Tyrese met Tupac once, but their relationship did not stop there, as the soul does not die. Miraculously, the singer, actor, and sometime rapper would eventually meet and have an extremely close relationship with Afeni Shakur, Pac’s revolutionary mother. The relationship was so intimate, she hosted the Watts, CA entertainer at her ranch, and would volunteer herself as the godmother of Tyrese’s firstborn child. The movement matriarch, like the late legendary director John Singleton, would also give Ty the ultimate compliment. He reminded her of her son.
But, there is more. Tyrese explains that Tupac may have “visited” him while on his mother’s premises and he may not have been happy. Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur talked to Ty at length, in detail, about Afeni, Tupac and why he feels the spirit of the rapper may have paid him a visit in the night.
Tyrese, as told to Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur:
I went to Charlotte. Me and my ex-wife, we were on the brink of divorcing. Mrs. Afeni Shakur invited us to Charlotte…I’ve never told this story. Went to a part of Charlotte where she had a whole ranch and I slept at her place.
Now I swear to God, we’ve all had nightmares. But I never had nightmares on the level that I had while I slept at her house. And she said to me, “Everybody wants to be my son. Everybody wants to try and tap into his gangster and his alpha and being vocal and prolific and speaking up and speaking out about social injustice in the criminal…” It’s just me and mom (Afeni Shakur), she ain’t got no reason to feel what she feels. And she ain’t got no reason to say this to me. Right? “You’re the only one that reminds me of my son.”
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I sat back in my chair. And I said the only other person who said this to me was John Singleton. We’re not talking about [Tupac’s] rap career. We’re not talking about what Tupac means to us all and thinking about Tyrese/Tupac we’re not talking about that we talking about Afeni Shakur and Pac’s sister who was also there.
Then she said, “Come here.” I walked outside. And she said, “You see this right here?” I say yeah, she said, “This is my son’s gravesite. In my front yard, I buried his ashes, some of his are ashes, right here.” And she had stones and she had an actual gravesite of Tupac in her front yard. And as I was there, and I had the nightmares that I had, literally, because Pac is the alpha that he is he probably had a problem with the fact that another grown man was sleeping at his mama’s house. I don’t think he had a problem with me, I just think like,bro, brother, I’m alive. Or still here. You know? Who is this man?” Pac is protective of mom.
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“Who is this man sleeping at my mama’s house?” I don’t care if she likes you are giving you compliments and saying you remind me of. “I’m Pac whether I’m alive or dead. And I’m gonna protect my mom at all costs. Who is this man sleeping at my mom’s house And I swear, bro, we were there for probably seven-eight days. Horses was there, the ranch – beautiful outdoor. So many conversations, so many heart to hearts. I remember playing him (Tupac) my rap music. I remember so many moments. I’ve never talked about this publicly. But when Ms. Afeni Shakur – mama – passed away, It hit me very differently that it may have hit everybody else, because when I tell you tried to get in front of me and my wife originally at the time divorcing, I tell you she said that’s my grandbaby I’m that baby’s grand, grand, grand godmother. My daughter Shayla. You know godmothers, you can have 10 of them, right? She (Afeni) said, “Shayla – I’m that baby’s godmother. My son (Tupac) never had kids. You remind me of my son so your daughter is my goddaughter.”
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So as I do this legendary song with CeeLo Green with all of these uncomfortable images in it. And I continue to speak up and speak out. I’m not just one of them social media activists as living at home tweeting and instagramming from the comforts of my mansion. I’ve been marching speaking up and speaking out. I have rocked with the best of them and what I have done and then what I continue to do may never be on the main stage. But I know what I’m doing and I know what I stand for. And at the end of the day, I will go back to saying, “Why did I open up and go on to so many details and uncensored?”
because this point, there’s only so many shine builders, Rolls Royces, watches and diamonds, video vixens with leg muscles and a##, and cleavage. And all of this that’s going to inspire folks. People need to know the truth. They need to they need you to sit there, be transparent, and unpack it. It’s really good to be on the Forbes list, but we need to know how you got through the mental, emotional and psychological traumas that most people face while getting to that particular net worth.