Kendrick Lamar Pens Letter to Tupac on 19th Anniversary of His Passing
"The people that you touched on that small intersection changed lives forever," writes Kendrick. "I told myself I wanted to be a voice for man one day."
Kendrick Lamar's adoration for the creative work and cultural importance of the late Tupac Shakur is well-documented, with Lamar professing his emotional attachment to the Tupac discography in both interviews and and his own work. As Sunday marks the 19th anniversary of the iconic lyricist's tragic passing, Shakur's estate updated their official website to include a touching tribute from Lamar, detailing his introduction to the legend as a child and that meeting's continued influence on his career today:
Tupac makes an appearance of sorts on Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly closer "Mortal Man," depicting a fictional conversation between the two. Shortly after that instaclassic's release, Lamar also revealed that the original title was actually Tu Pimp a Caterpillar, the abbreviation of which (Tu.P.A.C.) was another nod to Lamar's earliest inspiration.
In 2011, Lamar revealed that Tupac once visited him in his sleep:
R.I.P. Tupac
