Photographed in a suit, stared somberly from a blown-up photo that was erected on an easel like at a memorial service. But the mood along a Hollywood city block on Wednesday pulsed more as a party. The legend received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Tupac’s sister Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur accepted the award in her late brother’s honor at a ceremony hosted by radio personality Big Boy.
“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,” Sekyiwa Shakur said
“Today we’re not just honoring a star in the ground, but we’re honoring the work and the passion that he’s put into making his dreams come true. His heavenly star will shine a little brighter today. And once again, he has made us all extremely proud. We love you, Tupac.” Though born in New York and raised in Baltimore and the East Bay, Shakur became synonymous with the music of Los Angeles and West Coast hip-hop. Shakur also had an emerging movie career — with films like Poetic Justice and Above the Rim — at the time of his death in 1996, though his Walk of Fame star acknowledges his work as a recording artist.
“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,” Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, previously said in a statement. “Surely, as one of L.A.’s own, Tupac’s star will be added to the list of most visited stars.”
