The Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts (TASCA) will unveil a bronze memorial statue of the late rapper on September 13 in Atlanta. The unveiling takes place on the nine-year anniversary of Tupac’s death and will occupy the center of the six-acre Peace Garden, which was erected earlier this year.
The ceremony will feature a performance from the Tupac Summer Performing Arts Camp kids and discussions with TASCA founder Afeni Shakur.
“This statue will serve as a reminder to all those who visit the Peace Garden of the love and hope for peace my son always held in his heart,” Mother Shakur said. “This sculpture and the center that surrounds it will carry Tupac’s message on down to our children’s children.”
Tina Allen constructed the statue and the sculptor previously crafted bronze monuments of notable individuals like Nat King Cole and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The monument looms at six-feet tall and will be inside a fountain in the shape of the gothic cross associated with Tupac.
“What a pleasure to create a sculpture for a beautiful charismatic young man who left us too soon,” said Allen. “Now his legacy is drawing our children to the arts, encouraging them to dream a bigger dream, no matter what their circumstances.”
The unveiling ceremony is free to attend and tickets for the reception to follow can be purchased for $50 or for a donation of $100, you can attend the reception and also receive a commemorative brick that can be engraved and used for the construction of the Tupac Center.
For more information, visit www.2paclegacy.com or www.tasf.org.
In related news, Eagle Rock Entertainment, through an agreement with Death Row Records, will release a DVD/UMD featuring never before seen footage of Pac live in concert.
The footage was taken from a concert at the House of Blues in Los Angeles on July 4, 1996. The video features guest spots from Snoop, Outlawz, Nate Dogg, Jodeci, Daz and Kurupt and will also be packaged with several of Pac’s music videos.
“Tupac Shakur: Live at the House of Blues” will be available worldwide in October 2005.