Tupac Shakur Vibe Magazine Cover 

The February 1994 Vibe cover featuring Tupac Shakur in a straitjacket is a widely recognized image of the rapper. Tupac's choice to publish a photograph of himself in a straitjacket symbolized the criminalization of his character the public attributed with him. Throughout his lifetime, Tupac faced certain legal issues, some of which continued to defame his character after he was proven not guilty for them. Additionally, Tupac’s expressed views on racial inequality in his songs and media statements were often misunderstood as madness or insanity, similar to the way hip-hop songs have been criticized. Tupac used his music to offer social critique. This cover represents Tupac’s personal battles with the media and public eye, while also a represents the struggle of other Black voices in the music industry. By choosing to wear a straitjacket in the cover image, Tupac created a visual that portrays him as "mad" or "crazy", which comments on how Black artists are often characterized when they decide to speak out about racial injustices.  The image encourages viewers to consider how the media and government portrays, and sometimes punishes, those who speak out against injustice.