.
Tupac's fourth and biggest-selling record, "All Eyez On Me" reached quintuple-platinum status within two months of release. It featured a pair of No. 1 singles: "How Do U Want It" and "California Love."
Tupac was born in Harlem and named after an indigenous Peruvian revolutionary who rebelled against colonial Spain in the 18th century. His parents, both Black Panthers, had long histories of radical activism and extensive criminal records.