“As an educator, it’s uplifting to have an opportunity to work with emerging leaders who are currently using their transferrable skills and talents as a catalyst for change throughout the City of Baltimore and beyond. Tenyo Pearl, professor at Coppin State University. Similar to many other Hip Hop pioneers such as Baltimore’s own AP Crew, Numarx, The Uno Girls and We Rock Krew, Tupac’s work often touched upon social issues that impacted the lives of many individuals from various walks of life,“ said Dr. “As a member Generation X, I have an affinity to listening to Hip Hop music. “We were in an English class together and he came to the house to work on a history project.” Lee said when Shakur would get tired, he’d crash on the couch in the living room out of the blue. She lived north of Tupac but he would see that she got home on late school evenings when it was dark. Lisa Lee (full disclosure, this writer’s niece) once said to her mother (my sister), “You ought to know who Tupac is, mom, he’s slept on your couch.” Lee remembers them riding the number 8 bus to school in the mornings with him jumping on with his breakfast bowl in hand. Thoughts from a Schoolmate and Lifelong Devotee Smith donated $1,000,000 to the Baltimore School for the Arts and named the theatre to honor her very dear friend. He befriended the likes of Jada Pinkett (Smith) and others who remain devoted to his memory to this day. He engaged in rap battles in the hallways and found his voice which would become powerful and pointed, but captivating as he drew the fruits of his labor, his loyal following. For two years he attended Dunbar High School on the Eastside but transferred to the Baltimore School for the Arts, where he found Shakespeare, dramatic arts, and friendships.
He lived at 3955 Greenmount Avenue (Pen Lucy) with his mother, Afeni Shakur, and his younger sister, Sekyiwa.
He grew up in Baltimore, went to school here and captured the hearts of many in this town and eventually around the world.Īnd so, Baltimore will honor him with Tupac Shakur Commemoration Week from September 11 to 17 on this 25 th anniversary of his death (September 13, 1996) at 25 years of age. And Tupac Shakur stepped out from the crowd and spoke his words of wisdom, of freedom, of truth and life and love. He was educated in Baltimore at the Writing Seminars Program at Johns Hopkins University in the early 1970s. And that too was good and his name was Gil Scott Heron. Then along came a poet-jazz musician (magician) who informed us “the revolution will not be televised,” and also, he sang truths to power (Say, what’s the word? Johannesburg!) during the anti-apartheid protests. It came forth from a group known as the Last Poets and they blended and recorded 60s music and poetry from the movement and it was good.