On
the 19th anniversary of the death of Tupac Shakur, the legendary rapper has received a touching tribute
from one of his own lyrical "offspring," Kendrick Lamar.
The
"King Kunta" rapper penned an open letter to his hero, posted to
Pac's official site, describing the time he first saw him in person, at the
Compton Swap Meet during the filming of his "California Love" music
video.
"I
was 8 yrs old when I first saw you. I couldn't describe how I felt at that
moment. So many emotions. Full of excitement. Full of joy and eagerness. 20 yrs
later I understand exactly what that feeling was. INSPIRED," Lamar writes.
"The people that you touched on that small intersection changed lives
forever. I told myself I wanted to be a voice for man one day. Whoever knew I
was speaking out loud for u to listen. Thank you, K.L."
Pac's
influence on Lamar runs deep. He would later shoot a scene at that same swap
meet for his "King Kunta" music video, a clear nod to his idol. And
the final track of his critically-revered album To Pimp a Butterfly, "A Mortal
Man," is built around a fictional conversation between him and Shakur,
with Lamar saying, "Being one of your offspring of the legacy you left
behind I can truly tell you that there's nothing but turmoil goin' on..."
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