i agree with your other post about rap in general, besides that fact some how didn't mention biggie as one of the best to ever do it.
but, pac WAS an actor before rapper. wasn't he? he didn't grow up in the hood....fact! all i am sayin is, in like 89 - 90.. he was NOT a thug he was a fucking actor and BACKUP DANCER, then all of a sudden boom, turned thug. sure, at that point he maybe went hood but, he didn't grow up in it. he choose to be it after he already had money from digital underground and acting. he talks about everything he saw after he ALREADY WAS RICH. and just visited the ghetto, a place where everyone looked at him as a king or whatever, cause he was semi famous. i don't really call that experiencing the ghetto, and being all about what he raped about.
he was in his early to mid 20's before doing ANY TYPE of ghetto shit. so therefor, actor turned rapper. he took on that ghetto persona. he didn't grow up in it.
yeah, this sounds like thug life...
So again, he was in good even private schools. Did theatre and what not in school, and then was a back up dancer directly after. that doesn't sound like the youth of a THUG.