Niccaz like when you make it blatant.That was the image KRS conceptualized for himself.I won't call it a gimmick because he did kick a lot of knowledge, but he put that "The Teacher" shyt right in your face.
Pac could give you the whole 360....He didn't have to label himself "The Teacher"......Pac was beyond that.In terms of all that black power shyt.I don't think it was something he cared to broadcast in a "protest" like manner.Pac was schooled by Afeni/Mututlu Shakur.His understanding of all that ra ra black power shyt was probably more profound than KRS/Chuck D.He actually came from the lineage, experienced it first hand, and had jewels dropped on him from old/wise/battle tested vets in the movement.Pac had a more organic/intimate perspective in that regard.He sat at the dinner table with soldiers you read about in books.Knew the in's & out's, suffered the repercussions, and saw both sides of the game.It's a bunch of hypocrites in the movement.Pac had been both loved & abandoned by niccaz who scream "Black Power!!".In a way, he felt like his mom had did so much for the movement, but when she fell on hard times, the movement turned their backs on her.Niccaz who scream all that black power shyt, but behind closed doors, they act just as corrupted as the system they fight against.Once you witness shyt like that, you go "Ok, I love my people, but I don't wanna be like these fake scumbags" and that can push you to the streets.
I've witnessed it in my own family.My uncle was raised in the NOI.My grandmother sent him to go stay/be trained by Supreme Captain of the NOI Abdul Sharrief Muhammad.He stayed with him for 8 years.From the time he was 10 to 18.Hung out with all the top officials/Muhammad Ali etc..etc.......But during that time, he saw so much corruption/"nicca shyt" still going on(It wasn't Adul Sharrief, but other "high ranking officials") it made him go in another direction.It pushed him to the streets.He still has major love for his people, it's just more self realized now....It's more logical/practical/tangible and less ra ra/"black power!!"/ "spit knowledge"/Imhotep style now.Not knocking that way.It's a good first step to consciousness, but some people are beyond all that overt shyt.Some have already walked through the fire and internalized it.You can get knowledge out of a book, but experience is the best teacher.That's what really makes you wise.
Pac, growing up in the movement, with high ranking officials as parents, more than likely experienced the same.You can see the resentment all throughout this video
He was about 20 here, yet he had already grown beyond all that "Ra Ra" shyt.It had become more "practical" to him.Yeah "fight the power", but what about Brenda?