FCN 02/05/2002
The Queen's Scene
The rose that grew from
concrete
Legendary poet Sonia Sanchez reflects on the life and
legacy of rapper Tupac Shakur
by Michelle Muhammad
There are very few people who can say that they really knew Tupac Shakur and his family. World-renowned poet Sonia Sanchez is one of those people. Like many who love hip hop music and rapper Tupac Shakur, she was affected deeply by his untimely death, as many of us were.
Ms. Sanchez was very close to the Shakur family. As young Black America continues to show its devotion to the late rapper some five years after his death, Sis. Sonia spoke exclusively to The Final Call about his mother, Afeni, the Tupac she knew and about first hearing that he died and his most recent work.
"Many of us have known Pac since he was a boy. We supported Afeni Shakur when she was on trial in New York City. Not only was it monetary support, it was moral as well. So we remember the child, not the young man, but the child when he was born. All of our children were born around the same time. Therefore, Pac is our son too, if you understand," she said.
"Like most mothers, when you hear loud music you say turn it off. One day my children were listening to some rap and I started to really hear the lyrics. I said to my twins, who is that? They said, �That�s a brother by the name of Tupac Shakur;� and I dropped the glass I was holding. My son said, �Mom, are you O.K.?� I said �has anyone told you that all of the Shakurs are either in prison, dead or in exile?� "
Continuing between sobs, she said, "My children went on to tell me that Tupac had come up in a house that was political and hadn�t even connected the name. It was then that I connected the name. So when you heard that he had been shot and he was dead, then you go out and walk and ask the ancestors to receive this young man because he�s our son."
A little over a year ago, the CD and book The Rose That Grew From Concrete Vol. 1 was released. It was a project that was brought to life by Tupac�s mother, Afeni Shakur. It was never before seen works by the late poet/actor and rapper put to music by world- renowned poets, actors and singers. Sonia was particularly drawn to participate in this project.
"This was a very important project. I think that Nikki Giovanni, Danny Glover, Jasmine Guy and myself got involved a great deal with that project because of Afeni Shakur. Sis. Afeni wanted to publish his poetry. Sis. Nikki did the intro and she wanted to put it on CD and tape because perhaps a lot of people would not read. So you go and you do this kind of CD because he�s your son too, if you understand. I think this is a very important CD. What Nikki, Danny Glover and Jasmine Guy have done is great.
"I think Pac was a genius and a prophet, if you define prophet as one who tells the truth. He came with truth and said what was going on and what was happening. It crossed class, color and gender. When I walk on Temple University�s campus, professors come up to me and say, I don�t know why my son listens to this I say to them, he�s listening because he hears the truth and if many more of you told the truth in the classroom, many more of them would listen to you, too. So we hope that people do continue to buy that CD and tape and listen to the mothers and fathers.
"It begins with Babatunde Olatinji, who is a grandfather, and the drums of Africa and it ends with Chief Okena Littlehawk, a Native American. These are the words of the ancestors and we are here to celebrate this great young man Tupac Amaru Shakur."
Like so many of our young men, Tupac was brilliant and multi-talented at best. He was filled with so much promise that was snuffed out by one act of senseless violence. As with those before him, Pac was a great storyteller. But most of all, he was a socially conscious human being with a heart.
(Michelle Muhammad may be reached via her email at: mail to: [email protected])