Kendrick Lamar Writes Letter to Tupac on 19th Anniversary of His Passing

19 years ago today, Tupac Amaru Shakur died. In honor to his late idol, Kendrick Lamar penned a touching tribute on 2Pac’s official site.

I was 8 yrs old when I first saw you. I couldn’t describe how I felt at that moment. So many emotions. Full of excitement. Full of joy and eagerness. 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.

K.L.

K. Dot’s admiration for the late rapper has been well-documented. As an eight-year old, he witnessed Tupac and Dr. Dre film the video for “California Love” at the Compton Swap Meet. He told Rolling Stone.

“I want to say they were in a white Bentley,” Lamar said. “These motorcycle cops trying to conduct traffic but one almost scraped the car, and Pac stood up on the passenger seat, like, ‘Yo, what the fuck!’ Yelling at the police, just like on his motherfucking songs. He gave us what we wanted.”