Tupac Shakur, an iconic figure in hip-hop history, has been honored by the City of Oakland with his own street. In a ceremony on November 3, Tupac Shakur Way was unveiled along a stretch of MacArthur Boulevard near Lake Merritt, where the rapper resided in the early 1990s. The event attracted a crowd of enthusiastic family members, former collaborators, and fans.
Notable figures from the Bay Area, including E-40, MC Hammer, Spice 1, Money B, Richie Rich, B-Legit, Davey D, and Sway Calloway, attended the ceremony. Shakur’s siblings Mopreme and Sekyiwa, his earliest manager Atron Gregory, and representatives from the community, including members of the Black Panther Party, were also present.
As the crowd nodded their heads to the music of Tupac Shakur, which played from large speakers, friends and collaborators took turns expressing his profound influence. Money B, who recorded and performed alongside Shakur in Digital Underground, recalled the significance of the MacArthur apartment, stating that it was where Tupac had his first set of keys and where he and Big D created much of the music for 2Pacalypse Now. According to Money B, it was like a factory.
This tribute to Tupac Shakur is a fitting recognition of his immense contribution to the world of hip-hop and his lasting impact on the culture. Honoring him with his own street not only commemorates his legacy but also serves as a reminder of his influential presence in Oakland during his formative years.
