GROWING UP IN L.A. AS A KID I WOULD ALWAYS HEAR STORIES FROM MY OLDER FRIENDS ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD SEE TUPAC RIDING DOWN THE STREET IN HIS WHITE ROLLS-ROYCE OR SHOTGUN IN SOMEONES LOW-RIDER DRIVING DOWN CRENSHAW. THAT MYSTICISM COMPELLED ME. HE WAS TALKED ABOUT LIKE SOME SORT OF GOD. I REMEMBER ME AND ONE OF MY FRIENDS WAITING OUTSIDE OF THE DEATH ROW OFFICE ON WILSHIRE FOR A WHOLE DAY WAITING TO SEE PAC ARRIVE OR LEAVE.

2PAC IS ONE OF MY BIGGEST INSPIRATIONS MUSICALLY BECAUSE I FELT HE WAS SO SELFLESS. HE STOOD FOR UNITY AND EQUALITY. HE WAS THE ONLY RAPPER AT THE TIME WHO CARED ABOUT BRENDA AND HER BABY. HE TOLD US TO KEEP OUR HEADS UP WHEN WE WERE AT OUR LOWEST. I ALWAYS HAD THIS DREAM OF ONE DAY RUNNING INTO HIM. WHAT WOULD I SAY? WHAT WOULD I ASK HIM?

TO SO MANY OF US TUPAC WAS MORE THAN A RAPPER, HE WAS A REVOLUTIONARY. HE WAS A MARTYR. HE WAS A PROPHET. HE WAS THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE. HE HAD THIS UNCANNY ABILITY TO TOUCH PEOPLE AND GIVE THEM HOPE. 2PAC WAS MURDERED AND I NEVER GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET HIM BUT I STILL LIVE VICARIOUSLY THROUGH MY OG FRIENDS’ STORIES.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES IS THAT “PEOPLE WILL FORGET EVERYTHING YOU SAID BUT THEY WILL NEVER FORGET HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.” WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE TIME THEY ENCOUNTERED PAC – EVEN IF IT WAS FOR A BRIEF MOMENT – I SEE HOW ELATED THEY WERE TO JUST HAVE MET HIM. THAT FEELING IS PRICELESS AND THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO THOSE VERY RARE MOMENTS PAC BLESSED US WITH HIS CHARISMA, CHARM, AND HUMILITY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAC.