SAUSALITO, Calif., May 3 (UPI) — Afeni Shakur, the mother or hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur, has died at the age of 69.
Confirmed by the Marin County Sheriff’s Office, authorities arrived at Afeni’s home Monday responding to a report of a possible cardiac arrest.
She was transferred to a local hospital where she died shortly after.
“Sheriff’s Coroners Office will lead investigation to determine exact cause & manner of Afeni Shakur’s death,” noted the official Twitter account of the Marin Country Sheriff’s Office, which has continued to provide updates on her death.
Born Alice Faye Williams, Afeni is known for joining the Black Panther movement in the 1960s, where she changed her name, becoming the subject of her son’s hit 1995 song “Dear Mama.” She managed Tupac’s estate following his death in 1996.
“There’s no way I can pay you back/But the plan is to show you that I understand/You are appreciated,” Tupac rapped on the song showcasing the deep respect he had for this mother.
In 2014, Afeni co-produced a Broadway musical featuring music from Tupac entitled “Holler If Ya Hear Me.”
Tupac was shot on Sept. 7, 1996 in Las Vegas, dying from his injuries six days later. The shooter was never caught.
