Waking Up Makaveli
2Pac or Makaveli has been one of the many
artists that made a huge impact in the music industry, especially
when he died. Even in death, his voice is still heard through his
legacy.
2Pac or Makaveli is a name widely
known throughout the US, not only because of his music, but also
because of the legacy he left. His mother, Afeni Shakur, have thought
of ways on how to preserve the legacy that Makaveli have left. One of
those is by founding Shakur Family Foundation (later re-named the
Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation or TASF) in 1997.
The TASF’s
stated mission is to “provide training and support for students
who aspire to enhance their creative talents.” The TASF sponsors
essay contests, charity events, a performing arts day camp for
teenagers and undergraduate scholarships.
On November 14,
2003, a documentary about Shakur entitled Tupac: Resurrection was
released under the supervision of his mother and narrated entirely in
his voice. It was nominated for Best Documentary in the 2005 Academy
Awards. Proceeds will go to a charity set up by Shakur’s mother
Afeni. On April 17, 2003, Harvard University co-sponsored an academic
symposium entitled “All Eyez on Me: Tupac Shakur and the Search
for the Modern Folk Hero.” The speakers discussed a wide range
of topics dealing with Shakur’s impact on everything from
entertainment to sociology.
In late 2003, the Makaveli Branded
Clothing line was launched by Afeni. Makaveli Branded is the official
clothing line of Tupac Shakur founded by his mother, Afeni Shakur.
Launched seven years after the death of her son, the brand’s purpose
is keeping the legacy of Tupac Shakur alive through fashion. A
portion of each sale from Makaveli Branded is donated to the Tupac
Amaru Shakur Foundation and Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts in
Stone Mountain, Georgia.
American rappers who have appeared in
print ads in support of the clothing line include Ludacris, Twista,
Bone Thugs and DJ Quik among many others. In Canada, Deejay Ra was
featured in a Makaveli Branded print ad.
At a Mobb Deep
concert following the death of the famed icon and release of The
Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, Cormega recalled in an
interview that the fans were all shouting “Makaveli” , and
emphasized the influence of the The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day
Theory and of Shakur himself even in New York at the height of
the media-dubbed ‘intercoastal rivalry’. About.com named Shakur the
most influential rapper ever.
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Tags: 2005 academy awards, academic symposium, american rappers, best documentary, bone thugs, charity events, clothing line, creative talents, dj quik, folk hero, harvard university, makaveli branded clothing, stone mountain georgia, tasf, tupac amaru shakur center, tupac amaru shakur center for the arts, tupac amaru shakur foundation, tupac resurrection, tupac shakur, undergraduate scholarships