In a moving tribute, a section of MacArthur Boulevard in Oakland, California, has been renamed Tupac Shakur Way, honoring the late rap icon 27 years after his tragic death. The dedication ceremony took place on November 3 and was attended by Shakur’s family, including his sister Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur, who emotionally addressed the crowd, expressing her hope that his spirit would continue to live on in their hearts.

MC Hammer, who spent the final months with Shakur before his shooting death in 1996, hailed him as the “greatest rapper ever” in his remarks. The ceremony also featured contributions from Shakur’s collaborator Money-B and Oakland hip-hop legend Too Short.

Tupac Shakur’s music career began in Oakland, Calif. with the group Digital Underground — and now the city has named a street after the rap star, who died in 1996. Sway Calloway led the ceremony. pic.twitter.com/PJlDrW2aHZ

— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) November 3, 2023

While Shakur was born on the East Coast, he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area with his mother in the late 1980s, eventually settling in Oakland in the early 1990s, which he embraced as his adopted hometown. City Councilwoman Carroll Fife led the effort to rename the street, emphasizing Shakur’s connection to and love for Oakland.

The ceremony followed the recent plea of not guilty by a former Southern California street gang leader, Duane Keith “Keffe D” Davis, in the Las Vegas shooting death of Tupac Shakur. Davis, who was charged with orchestrating the shooting, is the sole surviving occupant of the vehicle from which the fatal shots were fired. This marked the first criminal charge in connection to Shakur’s murder, occurring 27 years ago. Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, Shakur’s family primarily focused on celebrating his life and his lasting legacy at the street renaming ceremony.