June 7th, 2003, has come and gone. No sighting. Maybe because he really is dead? Naw. 2003 has 207 days left to 'prove' the '7 day theory' correct. If not, maybe Stallone's upcoming movie will convince people he's dead.

Submitted by Justin Bailey.

It is amazing what you can find when you are looking for it. You can see things that really arn't there. When you really want to believe in something, it can make it all the worse. Delusions of grandeur...

The legends swirling around Death Row Records, Suge Knight, Tupac Shakur (2Pac), and Christopher Wallace (Biggie Smalls, Notorious B.I.G.), just won't go away.

The theories behind Tupac Shakur 'faking' his death are quite fasinating. Why does the number 7 appear, well, everywhere? This wouldn't be the first time people looked for hidden messages in songs. Beatle fans were convinced that Paul was dead, and I'm sure The Beatles did nothing in their songs to provoke this... yeah right. Lines like "the walrus was Paul" just made the legend grow. Though I guess in the case of Tupac, it's hard to permeate a myth when you're dead, unless it's not a myth.

7 Day Theory was the title of Makaveli's album (Tupac's alter ego), which came out after Tupac's death. Tupac definitely liked the number 7, a number often considered very holy from its constant use in the Bible. Still, some referances people point at seem, well, a stretch. Here are some 7's:

  • Tupac was born June 16 (1+6=7), 1971.
  • Tupac had 7 solo albums (sort of).
  • In the movie "Thug Angel", behind Tupac on the wall at the gun range is the number 7.
  • In "Gang Related", Tupac's badge number was 115 (1+1+5=7), and the movie's slogan is, "The Best Place To Hide, Is Behind A Badge."
  • Also in "Gang Related", Pac and Belushi wait in Rm. 7 in the beginning.
  • He was shot on September 7, 1996.
  • Tupac survived for 7 days before he died.
  • The time of his death was 4:03 (4+0+3=7).
  • He was 25 when he died (2+5=7).
  • In the "I Wonder If Heaven Got A Ghetto" video, a woman walks in to a hotel room, room 7.
  • Also in the "I Wonder If Heaven Got A Ghetto" video, in the diner the clock says 4:03 (4+3=7), which is also the time of his death.
  • "All Eyez On Me" was released on February 13th, 1996. Tupac was gunned down exactly 7 months later.
  • On Jon B's CD "Cool Relax", the song "Are You Still Down" featuring Tupac is track 7.
  • On tha Daz Dillenger album "Retaliation, Revenge and Get Back", there is a song on there with Tupac, also track 7.
  • In the video for "Toss Em Up" (Makaveli), he breaks a mirror. That's 7 years bad luck.
  • In "Gridlock'd" when Tupac and Roth are in the diner and they glance up at the menu, all the L's are upside down 7's.
  • In "White Man's World" there is a voice in the background saying, "7 years, 7 years, 7 years..."
  • On "Bomb First" there are 6 shots then on the 7th. Tupac starts to rap.
  • In "Gang Related" on the TV it says, "...who was thought to be dead for 7 years..." referring to the doctor who they thought was dead but actually became a bum.

It does make you think. Tupac has said in many songs that he would be back or other cryptic remarks that could be used to show he planned to fake his death.

"I heard rumor I died, murdered in cold blood dramatized. Pictures of me in my final stages, you know mama cried, but that was fiction, some coward got the story twisted, Like I no longer existed, mysteriously missing, But I'm worldwide baby, I ain't hard 2 find..." -Ain't Hard 2 Find

"My time away just made perfection. You think I'd die?" -White Man's World

Unless the lord does return in the next 7 days.... 7 years... don't start that blasphemy." -Blashemy

Most of this seems to be just hopeful wishing though. The whole 7 thing is interesting, but to hint at a return after 7 years? Lyrics like those above in light of what happened do make you wonder. But many other lyrics used to 'prove' he faked his death could mean so many other things if looked at in a different way. The bottom line is, "7" and resurection were just common themes to his songs, and not because he planned to fake his death. The only thing faked around here are those infamous autopsy photos around the net.

So then why did Bone rename their album "Art of War", a Machiavelli book? And why does Bizzy say "he's alive" just before Tupac's verse?

You have to look no further than Tupac's near death experience in 1994 when he was shot several times by a so-called "robber" to see where this really comes from. Embracing his own immortality? Preparing for his imminet death since he knew he was a marked man? Why would he fake his death? To save his skin because he thought he was a marked man? If so, would he really leave clues to this effect? Doubtful.

In short, Tupac was a master poet and that's what these supposed clues to his faked death really were. Imagery. DK3 just shows this at his best.

So will he be back? Well his "June 7th, 2003" prediction was wrong (from the song of the same name). Keep an eye on June 16th (his birthday) and September 13th (the 7 year anniversary of his death). Maybe by 2004 we will all know the truth...

That he's dead. Period. We all know Suge Knight had him killed. Or was it Biggy? If he didn't do it, then Puffy and Martha Stewart did. In any case, the only way he's coming back is when we remember him through the works he left us.

•• News Update ••

MTV News is reporting that Sylvester Stallone (seriously) is "writing, directing, and starring" in a movie about the deaths of Tupac and Biggie. Tentatively titled "Rampart Scandal", it will focus on the LAPD investigation that some claim was a cover-up of the fact off-duty officers were involved in the shootings. Stallone will play Russell Poole who became known for uncovering curruption in LAPD's Rampart division. In Nick Broomfield's "Biggie & Tupac" documentary, Poole stated he believed it was Suge Knight who had Tupac killed, and of course last year came out with the idea Biggie paid a gang member to kill Tupac as part of a "gang-police-rap" power struggle. Oh yeah, Stallone wants Suge to play himself in the movie.

Might be something interesting for fans, but Stallone? It will probably turn into just another "cop flic" with no real substance. How much could he know about the "rap scene" anyways?

[Please Note: You can also leave your comment in the 'official' Tupac thread on our message board, especially if this is full. No registration required.]