Vibe.com, September 13th, 2005
In the nine years after Tupac Shakur’s fatal shooting on September 7, 1996 and his death 6 days later, the world hasn’t had a moment to put ‘Pacs death or life behind them. And it seems like no one wants to.
Vibe.com spoke to Four Brother’s Tyrese Gibson and he shared how he remembers the fallen-rapper. The actor, who played Jody in John Singleton’s Baby Boy - a role originally written for ‘Pac – says he has a mural in his garage of Malcolm X baptizing Tupac, it's titled “What if?”
Across from actor/singer's mural is another biblical painting, resembling Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” Gibson explains, “I got Marvin Gaye in the center, Tupac to the right, Aaliyah and Bob Marley. And to the left of Marvin Gaye I got Biggie Smalls, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez, Jam Master Jay and Barry White.” The artwork is “17 feet [tall] and about 40 feet long,” he said.
And the Tupac shrines don’t stop there.
Today, on the anniversary of his death, Tina Allen’s 10-foot bronze statue of the rapper whose life was cut short at 25 was unveiled at the newly opened Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts in Atlanta. Allen says that this sculpture is her best work yet. The renowned sculptor and painter, whose artwork includes the “Statue of Liberty” project endorsed by the South African government, believes molding lifelike figures is "writing our history in bronze."
The initial unveiling ceremony involved special performances by the Tupac Summer Performing Arts Camp students, as well as discussions with Allen and Afeni Shakur, Tupac’s mother and founder of the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation (TASF).
Mixtapes are another way the hip hop icon's music has been cemented in the streets. Whoo Kid released "Realist Killaz" featuring 50 Cent with 2 Pac, before it was officially released on the Resurrection soundtrack in 2003. 2Pac - Rap Phenomenon II mixtape, by DJ Vlad, Dirty Harry and Green Lantern, is another mixtape that has maintained 'Pac's street credibility.
"When it comes to mixtapes, Vlad's remixes have helped keep 'Pac relevant and current," said VIBE's music editor, Erik Parker.
Click here to read Vlad's vibe.com playlist and to listen to tracks from his infamous 2Pac - Rap Phenomenon II mixtape.
2Pac - Rap Phenomenon II Tracklist:
- Intro
- Revolution feat. Busta Rhymes
- Fight Music feat. Xzibit
- Homeboyz feat. Jadakiss, DMX, Butch Cassidy
- Gunz On My Side feat. Busta Rhymes
- 2 Glocks feat. Bounty Killa, Wayne Marshall
- Baby Dont Cry feat. Wyclef
- Hold Up
- Bomb Ass Pussy
- Riders & Punks (Interlude)
- Im a Rider feat. Big Pun
- If You Really Want It feat. Left Eye
- Me Against the World feat. Bun-B-UGK-, Brooklyn
- 2Pac (Interlude)
- High All the Time
- Thug-N Me feat. Jodeci
- Alicia Keys (Interlude)
- Reputations
- Bodyguard (Interlude)
- Thugz Mansion (Slippin)
- Fat Joe (Interlude)
- On My Block feat. Scarface
- Pray For Better Dayz
- Keep On Pressin On feat. Butch Cassidy
- Lil-Ghetto Boy
- Are U Still Down feat. Jon B
- Sway (Interlude)
- One Day feat. Nappy Roots
- Afeni Shakur (Interlude)
