The Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts (TASCA) last week unveiled the memorial bronze statue of hip-hop rap icon Tupac Shakur, making Tupac the first rap icon to immortalized in bronze.

An emotional Afeni Shakur welcomed over one thousand people to share the unveiling with her and other Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts supporters.

It has been nine years since the rap icon, poet, actor, and activist was assassinated in Las Vagas while riding wiith his friend and boss, the CEO of Death Row Records Marion ‘Suge’ Knight.

Due to the continuing efforts of Tupac’s mother, Afeni, the rap icons legacy is well preserved and is contributing to society in ways that would surely make Tupac proud.

The statue occupies the center of the 6-acre Peace Garden, surrounded by poetry and quotations from Tupac’s body of work.  The seven-foot sculpture sits atop a three-foot base and features the rap industrys top-selling superstar adorned in a suit (based on an outfit actually worn by Tupac) and holding a copy of his famous book of poetry penned when he was only 19, The Rose that Grew from Concrete.

Reverend Minister Server led the attendees in an exhilarating, heartening prayer, followed by a moment of silence in memory of Tupac and "all the other fallen souls."

The statue was designed by noted sculptor Tina Allen, who has earned a reputation immortalizing great figures from African-American history ranging from Nat King Cole to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  However, Tupac is the first rap star ever to be memorialized in bronze.

Ms. Allen said, "I was deeply moved to see so many people brought to tears upon first seeing the sculpture – it was clear that something very special had come into all of our lives through this remarkable young poet.  Usually, people will applaud or cheer – but these people were reacting to Tupac's statue on an entirely different level.  Every generation picks their own heroes – and from the incredible display of emotion I was blessed to witness on Tuesday, this generation's hero is clearly Tupac Shakur."

On September 20, Tupac Shakur’s poetry is celebrated by some of hip hop’s finest with the release of ‘The Rose, Vol. 2’, a collection of songs inspired by the poems Tupac wrote as a teenager. Read ThugLifeArmy.com’s review of this truly remarkable work HERE.

In order to complete the Tupac Center, the Foundation is still requires an additional $3 million.  For those wishing to contribute, information can be found at these websites: www.2PAClegacy.com or www.TASF.org

Please visit those sites and buy a ‘brick’ and become part of this great tribute to one of America’s true icons. Tupac was much more than a mere rap artist or a hip-hop star. His life is full of intelligent thoughts. Learn more about the man Tupac Shakur at www.ThugLifeArmy.com or visit the only official Tupac Shakur web site www.2PAClegacy.com .