Tupac & Biggie

last night a snapped episode on the murders of Tupac and Biggie Smalls happened to be on. Their deaths were big news in the rap community and it was the first time I hear of albums topping charts after the singer's death. Just wondering, if they had still been alive, would people have thought of them the same way or would they just be two more rappers? Would their music have had the same effect on people? Would they have went on to do other things like produce, start a label? Start another business?