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| Tupac Shakur was ranked No. 2 on Harper’s Bazaar’s list of the “50 Hottest Men of All Time,” noted for his mix of poetic brilliance, political fire, and undeniable presence. |
Placed second only to James Dean, Tupac’s inclusion wasn’t just a nod to aesthetics. It was a reminder: style can’t be separated from substance. The magazine praised his duality, noting his ability to quote Baldwin one moment and deliver a blistering diss track the next. It was more than thirstbait — it was rare recognition from a mainstream outlet that Tupac’s magnetism wasn’t manufactured. It was revolutionary.
His “peak hot” moment, according to the write-up, came in the “Hit ’Em Up” video. That pick said everything. Not a red carpet photo or sanitized press image, but raw fury on tape — Tupac in full attack mode, shirt off, energy high, making sure nobody mistook him for anything less than a threat.
That kind of placement carries weight. Harper’s list reached from the golden era of Brando and Paul Newman to TikTok-era poster boys like Jacob Elordi and Charles Melton. A few names earned their spots with high cheekbones and prestige scripts. Others, like Lenny Kravitz, Bad Bunny, and Dev Patel, brought a mix of edge and cultural resonance. But for fans of true legacy, the list had some glaring omissions and unexpected wins.
There was no Biggie. No Snoop. No Rakim. No Nas. No Prince, even — an icon whose look and aura redefined masculinity in the ’80s. But Denzel made it in, honored for the abs he flexed in "The Hurricane." Michael B. Jordan got his nod for "Creed." Idris Elba and Mahershala Ali were rightfully present. Tyson Beckford — one of the original Black male supermodels — showed up near the end, low ranking considering his impact.
The biggest eyebrow-raiser? The lack of deeper hip-hop representation. If Tupac was worthy of slot No. 2, what did it say about the culture that helped shape him? If Bad Bunny’s Calvin Klein campaign made him a contender, what about LL Cool J’s shirtless “Mama Said Knock You Out” era? If Elvis could make the cut for shaking his hips in “Jailhouse Rock,” where was Bobby Brown?
Seeing Tupac listed alongside James Dean and Paul Newman signaled that hip-hop’s style icons can’t be boxed out of “sex symbol” conversations anymore. But the gaps — the glaring absence of other pioneers who made millions scream with a single look — were impossible to ignore.
Still, Tupac at No. 2 means something. It means the culture cracked through again. With the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame already behind him, holograms on festival stages, and lectures at Harvard dissecting his lyrics, this latest nod was less about heat and more about presence. Tupac stays on the list because Tupac never left.
That kind of placement carries weight. Harper’s list reached from the golden era of Brando and Paul Newman to TikTok-era poster boys like Jacob Elordi and Charles Melton. A few names earned their spots with high cheekbones and prestige scripts. Others, like Lenny Kravitz, Bad Bunny, and Dev Patel, brought a mix of edge and cultural resonance. But for fans of true legacy, the list had some glaring omissions and unexpected wins.
There was no Biggie. No Snoop. No Rakim. No Nas. No Prince, even — an icon whose look and aura redefined masculinity in the ’80s. But Denzel made it in, honored for the abs he flexed in "The Hurricane." Michael B. Jordan got his nod for "Creed." Idris Elba and Mahershala Ali were rightfully present. Tyson Beckford — one of the original Black male supermodels — showed up near the end, low ranking considering his impact.
The biggest eyebrow-raiser? The lack of deeper hip-hop representation. If Tupac was worthy of slot No. 2, what did it say about the culture that helped shape him? If Bad Bunny’s Calvin Klein campaign made him a contender, what about LL Cool J’s shirtless “Mama Said Knock You Out” era? If Elvis could make the cut for shaking his hips in “Jailhouse Rock,” where was Bobby Brown?
Seeing Tupac listed alongside James Dean and Paul Newman signaled that hip-hop’s style icons can’t be boxed out of “sex symbol” conversations anymore. But the gaps — the glaring absence of other pioneers who made millions scream with a single look — were impossible to ignore.
Still, Tupac at No. 2 means something. It means the culture cracked through again. With the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame already behind him, holograms on festival stages, and lectures at Harvard dissecting his lyrics, this latest nod was less about heat and more about presence. Tupac stays on the list because Tupac never left.
Harper’s Bazaar: 50 Hottest Men of All Time
- James Dean
- Tupac Shakur
- Charles Melton
- Lenny Kravitz
- Paul Mescal
- Pedro Pascal
- Hayden Christensen
- Marlon Brando
- Bad Bunny
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson
- Dev Patel
- Harrison Ford
- Jason Momoa
- Robert Pattinson
- Paul Newman
- Jacob Elordi
- Elvis Presley
- Damson Idris
- Keanu Reeves
- Robert Redford
- Jesse Williams
- Bill Skarsgård
- Rick Yune
- Matthew McConaughey
- Theo James
- Denzel Washington
- Heath Ledger
- Jake Gyllenhaal
- Henry Golding
- George Clooney
- Shemar Moore
- Brad Pitt
- Leonardo DiCaprio
- Rami Malek
- Clint Eastwood
- Oscar Isaac
- Chris Evans
- Idris Elba
- Ryan Gosling
- Tyson Beckford
- Channing Tatum
- Michael B. Jordan
- David Beckham
- Mahershala Ali
- Maluma
- Henry Cavill
- Zayn Malik
- Gong Yoo
- Chris Hemsworth
- A$AP Rocky
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