The votes are in! The late hip hop icon Tupac Amaru Shakur will forever be remembered in the city of Oakland with a street named in his honor. The unanimous decision came earlier this week.
Born in Harlem, New York, the East Coast native moved to California as a teen and got his start in the rap game while living in Oakland. The city’s plan is to show that they understand. MacArthur Boulevard between Grand Avenue and Van Buren Avenue will be renamed “Tupac Shakur Way.” ABC News 7 shared the announcement yesterday (May 17) after city council members agreed on Tuesday (May 16). At this moment, there has been no announced timeline on when fans will see the “Keep Ya Head Up” artist’s name on street signs, but city leaders appreciate his impact.
The city council legislation said the street name change will recognize his contributions to Oakland and celebrate art and culture as a catalyst for societal change. Makaveli got his SoCal start after working with one of the pioneering groups of hip hop, Digital Underground, where he made his debut on their 1991 single “Same Song” after serving as their hype man. The Tupac Shakur Foundation will cover the costs for commemorative plaques and signage.
His untimely death came on Sept. 13, 1996, when the Poetic Justice actor was gunned down in Las Vegas. However, his legacy lives on. Just last month, “Dear Mama,” the Allen Hughes-directed docuseries that takes a deep dive into the history between Tupac and his mother, Afeni Shakur, broke records as FX’s most-watched unscripted debut in cross-platform viewers. “Allen’s examination of Tupac viewed through the prism of his mother, Afeni, is a fascinating take that really gets beneath the education and experience that shaped his life and inspired him to become one of the greatest artists ever,” FX Entertainment President Nick Grad said at the time.