What If Tupac Lived: The Acceptance

EDITORIAL

By Joe Walker

Author’s Note: It is a thought likely pondered countless times over – where would Tupac be if he were still alive? Would he still be making music, and would he fit in today? In this exclusive tale for AllHipHop.com, I honor Pac’s life and death by creating an alternate reality, one where Tupac still lives. Enjoy.

Editor's Note: click here if you want to read the original "What If Tupac Lived" AllHipHop published in 2006.

The entire place is silent. Each person seated is dressed in their best attire, all in attendance to pay their respects. An overwhelming presence of anxiety looms amongst them, but no one dares move. Not even the slightest fidget. Every eye stares in the same direction, fixated on the person at center stage.

An as-usually well-dressed Sean “Diddy” Combs commands the glare of everyone in the Staples Center. In his wealthy hand he holds the key to breaking their trance – the envelope containing the winner of the final award of the night.

The 54^th annual Grammy’s has thus far been an entertaining showcase, a grand, concert-like spectacle of sights and sounds. Yet at this moment there is no grandeur or pageantry, not so much as a whisper. There is only Diddy, the envelope clinched between his fingers, and an unbearable anticipation shared throughout the venue. He finally speaks into the microphone, his amplified voice vibrates the arena speakers.

“And the Grammy for Album of the Year goes to… … …,“ Diddy begins, the crinkling of the paper echoes throughout Staples Center as he tears it open. He reads it, then his lips rise like Broadway curtains. Behind them stands a smile as bright as the house lights. Diddy reveals the winner with unbridled enthusiasm.

“My Time Away!!! Tupac Shakur!!!”

The Staples Center is immediately engulfed by ovation. The sound rivals a tidal wave. The entire audience springs to their feet and engages in a raging round of applause. Tupac is still seated, his face twisted by disbelief. As he shakes his head he covers his face with his hand, the small specs of gray in his beard peaking from underneath. Those seated around him are encouraging Tupac to stand, begging him to lift from his cushion to go claim his prize. Diddy begins to beckon from the stage.

“C’mon up here Pac!” he shouts into the microphone. All within earshot are excited but nervous. Earlier in the night Tupac won Song of the Year for his comeback single “Bullets”, an emotionally charged, auto-biographical tale produced by Combs. Neither man took the stage. This encounter, though, was unavoidable; as if scripted, pre-plotted by unknown parties prior to the ceremony.

But for a minute Tupac does not move. Not even his wife Keyshia could budge him. He remains seated, weighed down by his own racing thoughts. Tupac has not yet spoken a word publicly or to the media - not one television, radio, or magazine interview - since awaking from his near decade-long coma, one the media regularly reported he may never come out of. Besides his work on the album for which he’s being awarded, no one outside his very personal circle has heard him utter anything. And right now they’re rapid, foaming at the mouth to hear what Tupac will say once he finally breaks his silence.

The pressure of his peers and fans is insurmountable. Tupac finally gets to his feet which only amplifies the ovation. He first turns to his mother, Afeni, standing to his right. She congratulates her son with a hug then a kiss. Tupac turns to his left where his wife awaits. Their lips meet. He pulls from her, quickly catching her tears with his thumbs. She smiles, then hands him his walking cane. He straightens his suite coat before making his way toward the stage.

The sound of the bellowing audience presses firmly against Tupac’s back. It feels like they’re pushing him up the stage steps. He couldn’t turn back if he wanted to. He is greeted at the top by a young lady wearing a shimmery blue dress. She hands Tupac his Grammy award, kisses him on the cheek, then whispers something in his ear.

“We’ve all been waiting years for this moment,” she exhales warmly. Next she gestures with her arm in the direction of the microphone where Diddy stands waiting. He is no longer smiling, face stone serious. Neither man so much as moves an inch toward the other for several seconds. For the on-looking audience their stand-off seems to take hours. Finally Diddy extends his hand, Tupac responds by extending his own. The two entertainment icons known infamously as bitter rivals shook hands, much to the delight of the audience. What happens next gives them even greater satisfaction.

Tupac Shakur and Sean “Diddy” Combs pull each other in for a brotherly embrace.

“I’m sorry,” they say to one another simultaneously, breaking their embrace only to stare at each other with shock. Then they erupt into laughter, a relieving laughter.

“Thanks for accepting the track,” Diddy shouts over the audience applause.

“Thanks for sending it,” responds Tupac in similar volume.

“Well…they’re waiting!”

Diddy steps away as Tupac approaches the microphone. The audience expresses their approval with an increased volume of cheers. Their ovation is deafening. Tupac absorbs their approval, turning his head at a turtle’s pace to view everyone who stands before him. Slowly the clapping begins to subside, yet no one sits down. Everyone remains standing. Moments later the room returns to silence. All eyes were on Tupac.

“I…” he begins, speaking softly into the device. “I first want to thank…”

Just then an unknown person somewhere in the audience abruptly shouts out, “We love you Tupac!”

“I love y’all too,” Tupac says in return. The rest of the audience responds by clapping. Tupac lifts the Grammy award eyelevel and glances at it. He smiles. A single tear tumbles down his cheek as he finally begins to deliver his acceptance speech.

“First I have to thank and honor my mother, the powerful queen Afeni Shakur. Momma I was gone, I was nothing more than a body. I was a lifeless burden. You could have let me go, let the doctors do whatever to end my suffering, your suffering. But you didn’t. You knew I’d come out! And for THAT…I appreciate you more than even I could put into words! I love you momma.” The audience applauds.

“I basically died that night with Suge when I got shot. But my music didn’t, because I have true friends in this game who didn’t let it die! So I thank Tha Outlawz; y’all was still my soldiers, my brothers, and I love you. And I’m glad y’all was men and squashed that beef shit!” The audience chuckles as Tupac flashes an embarrassed smile, realizing his error of using profanity on live television. “Oh, sorry… Thank you to Amadeus and Kay Slay, ya’ll some noble brothers for being part that.

“I want to thank Eminem for just being a real fan and doing what you did with my music. I want to thank all the mixtape DJs who refused to let my words go unheard. And to all the new artists who’ve been trying to get new verses with me and I didn’t respond… Don’t take it personal. Get over it. It wasn’t about you, it was about the music! I was waiting for my heart to lead me back to the booth, not an invite, not a club track, and definitely not somebody that’s just hot right now!” The audience applauds.

“I was sleep 10 years and my records was still selling. I didn’t have to change with the times because what I did, what WE did as Hip Hop artists before I got shot was timeless. Apparently, I did the same thing with “My Time Away”. The audience applauds.

“I’d like to thank Puffy for… Oh, excuse me; I’d like to thank Diddy for working with me, even though we never got in the studio together. That song… Both of our lives, hell all our lives have been affected by bullets, so Diddy you and me was the perfect combo for that song.” The audience applauds.

“And to Miss Wallace… it broke my heart to hear about Biggie. I never wanted any of this to happen. I never wanted any of our lives to be affected like that. He was a father, a dope ass MC, and most important a son who was loved by his mother infinitely. Just like mine. My apologies and my condolences.” The audience cheers loudly.

“To my amazing wife Keyshia Cole-Shakur, I can’t thank you enough for sticking by me as my friend, for building my confidence back up to not just rhyme again, but to walk again. Thank you for getting me back in that studio. I love you baby!” The audience applauds.

“And finally to the fans… Thank you for supporting me, for getting me here and staying down with me. Thank you for all the cards and all the prayers. You brought me back. I could not have done none of this without y’all! None of us artists can live, literally or professionally, without your acceptance. So this award, and this album, is for you! I love you! Thank you!”

The Staples Center again fills with momentous applause. Tupac hoists his Grammy in the air above his head for all to see. He’s alive, and thanks to his music, he always will be.

REST IN PEACE, TUPAC! Chanzo ni allhiphop.com