Tupac’s mother speaks about students’ social priorities

By: Rebekah Allen
March 13, 2006

Tupac Shakur once said hip-hop was his father — but his mother undeniably remains Afeni Shakur, the former Black Panther and activist who has dedicated her life to continuing her son’s message since he was killed in 1996.

Phat Church, in conjunction with Plan-It Earth, brought Shakur to the Mckinley Alumni Center on Sunday night for her speech titled “Evolution of a Revolutionary” where she discussed her ideas about the problems with today’s society.

Shakur admitted she was a drug addict for many years of her life and that it took its toll on her son Tupac.

She played a song called “When Your Heroes Fall” written by Tupac for her while she was on drugs.

“It’s to tell everybody what it means when we destroy young people’s idols,” Shakur said.

She said she is a “saved person” now that she has recovered from her drug addiction.

“I’m 69 years old, and I became a recovering addict when I was 44,” Shakur said. “I wasted a lot of years and a lot of braincells that I’m not going to get back.”

Shakur called herself an advocate for today’s youth.

She said she is concerned about how today’s generation is prioritizing their concerns.

Shakur said the suicide rate is currently outnumbering the homicide rate for young adults.

“I need you to understand that your whole generation is being killed off,” Shakur said. “The biggest problem is not racism. If you don’t live long enough, you can’t fight racism.”

She said young people’s first priority should be their “physical salvation.”

“Your priority is staying alive,” Shakur said.

She said people are too concerned today about “name-calling” specifically when using the words “bitch” and “nigger.”

“No one has ever died from a word,” Shakur said. “You have to prioritize. Don’t start about name-calling when children are dying.”

Shakur defended her son’s career when a student asked her if the messages of hip-hop artists are degrading women and promoting gang violence.

She said the money brought in from hip-hop music has given an economic boost to the black community.

“Before the hip-hop people came, [blacks] didn’t have a dime,” Shakur said. “This is a capital base that didn’t exist before them.”

Shakur said her son had the image of a gangster rapper while he was alive, but writings promoting social activism have changed his image.

“He left an example of the impossible,” Shakur said. “He was 25 years old when he died, and he’s been vilified. Now he’s an icon.”