LOS ANGELES -- Tupac Shakur received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Wednesday, just several days before the hip-hop legend鈥檚 birthday.
The late rapper鈥檚 sister, Sekyiwa 鈥淪et鈥 Shakur, accepted the star on behalf of their family. During her speech, she shed tears while describing her older brother鈥檚 vision of being celebrated with a star in Hollywood.
鈥淔rom 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,鈥 said Sekyiwa Shakur, who often took deep breaths between sentences to collect herself.
The Walk of Fame said Shakur was selected to receive a star in 2013, but the organization waited for his family and estate to select a date.
Shakur was given the 2,758th star on the Walk of Fame. His birthday is June 16.
鈥淣ow we gather here today to unveil Tupac鈥檚 star not only paying tribute to his contributions to the music industry, but also speaks volumes to the lasting impact he鈥檚 had on this world,鈥 she continued. 鈥淭oday, we鈥檙e not just honouring a star in the ground. But we鈥檙e honouring the work and the passion that he鈥檚 put into making his dreams come true.鈥
Shakur, one of the most prolific figures in hip-hop, died in 1996 from gunshot wounds at the age of 25. His professional music career only lasted five years, but he sold more than 75 million records worldwide, including the diamond-certified album 鈥淎ll Eyez on Me,鈥 which was packed with hits including 鈥淐alifornia Love (Remix)鈥, 鈥淚 Ain鈥檛 Mad at Cha鈥 and 鈥淗ow Do U Want It.鈥 He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
As an actor, Shakur starred in several popular films such as 鈥淧oetic Justice,鈥 鈥淕ang Related,鈥 鈥淛uice鈥 and 鈥淎bove the Rim.鈥
鈥淗e defied the distinction between art and activism,鈥 said radio personality Big Boy, who emceed the ceremony. He spoke about how Shakur has been remembered with museum exhibits dedicated to the entertainer, including 鈥淭upac Shakur. Wake Me When I鈥檓 Free鈥 last year and 鈥淎ll Eyez on Me鈥 at the Grammy Museum in 2015. He'll soon have a stretch of an Oakland street renamed after him.
Big Boy shouted out several attendees, including comedian Mike Epps, rapper YG, actor Bokeem Woodbine and the Outlawz, a rap group that was founded by Shakur.
Many in the crowd often yelled Tupac鈥檚 name while others blasted some of his biggest hits such as 鈥淒ear Mama,鈥 鈥淐hanges鈥 and 鈥淎mbitionz Az a Ridah.鈥
鈥淭upac Amaru Shakur has become a global symbol of rebellion 鈥 a symbol as visible and important as Malcolm X and Che Guevara and an inspiration to activists today,鈥 said Allen Hughes, who directed the FX documentary 鈥 Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur.鈥 The documentary delves into the rapper鈥檚 mother, Afeni Shakur鈥檚, past as a female leader in the Black Panther Party while exploring Tupac鈥檚 journey as a political visionary and becoming one of the greatest rap artists of all time.
鈥淭he world feels Tupac鈥檚 message,鈥 Hughes said about Shakur, who was born in New York. 鈥淣ot so bad for a little Black boy from Harlem, right?鈥
