MacArthur Boulevard Designated as “Tupac Shakur Way” in Emotional Tribute Featuring Family, Friends, and Hip-Hop Icons
In a poignant ceremony on Friday (Nov. 3), a portion of MacArthur Boulevard in Oakland, California, was officially renamed Tupac Shakur Way, commemorating the legendary hip-hop artist 27 years after his untimely death.
The event, attended by family members and local dignitaries, including Oakland native MC Hammer, unfolded near the area where Tupac lived during the 1990s. Shakur’s sister, Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur, emotionally addressed the crowd, urging them to let Tupac’s spirit endure in the streets and their hearts. Following her heartfelt words, the sign for Tupac Shakur Way was unveiled, marking the official dedication.
Tupac Shakur's music career began in Oakland, Calif. with the group Digital Underground — and now the city has named a street after the rap star, who died in 1996. Sway Calloway led the ceremony. pic.twitter.com/PJlDrW2aHZ
— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) November 3, 2023
MC Hammer, who spent significant time with Shakur in the months leading up to his tragic shooting death in 1996, unequivocally declared Tupac as “the greatest rapper ever” during his remarks.
Other notable figures from Tupac’s career, including collaborator Money-B and Oakland hip-hop legend Too Short, also spoke at the ceremony, reflecting on the enduring impact of Tupac’s contributions to the genre.
Although born in New York and raised in both New York and Baltimore, Tupac Shakur adopted the San Francisco Bay Area as his home in the late 1980s when he moved there with his mother. Oakland, in particular, held a special place in his heart, and he often referred to it as his adopted hometown.
City Councilwoman Carroll Fife, who spearheaded the initiative to rename the street, emphasized Tupac’s deep connection to Oakland, stating, “He claimed Oakland. He said Oakland gave him his game.”
The ceremony took place one day after Duane Keith “Keffe D” Davis, a former Southern California street gang leader, pleaded not guilty to murder in connection with the Las Vegas shooting death of Tupac Shakur. Davis, the sole surviving occupant of the vehicle from which the fatal shots were fired, is the first and only person charged in the case, 27 years after the incident.
While the legal proceedings loom, Tupac’s family kept their distance from the prosecution, with Sekyiwa Shakur briefly acknowledging her brother’s tragic end, attributing it to “gang violence” and “the hands of another Black man, by the planning of another Black man, whoever that man may be.”
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