Award-winning rapper, activist, and actor Tupac Shakur received a posthumous star on Wednesday on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where his sister and fellow rappers spoke of the musician’s legacy around the world.
During her speech, she shed tears while describing her older brother’s vision of being celebrated with a star in Hollywood.
“From the first time he stepped foot on this stage of the Apollo Theater at 13 years old, before anyone recognized his name, he knew he had the dream to have a star here on the Walk of Fame,” said Sekyiwa Shakur.
The Walk of Fame said 2Pac was selected to receive a star in 2013, but the organization waited for his family and estate to select a date.
He was given the 2,758th star on the Walk of Fame ahead of his birthday which is June 16.
“Now we gather here today to unveil Tupac’s star not only paying tribute to his contributions to the music industry but also speaks volumes to the lasting impact he’s had on this world,” she continued. “Today, we’re not just honouring a star in the ground. But we’re honouring the work and the passion that he’s put into making his dreams come true.”
Shakur was killed in 1996 at age 25 in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas that has never been solved.
Fellow member of the late rapper’s music group Outlawz, Malcolm Greenidge, known by his stage name, E.D.I. Mean, and hip-hop legend David Marvin, known as DJ Quik, also attended the ceremony.
E.D.I Mean recounted the legacy of the “California Love” artist and said his impact was “etched in stone.”
One of Tupac’s most well-known credits includes the song “Dear Mama,” which was dedicated to his mom, Afeni Shakur.
“You see those murals of him in Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe,” said Allen Hughes, director of a recent Hulu documentary about Shakur titled “Dear Mama.”
“Then one day it hit me. Tupac Amaru Shakur has become a global symbol of rebellion. A symbol is visible and important as Malcolm X and Che Guevara and an inspiration for activists today,” Hughes said.
