Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur are two of my favorite heroes and huge inspirations to me. The leadership they showed in their lives to break free from other people’s opinions and beat the odds is legendary, to say the least.
Their Success Lives On
In Biggie’s song Mo Money Mo Problems, one of the lyrics is 10 years from now we’ll still be on top. He wasn’t kidding around. Many years after their deaths in the nineties, Biggie and Tupac’s music still sells and does incredibly well. Their music simply won’t die, listened to by people around the world to this day.
They Didn’t Care What People Thought of Them
Do you really think that Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur cared what other people thought of them? They had people who treated them poorly and thought they’d fail. But they pushed through anyway, putting themselves out there and impacting people worldwide.
I’ve, at times, struggled with what people think of me. It can be a cruel, judgmental world, filled with all sorts of fake people. But at the end of the day, these jerks can’t stop you from living your purpose.
I’m a contrarian, and I’ve shared some pretty bold and personal things about my past with the purpose of helping others. For many, this style works. And for some, it doesn’t. My mindset in putting out heartfelt posts on social media, for example, is to live like Biggie and Tupac. I feel encouraged to know that Biggie and Tupac didn’t let their critics slow them down. Like these two legends, I’m unapologetically myself, and I encourage you to do the same. Easier said than done, but possible with practice.
Sometimes you just have to put yourself out there and let the chips fall where they may. Some people will support you and some people will hate you. As far as the people who don’t like you, fuck ’em – let the haters hate. They often hate you because they don’t have the balls to put themselves out there like you.
Keep doing you.
Extraordinarily High Levels of Energy, Passion, and Skill
Biggie was as smooth and lyrically skilled as they come, and Tupac had a level of fire and passion that simply couldn’t be topped. They never backed down, and I’m deeply inspired by their example. Both of them had high levels of energy and determination, skyrocketing their success in their short time on planet earth (neither made it to 30).
In my opinion, Biggie and Tupac are in the top three greatest rappers of all-time, right next to Eminem.
Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur: True Champions
Biggie and Tupac had a huge and brutal rivalry, no doubt, but I chose to not focus on that in this post. I’m not disregarding it – instead, I’m pointing out that there’s a bigger picture here. At one point in time, they were friends. I wanted to remember the love and focus on the powerful legacies they left us with.
These are two of the greatest rappers of all-time, still hailed as the greatest decades after their deaths. That’s unmatched levels of success. Let’s be inspired to live our lives with the same kind of fire, drive, and determination to not let anyone stop us, as we reach our potential and achieve legendary success.
The world needs people who come alive. Honor the legacies of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur by stepping into your greatness.
Jeff Davis is an award-winning author, most recently publishing The Power of Authentic Leadership: Activating the 13 Keys to Achieving Prosperity Through Authenticity.
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