Afeni Shakur Davis, mother of late rap legend Tupac Shakur who was the subject of one of his most iconic songs and who oversaw his posthumous legacy, died today at age 69.
According to NY Daily News, Marin County deputies responded to Shakur’s home in Sausalito, Calif., Monday night after she suffered a possible cardiac arrest, the sheriff’s office said Tuesday morning. She was taken to a local hospital and died just before 10:30 p.m.
Shakur, born Alice Faye Williams, changed her name when she moved to New York City and joined the Black Panther movement. She and other party members were arrested in 1969 and charged with conspiracy to bomb multiple, busy city landmarks.
In May 1971, she was acquitted on all charges — and she gave birth to Tupac just one month later.
She was the subject of his 1995 song “Dear Mama,” in which Tupac detailed his childhood struggles and respect for his mother.
“There’s no way I can pay you back/But the plan is to show you that I understand/You are appreciated,” he rapped.
After her son’s 1996 shooting death, Shakur took over the late rapper’s estate, which reportedly earns about $900,000 each year.
Earlier this year, she filed for divorce from her husband of 12 years, Gust Davis, and was allegedly in a legal battle over the fortune, TMZ reported. Davis demanded half of the monthly $20,000 Shakur took home every month.
In 2014, Shakur co-produced “Holler If Ya Hear Me,” a Broadway jukebox musical featuring her son’s works.
A movie about Tupac’s life, “All Eyez on Me,” is set for release in November, with Danai Gurira cast as Shakur. Shakur served as an executive producer for the film.
The Marin County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office will lead the investigation to determine the cause and manner of Shakur’s death.
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