Tupac Shakur a.k.a. Lesane Parish Crooks (which was his real name 'till the panthers changed it) is born in NYC to Afeni Shakur, a member of the Black Panther Party who was pregnant with him while in jail on bombing charges. Tupac Amaru comes from the Incas meaning "shining serpent" and Shakur is Arabic meaning "thankful to God."