Tupac Shakur, one of the most iconic and influential artists in the world, has been posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame 27 years after his tragic passing to pay tribute to his enduring legacy, both within the music industry and beyond.
The late rapper’s star now graces Hollywood Boulevard, marking the 2,758th addition to the legendary Walk of Fame. The ceremony took place on June 7 and was hosted by radio personality, Big Boy. The event paid homage to Tupac’s extensive list of achievements, celebrating his contributions to music, film, activism, and poetry. Big Boy noted that although Tupac’s career spanned only five years, he remains one of the most complex and prolific artists of his generation, with over 75 million records sold worldwide.
Several prominent figures took to the podium to speak at the ceremony, including Tupac’s sister, Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur; Allen Hughes, the director of Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur; and writer and former Black Panther Party member Jamal Joseph. Other special guests in attendance included Mike Epps, YG, Tupac’s stepbrother and fellow rapper Mopreme Shakur, Money-B, and more. During his speech, Joseph emphasized Tupac’s global influence, stating, “When we talk about that global influence, we think of Tupac Amaru Shakur. And yes, that impactful time of the world knowing who Tupac was, was a five- or six-year period. But for everybody who knew Tupac, everybody who was here, we knew he was a star from the time he was a little boy.”
Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur accepted the star on behalf of her late brother and delivered a heartfelt speech expressing her pride and gratitude. She emphasized that the honor was not merely for a star on the sidewalk but for the very essence of a person who fearlessly pursued his dreams and fought to turn them into reality. Set recalled her brother’s dreams of having a star on the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame, and she noted that the unveiling of Tupac’s star pays tribute to his contributions to the entertainment industry as well as his lasting impact even after 25 years. “I couldn’t be prouder of my brother to watch his star now shine even brighter,” she said.
While the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce unanimously selected Tupac for a star in 2013, it took a full decade for the honor to come to fruition. The star’s unveiling is particularly significant in the context of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, as noted by Allen Hughes, during his speech at the ceremony. Hughes asked, “How fitting in the year of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary that the art form’s most transcendent star is finally being placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?”
Even 27 years after his tragic death, Tupac Shakur’s legacy continues to inspire and influence people around the world, proving that his star will indeed shine even brighter in the years to come.