I remember the day like it was yesterday. It was September 13, 1996, I was riding in the backseat of my sister’s Toyota Corolla as she drove me and my cousins down Lake Shore Drive. They were visiting from out of town and we were heading towards Navy Pier, a popular Chicago tourist attraction. Before reaching our destination, we heard a breaking news announcement on the radio: Tupac Shakur is dead. The 25-year-old rapper died from injuries he sustained six days prior.
As a 16-year-old teenager who was obsessed with Tupac before his passing, I was shocked and devastated. Like many, I believed he would pull through like he had when he was gunned down two years prior. Sadly, we were wrong.
As the years rolled by, there would be many movies, documentaries and books made about Tupac, as well as countless conspiracy theories surrounding his death and life.
But none have captured the pure essence and undeniable genius of the legendary artist like Wake Me When I’m Free, a groundbreaking hybrid museum, art installation and sensory experience curated by his estate.
I had the pleasure of visiting the 20,000-square-foot space in February and was blown away. The interactive exhibition explores Tupac’s life and legacy in incredible displays including: notebooks filled with handwritten raps and poems, screenplays, never-before-seen personal artifacts, iconic memorabilia and more. Plus, many of the displays are accompanied with an audio element that instantly elevates the experience.
From notes from his mom (the late Afeni Shakur) to clothes worn to various award ceremonies, fans get a glimpse into who Tupac was as a child up until his untimely demise. The breadth of this his work and contributions to our culture is outstanding and quite frankly, mind-blowing. To have lived only 25 short years, he accomplished things that would take most people triple the time to achieve.
Jeremy Hodges, the creative director of the exhibition worked alongside Nwaka Onwusa, who is the chief curator and VP of Curatorial Affairs at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame To honor his legacy.
“It is a privilege to be a part of such a monumental project,” Hodges said in a statement. “Tupac Shakur was my Malcolm; he was my Martin, and to build an experience that honors such a prolific man cannot be summed up in words.”
Hodges added, “We wanted to create a memorable experience that will inspire you to be better than when you walked in, all while leaving you with the knowledge that he was a true revolutionary spirit.”
Wake Me When I’m Free is currently at L.A Live with dates listed through May 1st. The exhibition will travel to different cities, but those locations and dates have not yet been released. For more information visit the museum’s official website.
What’s your favorite Tupac song or movie?
I agree with you that we all miss Tupac. I’m glad to her about his exhibiton in LA.
I going to make it trip to see it.
Thank you writting about it.
Keep Tupac alive by any means necessary!! I’m definitely putting this on my wish list!! Thanks!