NEW YORK – Afeni Shakur, the mother of rapper Tupac Shakur, says she’s touched the hip-hop community continues to be supportive, seven years after her son’s death.
“I always feel like I get special treatment. I never felt that I couldn’t ask anyone for anything,” Shakur told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday.
“I respect them, I have a lot of respect for them. I like them. They’re nice to me, and they’re good to my son.”
Shakur created Amaru Entertainment-Amaru Records after her son was shot to death in 1996, and the company has put together albums of his unreleased work.
She’s also an executive producer of a film documentary on his life, “Tupac: Resurrection,” and oversaw a book of the same name, which will be published later this month. The movie will be released in November.
Shakur says she’s relied on help from rappers including Dr. Dre and Eminem to help keep her son’s name, and music, alive.
“I’m conscious of the fact that I’m 56 trying to do my son’s work,” she said. “I don’t know that we would have been able to keep an ethical, quality project without the hip-hop community caring almost as much as me.”
On Sunday, The Source Youth Foundation will honor Shakur for her charitable work, including the creation of the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation Inc., which encourages children in the arts. The awards dinner in Miami, to be hosted by Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton, will also honor LL Cool J, Nelly, boxer Roy Jones Jr. and dancer Crazy Legs.
Shakur says receiving the award is bittersweet, because it reminds her that her son isn’t around.
“Who knows what would have happened (had he lived)?” she said.
“I’m sad that he can’t see how much people appreciate his work. I think he would have been pleased. I think he would be pleased to know how much people appreciate his mom, too.”
i as a fan would like to to see a actule tupac movie that is an actule potrayl of pac this was touched on some years back to my understanding that that guy that looked so much like pac who got stabbed and arrested a few times for looking like him we here feel that would be a good movie we need that substanence from the womb to the tomb thanks lonnie starxx from houston
i am trying to book afeni shakur for keynote speaker in canada, cant find any numbers or emails to reach her or management. if have will appreciate
you are a strong mother and i am 1 of tupacs fand and i like his music and i was shoked when i hurd that he got shot and ill keep in touch good luck.
I hope for the dat to meet you . I wonna get to know you and build a friendship. I didn’t get the chance with pac, I really regrate that. He is such a beautiful soul he really loved you dearly. I admire him so much because he stayed real with his fans and he felt what ew were feeling with thug life. He is our leader because he is like us tha’s why people love him so much because we can deeply relate to him. Your very blessed for a son with great moral values and honor. I have much respect for what you are doing to keep pac alive in spirit with us all. You are a real person even though bad ways came to you , you build yourself into a inspiring person I have much love for you from my heart. Tupac is and will always be the realist rapper ever. He is such a gentle and warm soul. He may of had done wrong things but no one is and will never be perfect not even me. How righteous his heart and mind is overcame the wrong he did, I belive he’s in heaven looking down on how much he accomplished being very pleased. That his message got through to alot of hearts. That his mom is helping it escalade into somethimg great I wrote a pom based on tupac I wanted to share with you, i wanted to know would it be okay to publish. Iwanted to get your okay. I plan to be a writer or lawer oneday, I’m currently in school I graduate this year, then im leaving for theair force. I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU. MUCH LOVE
Afeni Shakur you are amazing in my eyes. I can’t even imagine losing someone like Tupac from my life. He was such an amazing person. He is a true artist. His music has reached me in so many ways and still continues to with his new album “Loyal to the Game”. I read the inside message that you wrote. How people share they’re support then ask for money. I want to let you know that I share my complete and utter support and want nothing at all in return, just to share with someone how amazing Tupac was and how I wish to remember him always. I never new Tupac personally but he always will remain in my heart.
– Love Joanne
I am on my mission that is now being revealed in 2010. Last year something strange happened to me where NOW i know that they got a plot to try to get rid of all of the TRU’ 1z Of Jah! I wanna wish 2pac as many blessings as he continues to do what he is destined to do from his heart to the depth of his SOUL! He is one of the few true ones and THE TIME IS NOW FOR ALL THAT ARE APART OF THE TRUTH TO DO WHAT WE WERE SENT HERE TO DO!
GOD BLESS…………….God’sDaughter