Afeni Shakur-Davis, mother of the late rapper Tupac Shakur.
Afeni Shakur Davis, mother of late rapper Tupac Shakur, has passed away at age 69.
Shakur died late Monday night from a possible heart attack, TMZ reports. According to the Marin County Sheriff’s Department, it responded to a report of a cardiac arrest at her Sausalito, California residence around 9:43 p.m. She was transported to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 10:28 p.m.
Afeni Shakur Davis was the subject of one of her son’s most famous songs, titled “Dear Mama.” Following Tupac’s shooting death in 1997, Shakur Davis took control of her son’s estate and vowed to keep his memory alive. She was a philanthropist and founder of the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation. In 2005, Shakur Davis opened the foundation’s center in Stone Mountain, Georgia. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, she decided to open the center in DeKalb County because that’s where her son purchased his first home. The center would include a performing arts theater, art gallery, classrooms, a museum and community meeting spaces.
Born Alyce Faye Williams, Shakur Davis changed her name when she moved to New York City and joined the Black Panther Party, the New York Daily News reports. She, along with other members of the party, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to bomb multiple city landmarks in 1969. She defended herself in court proceedings and the charges were ultimately dropped in 1971. She gave birth to Tupac just a month later.
The publication also reports that Shakur Davis served as executive producer for the film “All Eyez On Me,” a biopic chronicling her son’s life. The movie, scheduled for release in November 2016, will star Danai Gurira as Afeni Shakur.
Per TMZ, the Marin County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office will lead the investigation to identify the exact cause and manner of Shakur Davis’ death.
