Whatever else anyone says he was, he may have been. But Tupac

Hear now the words of Afeni Shakur, mother, witness, and guardian of truth, who proclaimed: “Whatever else anyone says he was, he may have been. But Tupac really was a great American artist. The passage of time allows us to see things as they really are: We see the poetry; we see the personality; we see different sides.” These words are not only a remembrance of her son but a revelation of how greatness is revealed slowly, like a mountain whose peaks emerge when the mists have lifted. In her voice, there is both sorrow and triumph, for she knew the world judged Tupac in fragments, while only time could reveal the wholeness of his soul.

For in his life, Tupac Shakur was torn between contradictions: the son of revolutionaries, yet a man of the streets; a prophet of hope, yet ensnared in violence; a tender poet, yet a fiery warrior. Many saw only one face, and so they dismissed him as merely a rebel, a criminal, or an idol of youth. But time, that relentless judge, clears the fog of prejudice and shows the truth: he was, indeed, a great artist, whose voice carried the heartbeat of a generation. His work was not just music, it was testimony. His rhymes were not just rhythm, they were prophecy.

Consider his song Brenda’s Got a Baby, where Tupac told the story of a young girl lost in the cruelty of poverty and neglect. In that moment, he was no mere entertainer—he was the voice of the voiceless, the chronicler of injustice. Or think of Changes, in which he laid bare the wounds of racism, inequality, and despair, yet also planted seeds of hope. These were not idle verses; they were poetry, rising from the same ancient well as Homer’s lament for the fallen or Dante’s cry for justice. Afeni’s words remind us that when we look back, we do not only hear beats and rhymes—we hear the trembling truth of humanity.

And yet, Afeni also points to the personality, the fire of Tupac’s spirit, which was as complex and uncontainable as any hero of legend. Like Achilles, he was passionate, sometimes reckless, yet undeniably radiant with charisma. Like Alexander, he was consumed with a destiny larger than himself. Those who knew him saw laughter, tenderness, and brilliance that no headline could capture. And in time, the world begins to see not just the controversies, but the whole man: artist, son, brother, dreamer, revolutionary.

History holds many such figures whose true essence was hidden until the years passed. Vincent van Gogh, despised and dismissed in life, is now revered as a genius whose colors changed how we see the world. Martin Luther King Jr., once hounded and reviled by many, is now honored as a prophet of justice. So too with Tupac: misunderstood by some in his own day, but destined to stand among the greats. Afeni’s wisdom teaches that time itself becomes a lantern, casting light upon what was obscured, so that we may see “different sides” and recognize the fullness of a legacy.

What then shall we learn from this? Judge not too swiftly. Understand that every human being contains multitudes, contradictions, and hidden depths. Do not let the noise of gossip or the blindness of prejudice cause you to miss the greatness that dwells in another soul. Look for the poetry in people, for it is there even if buried under scars and errors. Look for the personality, the fire that animates their journey. And be patient, for often truth reveals itself only with the passing of years.

Therefore, children of tomorrow, honor those who dare to speak truth with courage, even if their voices are rough, even if their lives are not perfect. Strive yourselves to live authentically, to let your poetry—whether in words, in deeds, or in love—shine forth. And when others judge you, trust that time will speak on your behalf, as it has spoken for Tupac. For the passage of time is the great revealer, and in its mirror the essence of our humanity is laid bare. This is the lesson Afeni Shakur leaves us: that the true measure of an artist, of a soul, is not found in the noise of the moment, but in the vision revealed when the mists of time have lifted.