With the untimely death of Hussein from the Outlawz, Pac’s memory has been revamped by fans everywhere. One of Pac’s biggest fans, Eminem, has always had a deep understanding and respect for 2Pac’s career. Since he labeled Pac as the main influence of his music career, Em felt the need to give thanks to the woman who brought him into this world. Recently, photos of Marshall Mathers’ letter to 2Pac’s mother Afeni Shakur surfaced on the Net. Read the letter in full after the jump!
In 1997, 2Pac’s mother Afeni Shakur founded the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts. The center located in Stone Mountain, Georgia is a performing-arts based community program that helps children receive opportunities to explore dance, drama, creative writing, and more. As part of the organization’s creed to keep Pac’s spirit alive, there is select memorabilia on display that celebrates his life. One gem is a handmade sketch of Tupac by Eminem along with a letter from Em to Afeni Shakur.
In the letter, Em keeps it real and thanks Afeni for the opportunities that she has given him and for being kind to him over the years. She also thanks her for creating Pac and shares just how much her son has influenced his successful career. The closing sentence pretty much sums up how Pac truly affected Em’s music.
“When I was feeling at my worst; (before fame, before Dre) I knew I could put that “Tupac” tape in, and suddenly things weren’t so bad. He gave me the courage to stand up and say, ‘F**k the world!’ ‘This is who I am! And if you don’t like it, go f**k yourself!’”
Read the entire letter and check out Eminem’s handmade sketch of Pac in the gallery!
