Tupac went out on top. His 1996 release All Eyez on Me is a sprawling, double disc classic. “How Do U Want It,” one of the album’s best known singles, shot to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1996. The song has seen renewed interest recently, thanks to a dance challenge that has been sweeping social media. The challenge has seen men and women two step to a particular lyric from Tupac’s first verse. “Love the way you activate your hips and push your a*s out,” he raps. Not everybody loves the challenge, though.
It’s difficult to scroll through TikTok without seeing at least one person attempting the Tupac challenge. It seems like a good thing on the surface, to reintroduce the rapper’s music to a new generation. Some feel the dance challenge is not appropriate for the children who are attempting it. There’s been a lot of social media users who believe underage kids should not be dancing to a lyric instructing them push their “a*s out.” Especially given Tupac’s dubious history with sexual assault allegations. The rapper was convicted of two counts of first-degree sexual abuse for “forcibly touching the woman’s buttocks” in 1994. Not the best association.
There was a sect of Tupac fans who took a different stance, however. They believed that using a Tupac song for a dance challenge diminishes the rapper’s legacy. One irate Twitter user went as far as to theorize that ‘Pac would be fuming to find out what his song was being used for. “If Tupac knew u ni**gas was shaking y’all a*s to that song he a be pissed,” they wrote. It’s worth noting the “How Do U Want It” rapper started his artistic career as a dancer. He even performed in a high school production of The Nutcracker.
Furthermore, Tupac knew the importance of making songs that catered to different demographics. Part of the reason why he connected with so many listeners was the range of song topics he dished out. ‘Pac could rap about dead loved ones on “Life Goes On” or despair on “Heartz of Men.” But he could also turn around and give listeners a party anthem like “How Do U Want It” or “California Love.” He contained a multitude of tastes and thematic interests.