2Pac uses Marlon Brando and Axl Rose to deny that he's a gangster rapper

[Guest NGOG]

Marlon Brando is a not a gangster actor, he's an actor. Axl Rose and them are not are not gangster rock n' rollers they're rock n' rollers right? I'm a rapper. This is what I do, I'm an artist.

[spunko12345]

I do see his point but part of me does think of Marlon Brando as a gangsta actor.

[Guest NGOG]

Pac, Brando and Axl - I couldn't think of a greater trio. Must be a tremendous honor for Axl to be held in such regard by an icon of society.

[Nosaj Thing]

tl;dl

[Guest Len B'stard]

Despite being one of his biggest fans, i dont see his point because he, on and off record and in his spare time said that that was his thing, a certain lifestyle and a certain mode of thinking and being. I mean at times it was like thats where i came from, who i was but not always, especially in those Strictly 4 My hooray for tolerance!z and Thug Life days.

[Randy Lahey]

I understand what he's saying. When I think gangster rap, the first two names that come into my mind are Ice-T and Eazy-E. Tupac no doubt has gangsta rap songs, but he's not gangsta in the same way as Ice and Eazy.

Edited May 19, 2013 by Randy Lahey

[PappyTron]

When I think of Gangsta Rap I think of the one and only:

[wasted]

Didnt Tupac go to drama school?

[Johnny Drama]

Pac was no gangsta. I hated that bullshit about him even if it resulted on some good shit.

[Guest Len B'stard]

I gotta admit man, i loved the fuckin lot of it but he was just the bollocks in every sense in that just pre-Me Against the World era, with the Karl Kani gear and stocking hats and blunts hanging out with the bay area boys and generally acting/behaving like mischief on a stick.

[GivenToFly]

Marlon Brando only had one role in which he played a gangster, and it was quite different from the typical portrayal of a mafioso. Axl also didn't have any connection with that environment and where he presented US inner city realities he portrayed himself more as a victim rather than a player in the game; Jungle is the GNR song that comes even remotely close to what you would call a gangsta-rock song and it's still extremely far from gangsta rap.

Bad comparison.

[Guest Len B'stard]

Marlon Brando only had one role in which he played a gangster, and it was quite different from the typical portrayal of a mafioso. Axl also didn't have any connection with that environment and where he presented US inner city realities he portrayed himself more as a victim rather than a player in the game; Jungle is the GNR song that comes even remotely close to what you would call a gangsta-rock song and it's still extremely far from gangsta rap.

Bad comparison.

I can think of four movies he played a gangster in.

[machinegunner]

Marlon Brando only had one role in which he played a gangster, and it was quite different from the typical portrayal of a mafioso. Axl also didn't have any connection with that environment and where he presented US inner city realities he portrayed himself more as a victim rather than a player in the game; Jungle is the GNR song that comes even remotely close to what you would call a gangsta-rock song and it's still extremely far from gangsta rap.

Bad comparison.

I can think of four movies he played a gangster in.

The Godfather

The Freshman

...what else?

One Eyed jacks ... a bank robber, but he acted alone really ... so, no.

Oh, The Wild One... that's 3.

Edited May 20, 2013 by machinegunner

[Guest Len B'stard]

Sky Masterson, Guys and Dolls (technically high stakes gambler but they're meant to be like, yknoe, of that ilk) Also The Score and Waterfront.

Sky Masterson, Guys and Dolls (technically high stakes gambler but they're meant to be like, yknoe, of that ilk) Also The Score and Waterfront.

Sky Masterson, Guys and Dolls (technically high stakes gambler but they're meant to be like, yknoe, of that ilk) Also The Score and Waterfront.

Sky Masterson, Guys and Dolls (technically high stakes gambler but they're meant to be like, yknoe, of that ilk) Also The Score and Waterfront.

[machinegunner]

Are you kidding me, Brando is not a gangster in On The Waterfront... reluctant brother with a cushy job.

[Guest Len B'stard]

Are you kidding me, Brando is not a gangster in On The Waterfront... reluctant brother with a cushy job.

He works for a racketeer collecting money by way of breaking peoples legs, i'd've thought you'd've cited Sky masterson as not a gangster before his waterfront character.

Edited May 20, 2013 by sugaraylen

[machinegunner]

Are you kidding me, Brando is not a gangster in On The Waterfront... reluctant brother with a cushy job.

He works for a racketeer collecting money by way of breaking peoples legs, i'd've thought you'd've cited Sky masterson as not a gangster before his waterfront character.

No, because Guys And Dolls is one of the few Brando movies I've neglected picking up... the tidbits about it in documentaries and stuff always made it look kind of cheesy. I've also missed The Score... after around The Freshman he was just cashing in big bucks for minor, and often quite halfassed roles (The Island Of Doctor Mareau...)

But Terry Malloy was no gangster, he was naive and got roped along...

[Guest Len B'stard]

Roped along into what though...being a gangster, right? I mean you can take any character out of any movie like that and attempt to rationalise their behaviour and the motivations behind it, like his brother Charlie weren't a gangster either, he was a numbers man...still a gangster though by virtue of function. I get what you mean and everything but i think my assessment makes sense too. Whether its a result of him straying from the path cuz he's a good kid deep down is immatierial.

Edited May 20, 2013 by sugaraylen

[wasted]

I think Axl is kind of singing about a criminal lifestyle and Brando often played characters who weren't angels. The Wild One, One Eyed Jacks, even in The Score when all he does is sit in a sauna eating mangos he's playing a heist.

Obviously Tupac didn't mean literally every song or movie they did was about being a mobster.

[machinegunner]

They were not gangsters as a matter of course, they were union heavies protecting their interests. If you were a scab and tried to undermine the status quo you were the enemy. If you owed them money or smoething you could expect that they would 'put the thumb' (or whatever the expression) on them. Sure they got heavy handed, but they were thugs. There's no evidence of anything more to suggest they were organized gangsters -- you said they were racketeers...what kind of rackets did they have going on? More like just Johnny Friendly pushing his weight around to keep control of the workers. As for keeping them tied to him and working for him by offering them loans... that was not unusual.

Edited May 20, 2013 by machinegunner

[Guest Len B'stard]

I didn't say they were racketeers, thats how Budd Schulberg wrote them, thats what they were meant to be.

[machinegunner]

Ok but still that is misleading, if you watch the movie...

[Guest Len B'stard]

Its really not man, Johnny Friendly is a mob connected racketeer, its what the character is.

[Randy Lahey]

GNR had a street vibe to them in the beginning. And a bling bling vibe later on. Axl should have done more to align himself with the gangsta rap scene. I know that Eazy and Ice T were also GNR fans. So many missed opportunities. If only Axl could get a 90's redo.

[machinegunner]

Its really not man, Johnny Friendly is a mob connected racketeer, its what the character is.

Well Brando's character stood up to Friendly, so that hardly makes him one of them now does it...

Axl would have made a great gangsta rapper ... this is obvious with My World.