“Only God can judge me – that which does not kill me can only make me stronger. I don’t see why everybody feels as though that they gotta tell me how to live my life. – Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur was, without any doubt, one of the greatest of all time. Actor, rapper and political activist, Tupac left quite a mark on this world. Unfortunately, many never realized his contribution to society, until after his death. He was a unique individual who was never afraid to speak his mind. Many have honored him since he left us, but few have pulled it off in the manner in which well-known producer, Mr. Lawrence “Crack Tracks” Parker, III has done.
Crack Tracks just released a mixtape called “Tupac Interviews“. The mixtape takes the listener on a brief journey into Tupac’s political beliefs, as well as his music and life as a revolutionary. Tupac offered up some of the most unapologetic lyrics of any rap artist ever, but more importantly, his words were truthful, relevant and helped many to fathom how hard life is for many people of color. They were eye opening, to say the least.
The parallels between Tupac and Crack Tracks are strikingly similar, in that Crack Tracks is known for working within his community to educate people and to open their eyes to situations that may otherwise go unnoticed. He has worked with countless musicians and he continues to put out relevant, powerful music. Hailing from New Orleans, Crack Tracks continues to bring interesting events to the city, including the NOLA Hip Hop Awards, an annual awards show dedicated to honoring the best of the best, of the city’s urban music artists. He also recently became a member of the prestigious Grammy Board.
We caught up with Crack Tracks and here’s what he had to say about the idea behind “Tupac Interviews”:
THE HEAT MAGAZINE: Tell us about the mixtape.
CRACK TRACKS: “Tupac Interviews” is a brief journey of Tupac’s life examining the politics, music and life of a Revolutionary.
THE HEAT MAGAZINE: That is a very interesting concept. What made you want to focus on the works of Tupac?
CRACK TRACKS: I have always been a huge fan of Tupac – one of the artists I wished I had the opportunity to work with. But, his knowledge has always been one of the fascinating things about him. With this mixtape, I wanted to share his view of life, music and community with the younger generation. There aren’t any artists speaking on what he did. So after a long six months of research of all his interviews, I decided to put them together and add a musical score to it. I believe it’s up to his fans to keep his name alive.
THE HEAT MAGAZINE: What do you think Tupac would have to say if we could see how much he touched the world?
CRACK TRACKS: I believe he knew what he was doing was going to reach the masses. When you speak out for people and demand justice like he so often did, you become a voice for those who have none. I believe he would be appreciative of the amount of respect and love everyone has for him, but he would have remained focused on his mission.
THE HEAT MAGAZINE: What new projects do you currently have in the works?
CRACK TRACKS: I’m excited about the Tupac Interviews which drops Dec 31st. Opening up the new year with that. Then Jay Electronica is coming soon. Motivation 504 Pt2, I’m also working on a few EP’s with Meridian, RawDI, Demplz, and D-Eazy, and a long list of new artists I’m working with. Excited about those projects as well. My second book “My Brooklyn Stoop” will be released in the next few months.
THE HEAT MAGAZINE: You have your hands in a lot of projects. What kind of mark do you want to leave on this in world?
CRACK TRACKS: I just want to leave a few doors opened for the next person to walk through to fulfill their dreams. I may not be the chosen one, but after all the hard work I put in, maybe the next person I inspired will be. That’s my goal and mission in life. Also, to keep releasing great music and events, and be remembered as someone who most definitely did his best for the city of New Orleans and his community.
EDITOR’S NOTE: “Tupac Interviews” drops December 31, 2013. Make sure to check out the links below & to follow Crack Tracks and Supreme Street.
Militant Mindz (first release from Tupac Interviews): https://soundcloud.com/cracktracks504/militant-mindz
Twitter: http://twitter.com/cracktracks
Instagram: http://instagram.com/supremestreet
Make sure you check out http://LawrenceParkeriii.com
