This is always a crazy question. People's legacies aren't ballooned after they die. They have to have some significance while alive. If that artist didn't fall off, then they are judged based on their work while living. Pac is highly regarded for many reasons:
1) He died at the height of his popularity
2) He was starring in movies
3) He'd dropped Me Against The World, All Eyez On Me, Thug Life, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., and 2Pacalypse all before his death
4) 7 Day Theory dropped posthumously which turned Pac into a mythical figure. Everybody was creating these crazy conspiracy theories as to why he was alive.
5) More posthumous material surfaced which added validity to conspiracy theories. Those who could care less about the theories praised Pac's work ethic especially after finding out he'd recorded 400 hours of material before his death
6) Controversy. Whether it was controversial political statements, beefing with other artists, the media perpetuating the East/West feud, or people like C. Delores Tucker targeting him. His statements also made people view him as more than just a rapper and more as a revolutionary.
That being said, 50 would've been highly regarded, but not because he died, but because in 2005 he was considered that dude. He would've been placed among the greats because him dying would've sealed his legacy. There'd be nothing to add or take away from what he was doing. It would've been easier to push 50 into that upper echelon because people were already saying crazy things about The Massacre and GRODT.
1) He died at the height of his popularity
2) He was starring in movies
3) He'd dropped Me Against The World, All Eyez On Me, Thug Life, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., and 2Pacalypse all before his death
4) 7 Day Theory dropped posthumously which turned Pac into a mythical figure. Everybody was creating these crazy conspiracy theories as to why he was alive.
5) More posthumous material surfaced which added validity to conspiracy theories. Those who could care less about the theories praised Pac's work ethic especially after finding out he'd recorded 400 hours of material before his death
6) Controversy. Whether it was controversial political statements, beefing with other artists, the media perpetuating the East/West feud, or people like C. Delores Tucker targeting him. His statements also made people view him as more than just a rapper and more as a revolutionary.
That being said, 50 would've been highly regarded, but not because he died, but because in 2005 he was considered that dude. He would've been placed among the greats because him dying would've sealed his legacy. There'd be nothing to add or take away from what he was doing. It would've been easier to push 50 into that upper echelon because people were already saying crazy things about The Massacre and GRODT.
