10-28-13 Today I read about 25-year-old gangsta MC and actor 2Pac Shakur was shot and k**ed before he had a chance to fulfill the promise of a successful career in both fields. He was born in New York City and his mother, Afeni Shakur, was a member of the Black Panther Party. Shakur spent much of his youth in Harlem, then Baltimore, Maryland. In 1988 his family moved to Oakland, California, where he first gained notice as an MC in 1991 with the group Digital Underground. Later that year, he released a solo album, "2Pacalypse Now." Filled with violent lyrics that promoted cop k**ing and misogyny, it earned both notoriety and acclaim for fans of the genre. Shakur began his acting career in the late 1980s with an appearance on the television series "A Different World" (1987). He made his feature film debut in 1992 with the film Juice (1992) and followed it up, co-starring with Janet Jackson, in Poetic Justice (1993) in 1993. Shakur had a certain charisma that always made him stand out in his films. This was especially true in Gridlock'd (1997) which proved that the versatile young artist had the makings of being a major star. Unfortunately, he was murdered during a drive-by shooting outside a Las Vegas, Nevada, hotel a few months before its release. 10-29-13 20-year-old August Alsina was born and bred from the streets of New Orleans, Louisiana, enter into the game.With the love and hustle of the Crescent City running through his veins, August is eager to follow in the footsteps of the NOLA music legends that paved his way. His recently inked deal Def Jam Recordings looks to be a great step in the right direction, but music wasn't always in his future.August learned at an early age that d** and money could make you, or break you. With both his father and stepfather battling crack addiction, August's mother moved their family to Houston, Texas in search of a fresh start. But Houston provided no happy ending. For years, a young August endured a home life plagued by d** and violence. At just 14, he got word from New Orleans that is father, August Sr., lost his battle with d** and alcohol. 10-30-13 At the library & didn't use computer 10-31-13 At the library doing another activity 11-1-13 absent