1. Kendrick Lamar: In a 2015 interview with The New York Times, Lamar expressed his admiration for 2Pac, saying, "He spoke through our perspective. He showed us it's okay to do what we want, and he gave us confidence to go against the grain. He was a poet."
2. Nas: In a 2011 interview with XXL magazine, Nas praised 2Pac's ability to connect with people through his music, saying, "He knew how to rap, and he also had a strong message in his music. He was a revolutionary poet, and he spoke for a lot of people who felt like they didn't have a voice."
3. Jay-Z: In a 2002 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Jay-Z discussed 2Pac's influence on his own music, saying, "He was a genius. He was one of the best to ever do it. He had a way with words that was unmatched. He was a poet."
4. Maya Angelou: In a 2010 interview with The Daily Beast, renowned poet Maya Angelou expressed her appreciation for 2Pac's ability to communicate complex emotions through his lyrics, saying, "He said things that were important, and he said them in a way that captured people's attention. He was a real poet."
These are just a few examples of the many famous individuals who recognized 2Pac's talent and poetic abilities. His influence as a writer and artist continues to be felt in contemporary music and culture.