Current:Home > InvestTupac Shakur posthumously receives star on Hollywood Walk of Fame -TrueNorth Capital Hub
Tupac Shakur posthumously receives star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
View
Date:2025-04-18 00:16:04
Legendary hip-hop star, actor and poet Tupac Shakur posthumously received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Wednesday, honoring his many contributions to the arts, as well as his activism for racial equality.
The artist's sister, Sekyiwa "Set" Shakur received the star on Hollywood Boulevard, alongside radio host Kurt "Big Boy" Alexander, who emceed the event, and director Allen Hughes, who recently worked on a docuseries about Tupac's life.
"Tupac knew deep down that he was always meant for something great," Sekyiwa said at the unveiling event. "And as his little sister, I had the privilege to watch that greatness unfold."
Sekyiwa spoke about Shakur's goals, including his teenage dream of one day having his own star on the Walk of Fame.
"Today, we're not just honoring a star on the ground, but we are honoring the work and the passion that he's put into making his dreams come true," she said, getting emotional. "His heavenly star will shine a little brighter today. And once again, he has made us all extremely proud. We love you, Tupac."
The rapper, who was murdered in 1996 at 25 years old, influenced the hip-hop genre and amassed a global fan base, selling over 75 million records worldwide and winning six Grammy Award nominations during his short five-year recording career.
Hughes, the docuseries director, spoke about Shakur's impact on hip-hop music, noting a major milestone for the genre.
"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," Hughes said.
Shakur is one of only 12 rap artists, including Queen Latifah and Ice-T, who have received a star on the Walk of Fame — likely a result of Americans misunderstanding the hip-hop genre, hip-hop historian Kevin Powell told CBS News.
Powell added that it has taken so long for Shakur to receive this honor because people still do not understand who Shakur was as a person and an artist, especially due to the nature of his death.
"He's the most important hip-hop icon we've ever had in the 50 years of hip-hop," Powell said, explaining why Shakur deserves a star.
The rapper also found great success in acting, receiving critical acclaim for starring in movies like, "Juice," "Poetic Justice," "Above The Rim," "Gridlock'd," and "Gang Related."
Powell, who is currently writing a biography about the artist, said Shakur was an even better actor than rapper, arguing that the multi-talented star would have been in the ranks of Denzel Washington and Robert De Niro, had he lived and continued to act.
"Hip-hop, rapping was his way to get out, but his real passion — as he was training as an actor in Harlem as a child, and then at Baltimore at the School [For The] Arts with Jada Pinkett — [acting] was his calling I believe," he said. "But rapping was the faster money."
In addition to his artistic abilities, Shakur has been applauded for his advocacy work for Black Americans, which he often discussed in his songs and movies.
In May, Shakur was honored by Oakland, California, whose city council voted to rename a street "Tupac Shakur Way."
- In:
- Hollywood
- Tupac
- Music
Simrin Singh is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.
veryGood! (379)
Related
- 'Squid Game' without subtitles? Duolingo, Netflix encourage fans to learn Korean
- Average 30-year fixed mortgage rates continue to climb as inflation persists, analysts say
- WADA says 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive before Tokyo Olympics but it accepted contamination finding
- Horoscopes Today, April 19, 2024
- Juan Soto praise of Mets' future a tough sight for Yankees, but World Series goal remains
- David Pryor, former governor and senator of Arkansas, dies at age 89
- Record Store Day celebrates indie retail music sellers as they ride vinyl’s popularity wave
- Cold case playing cards in Mississippi jails aim to solve murders, disappearances
- 'As foretold in the prophecy': Elon Musk and internet react as Tesla stock hits $420 all
- MLS schedule April 20-21: LAFC hosts New York Red Bulls, Inter Miami meets Nashville again
Ranking
- New data highlights 'achievement gap' for students in the US
- Researchers at Michigan Tech Want to Create a High-Tech Wood Product Called Cross-Laminated Timber From the State’s Hardwood Trees
- Former Red Sox Player Dave McCarty Dead at 54
- Taylor Swift breaks Spotify records for most-streamed album, most-streamed artist in a single day
- Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
- 8 shot including 2 men killed at a party with hundreds attending in Memphis park, police say
- White Green: Investment Philosophy under Macro Strategy
- Milwaukee teenager gets 13 years for shooting inside restaurant that killed 2 other teens
Recommendation
New Mexico governor seeks funding to recycle fracking water, expand preschool, treat mental health
Kansas has a new anti-DEI law, but the governor has vetoed bills on abortion and even police dogs
Psst! Coach Outlet Has So Many Cute Bags on Sale Right Now, and They’re All Under $100
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Higher Forces
Why Sean "Diddy" Combs Is Being Given a Laptop in Jail Amid Witness Intimidation Fears
Jim Harbaugh keeps promise, gets Michigan tattoo in honor of national championship season
'The Jinx' Part 2: Release date, time, where to watch new episodes of Robert Durst docuseries
QB-needy Broncos could be the team to turn 2024 NFL draft on its head