From June 1994 to April 2002, Ms. Erica Ford ran Tupac’s Code Foundation even after the rapper had passed away. Erica, Tupac, and his stepfather Mutulu Shakur, established The Code in 1994. The mission was simply to keep young people out of jail and to decrease “Black on Black” crime. Ms. Ford tells her taled of setting up Code with Pac and Mutulu and also how the rapper’s activist legacy lives on today.
“I’m not saying I’m going to change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will change the world.”
-Tupac Shakur
Behind the chalk line it was just another crime but in the heart and soul of Hip-Hop, a GIANT was gone. As we Celebrate what would have been Tupac Amaru Shakur’s 39th birthday, I look back on his body of work. It was more than beefs. It was the beginning of a trend to lull us to sleep and take away so many of our young right before our eyes. The idea that “The Good Die Young” is why Pac worked hard to make “The Code of Thug Life” a reality in street. As the quote predicted, I know his death sparked a fire in me that guarantees that I will never give up on making “The Code” a reality in our streets.
As we built a youth movement of Hip-Hop heads who were bold, audacious, committed and conscious of the need to believe in something other than themselves “The Code” became unwritten law. It was watching Black Power and Hip-Hop come together strong and united.
Back home in Brooklyn, a new Hip-Hop beat was taking over the streets, Tupac had taking the world by storm and he was angry, dedicated and powerful. He too wanted to connect the love for Hip-Hop and the movement together. Our respected triple OG’s, Viola Plummer and Mutulu Shakur (Tupac’s stepfather) brought us together. It was time for “The Code” to the Thug Life to come out of the minds of prisoners to the heart and soul of young people on the streets. From South Central Los Angeles to Atlanta, Georgia and New York City the Code of the streets was making peace real.
Tupac was committed to hood and in New York before our big kick off concert at Roy Wilkins Park, Queens in 1994 I brought the OG’s and Tupac to chop it up in my living room on how we can really bring a Code to the Streets to stop the killings and put a law down that hustlers would follow. We had to bring peace to the hoods so that people could live in peace again. I pulled together Stretch (R.I.P.), Tupac, Supreme of Preme Team, Tropper from Farmers Crew, Chaz of Blackhand and couple others and we put a blueprint for order together. The sad thing was that the cycle of destruction continued, and most of these men were either incarcerated or killed.
We’ve gone from the hood to the White House, and almost 14years later, Hip Hop has changed the world. Nevertheless, The Good Are Still Dying Too Young.
“Enough is Enough It’s Time to Bury Da Beef”
BEEF what is it all for? Why do we keep promoting it and how many LIVES do we have to lose for us to STOP IT? Where did it all start? I don’t think the shooters or the victims really even know.
In the spirit of Tupac, Biggie Smalls, Jam Master Jay, Freaky Tah, and the hundreds of thousands of young people killed who are almost nameless, lets come together, promote peace and LIFE. Instead of foolish beefs and battles over nothing, lets battle over who can rep their Hood the Best, who can send the most kids to camp or college, who can open the flyest music, arts, athletic or education center in the hood. Battle over who can give the best concerts or family events in the hood.
We are keeping Tupac’s dream alive. This summer we have a goal to take as many kids off the streets and get them involved in different activities created by I Love My LIFE VIP (Violence, Intervention and Prevention) Team. In New York City, about 189 people have been murdered and 6,945 felony assaults have occurred. That is almost a murder per day.
Let’s not allow Our Loved Ones to Be KILLED today!! Do Something! Say Something! I Love My LIFE!!
Today we are doing a tribute to Tupac, to remember him for the great man that he was and to remind everybody that the spark he set off in the 90’s is a raging inferno in the hearts of us that remain inspired.
What: I Love My LIFE VIP Tribute to Tupac Amaru Shakur
When: Wednesday June 16, 2010 @ 5pm-8pm Where: Occasions Banquet Hall 127-08 Merrick Blvd Springfield Gdns, NY 11413———-
For more on Hip-Hop and Politics, go
to:https://allhiphop.com/stories/editorial/archive/2010/6.aspxor
http://www.thegrio.com/specials/hip-hop-politics-from-the-beat-to-the-ballot/
