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Some “Changes” are coming to the Hollywood Walk of Fame on June 7, as the legendary rapper and actor Tupac Shakur will receive a posthumous star.
Shakur, who at 25 years old was famously murdered in a shooting that remains unsolved, became a superstar in his short life, releasing hits like “Ambitionz az a Ridah” and “California Love” while starring in movies like “Poetic Justice” and “Juice.”
While his acting career was successful, Shakur — aka 2Pac or Makaveli — remains an icon in hip-hop music for his socially conscious lyrics and impact on the genre. Nearly three decades after his death, he is still frequently identified as one of the best — if not the best — to ever rap.
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A 2Pac hologram performed at the 2012 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Field on April 15, 2012 in Indio, California. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Coachella) -
Snoop Dogg famously performed with a 2Pac hologram at the 2012 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Field on April 15, 2012 in Indio, California. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Coachella) -
Snoop Dogg famously performed with a 2Pac hologram at the 2012 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Field on April 15, 2012 in Indio, California. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Coachella)
In announcing his star ceremony in the recording category, Hollywood Walk of Fame Producer Ana Martinez described Shakur as a “rapper, actor, activist, poet, and revolutionary.”
“This iconic artist has continued to be part of the zeitgeist for decades after his passing and will continue to be an important cultural figure for many years to come,” Martinez said. “Surely, as one of L.A.’s own, Tupac’s star will be added to the list of most visited stars.”
Along with artists like Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, Shakur was known as a standard-bearer for West Coast rap amid the 1990s feud with the East Coast, which was led by former friend, nemesis and foil the Notorious B.I.G. and his collaborator, Diddy.
Though he was convicted of sexual abuse — allegations he denied and was appealing before his death — he remains perhaps the most admired and lauded musicians in history, with multiple posthumous albums earning platinum certifications.
Death Row Records labelmate Snoop Dogg called Shakur the “greatest rapper of all time” when the latter was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017, his first year of eligibility.
With Shakur’s 1996 murder and the killing of the Notorious B.I.G. six months later, music fans have been left with years of unanswered questions, leading to numerous books, films and other examinations of what happened and what could have been.
Most recently, Shakur’s relationship with his mother, the late activist and Black Panther Afeni Shakur, and its effect on his art were examined in the docuseries “Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur,” airing on TX and Hulu.
The director of “Dear Mama,” Allen Hughes, will be on hand to honor Shakur at the ceremony, as will Shakur’s sister Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur and activist and writer Jamal Joseph.
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