Afeni Shakur, the political activist mother of slain rap icon Tupac Shakur who inspired her son’s work and strived to keep his legacy alive, has died. She was 69.
The Marin County, California, Sheriff’s Department confirmed her death on Twitter. The agency said deputies were responding to a report of a possible cardiac arrest at Shakur’s Sausalito home, but no other details were provided.
Born Alice Faye Williams, Shakur changed her name as an adult when she became politically active and joined the Black Panther movement. She was pregnant with Tupac in 1971 and incarcerated while she and other Panthers faced conspiracy charges that were later dismissed.
As she bounced from New York City to Baltimore to California, falling deeper into drugs and the Black Panther movement, she enrolled young Tupac in several arts schools and programs, where he honed the natural musical and acting gifts that would make him a hip-hop icon.
Afeni Shakur was an inspiration for her son’s music and oversaw his musical catalog and legacy after his death. She was the subject of Tupac Shakur’s 1995 hit “Dear Mama,” and fans on social media referenced the song in tweets and posts.
