Tupac Amaru Shakur, also known by his stage name 2Pac, was an American rapper, record producer, actor, and poet. In his time at pinnacle of the music industry before his tragic death in 1996, 2Pac purchased a small fleet of luxury rides.
He was the man who saw no Changes, drove Impalas, Rolls and Ranges. From stages to tarmac here are the cars of Tupac…
Picture Me Rollin' – Mercedes 500SL
“Picture Me Rollin” is a song from the 1996 album ‘All Eyez On Me’; it outlines 2Pac’s desire to stay on top after getting out of jail. His opening line, “Picture me rollin' in my 500 Benz,” invites the listener to live vicariously through the gangster rapper’s lifestyle as you picture Pac rollin’ in his droptop Mercedes-Benz 500SL – with rims that he didn’t have to steal… he finally made it!
To Live In L.A. – ‘61 Chevrolet Impala
In his classic ‘To Live and Die In L.A.’ 1996 music video, Pac cruised through the City of Angels in a lemon-yellow 1961 Chevy Impala. The product placement further enhanced the Chevrolet brand following NWA’s famous “cruisin' down the street in my '64” lyric. It’s safe to say Tupac had an influence on Chevrolet snatching a 16.80 per cent peak US market share in that year.
To Die in L.A – 1995 Jaguar XJS
Another classic ride that also appeared in the ‘Die In L.A.’ music video was a 1995 six-cylinder Jaguar XJS. The emerald Jag was the gem in Tupac’s fleet, as it was one of the few he owned outright in his own name. The convertible was barely driven following his death and was auctioned on eBay in 2008 with the original paperwork and Tupac's signature – all for a $40,000 opening bid!
Tupac’s Favourite Car – Rolls-Royce Corniche
Tupac also owned a similar car to his friend Mike Tyson, purchasing a 1995 Rolls-Royce Corniche IV. Despite the fact this was the rapper’s favourite car, it was actually owned by Death Row Records label chief, the infamous Suge Knight.
After his death, Pac’s mother Afeni said: “I discovered he had next to zero, next to nothing. I discovered that the home that he had thought that he had just bought, was not his. I discovered that the Rolls-Royce that he was so proud of and that he loved so much, was not his. And since they were not his, I didn’t want any part of them.”
Some of Tupac’s unclaimed belongings eventually fell into the greedy hands of memorabilia dealer Gary Zimet. “I have the license plates from Tupac’s Rolls-Royce for $25,000. What is interesting is that I also have the registration, which is under [Death Row Records founder] Suge Knight’s name,” he said.
Tupac’s Range Rover
The rapper’s ivory Range Rover met its demise when Pac’s friend, Hussein Fatal, “borrowed” it without his permission and then totalled it. Everyone at Death Row Records (apart from Fatal, obviously) knew you had to be out of your mind to mess with something that belonged to Tupac, and the rapper was so mad about the SUV that he immediately sent his accomplice back to California.
Starin' Through My Rear View – 1996 Hummer H1
Just months before his death, Tupac’s car collection added an SUV so aggressive it personified the rapper’s often frenzied demeanour. The customised 1996 Hummer H1 has a 6.5 litre turbodiesel V8 backed by an automatic transmission. With an aggressive exterior guard, tonnes of off-road lights, a 360-degree spotlight, and an external PA system with three sirens, you couldn’t miss the ‘Outlawz’ coming! The mammoth military-mimicking motor (try saying that quickly three times!) sold at auction in 2016 for $337,114.
You could also see the car as part of the fleet in the ‘California Love’ video with Dr Dre, as the duo do their best Mad Max impression. The superstars ride in Hummer H1s, buggies and dirt bikes through the actual set of Mad Max: Thunderdome – pretty cool!
The 1996 BMW 750iL Tupac Was Killed In
After watching Mike Tyson trade leather with Bruce Seldon in a boxing bout in Las Vegas, Tupac rode down the Vegas strip in the passenger seat of a 1996 BMW 750iL. As the rapper and chauffer Suge Knight stopped at a red light, an assassin pulled up in a white Cadillac and unloaded a clip, killing Shakur. The infamous BMW has recently been listed for sale on Moments In Time for an astounding $1.5million.