Friday night (April 7) at Brooklyn, New York’s Barclays Center, Tupac Shakur was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. More than 20 years after the legendary rapper, actor, and revolutionary was killed in Las Vegas, Nevada, his name and music will live on forever, positioned alongside The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, and others.
As Shakur’s friend, collaborator, and label-mate Snoop Dogg personally inducted ‘Pac, he also participated in a corresponding tribute medley. Another collaborator and friend of Tupac’s, Treach of Naughty By Nature was on stage for a series of hits, in addition to several disciples of ‘Pac’s attitude, sound, and message.
Snoop Dogg tapped Compton, California’s YG, who was six years old when ‘Pac died, to join him for “2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted.” YG’s 2010s success involved ‘Pac collaborators E-40 and Too Short. Treach took the stage to perform one of Shakur’s darker hits, “Hail Mary,” one of the first releases following his September, 1996 death. Throughout the last 20 years, the East Orange, New Jersey MC has been a key orator surrounding Tupac’s impact, life, and times.
Dressed in an homage to Tupac’s signature fashion, T.I. performed one of the more sensitive hits, “Keep Ya Head Up.” Previously, Tip has been active on Shakur’s posthumous releases.
While it has been more than 10 years since the last posthumous Tupac album released, the Top 10 Pac’s Life effort, more music is expected. Tom Whalley, the former Interscope Records executive who signed Shakur to his solo deal in the early 1990s was named executor of the estate, following the death of Afeni Shakur, the rapper’s mother, less than one year ago. In 2007, 152 Tupac Shakur songs from the Death Row Records vaults were awarded to Afeni Shakur, which is believed to be included in the estate.
