Kendrick Lamar Writes Tribute to Tupac Shakur on the 19th Anniversary of His Death

To commemorate the 19th anniversary of his death, Kendrick Lamar decided to write a tribute to one of his musical inspirations, Tupac Shakur.

In a letter shared on a website dedicated to the late rapper, 2pac.com, Lamar details a time he saw Shakur and how he was inspired by his artistry.

"I was 8 yrs old when I first saw you. I couldn't describe how I felt at that moment. So many different emotions. Full of excitement. Full of joy and eagerness,” Lamar writes. “20 yrs later I understand exactly what that feeling was. INSPIRED. The people that you touched on that small intersection changed lives forever. I told myself I wanted to be a voice for man one day. Whoever knew I was speaking out loud for u to listen. Thank you.”

Back in March, Lamar released his sophomore album, To Pimp a Butterfly, which features the closing track “Mortal Man" and a fictional posthumous conversation between Lamar and Shakur.

Throughout the exchange, which was reportedly created using quotes from a 1994 interview between Shakur and Swedish music journalist, Mats Nileskär, the two rappers discuss legacy, success and the current hip-hop generation.

Lamar previously revealed that he initially planned to name the album Tu Pimp a Caterpillar. He explained to MTV that “the abbreviation was Tupac, Tu.P.A.C.”

Shakur died Sept. 13, 1996 following a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. He was 25 years old and his killer’s identity remains a mystery. However, some of those close to Shakur, including currently incarcerated former Death Row head Suge Knight, believe he is still alive.

In May 2014, Knight shared his opinion saying if Shakur were really dead, an arrest would have been made by now. Ironically, Knight infamously drove the car carrying Shakur the night of the shooting.

Since his death, Tupac Shakur has sold over 75 million records worldwide making him one of the most commercially successful musicians of all-time. Some of his handwritten lyrics will be auctioned off this month in London.

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Kendrick Lamar, Tupac