There are many conspiracy theories when it comes to rap legend Tupac Shakur. Did the Illuminati kill him? Is he still alive? Was Biggie Smalls involved? Did ‘Suge’ Knight have something to do with the shooting? Did he fake his own death due to beef in the rap world? There are so many unanswered questions when it comes to Pac’s death (or faked death), which is what makes this one of the biggest mysteries when it comes to pop-culture.

One recurring theory when it comes to this conspiracy is the fact that Pac is in fact alive. There are many explanations for this notion. Here are just a few.

Tupac had changed his stage name to Makaveli once he was released from jail. Machiavelli was an Italian war strategist who advised faking one’s death in order to fool the enemy. Perhaps Pac was taking his advice in faking his own death to fool the enemies he created during his era? In the song “Hail Mary,” Pac starts out the intro by saying, “Makaveli in this…”. Also, the song was released AFTER his September 1996 death… Coincidence?

What is a good theory without considering the numbers behind it all? In the case of Pac, there are many numerical coincidences with the number seven. Pac was gunned down exactly seven months after “All Eyez On Me” was released. He was shot on Sept. 7th, 1996 and survived for seven days. This could explain the title of his album “The Don Killuminati: The 7 day theory.” Pac was 25 when he died… two plus five equals seven. The time of his death was 4:03 p.m… four plus three is seven. So what is it with the number seven and the mystery of Pac?

No matter what Pac fans believe, his death is one of the most difficult conundrums of the century. Maybe he is still alive and just wants to be left alone. Or maybe he is actually dead and everyone is looking way too far into his death. Either way, Tupac Shakur left a legendary mark on the rap world.