Tupac could win his first Grammy 27 years after his death

27 years after his death, Tupac could win his first Grammy

Tupac Shakur, wearing a hoodie and a backwards baseball cap, smiling.

By Matt PearceStaff Writer

Nov. 11, 2023 11:56 AM PT

Tupac Shakur could finally win his first Grammy, with a little help from his mom.

The rapper, who died in 1996, received a relatively little-noticed nomination Friday in the category of best music film for “Dear Mama,” a five-part FX docuseries directed by Allen Hughes now streaming on Hulu.

The series, which takes its name from Shakur’s single from the album “Me Against the World,” features Shakur’s life, music and relationship with his mother, Afeni Shakur, a Black Panther Party activist.

The Shakur film will compete against movies centered on Kendrick Lamar (“Live From Paris, the Big Steppers Tour”) and Lewis Capaldi (“How I’m Feeling Now”) as well as two other posthumous nominees, David Bowie (“Moonage Daydream”) and Little Richard (“I Am Everything”).

Bowie did win a competitive Grammy in his lifetime, but Little Richard infamously did not. “I have never received nothing,” Little Richard told the audience at the 1988 Grammy Awards. “Y’all never gave me no Grammys, and I’ve been singing for years! I am the architect of rock ‘n’ roll!” Little Richard won a lifetime achievement Grammy in 1993, but this would be his first Grammy in a competitive category.

This is Shakur’s seventh Grammy nomination and his second posthumous nod, according to Grammy data.

At the 1995 Grammys, Shakur was nominated for best rap album for “Me Against the World” and best rap solo performance for “Dear Mama.”

The next year — when Shakur wore a black pinstripe Versace suit and presented alongside KISS — Shakur was considered but passed over for best rap album (“All Eyez on Me”) and best rap performance by a duo or group (“California Love” and “How Do U Want It”).

Shakur received his first posthumous nomination in 1999 for best rap solo performance for “Changes,” which was released on the “Greatest Hits” collection.

Shakur was fatally shot on the Las Vegas strip in 1996 while riding in a BMW driven by Marion “Suge” Knight, the then-owner of Shakur’s “Death Row Records” label. He was 25.

In September, Las Vegas police made their first arrest in the long-unsolved slaying. Duane “Keffe D” Davis — who had previously admitted to riding in the car from which the shots were fired but said another passenger was the shooter — has been indicted for murder, not for pulling the trigger but on suspicion of providing the gun and encouraging the shooting.

Davis has pleaded not guilty. An attorney for Davis, Ross Goodman, has said authorities have no gun, no car and no witnesses, just Davis’ comments about the shooting over the years.

The 66th Grammy Awards are set to be held Feb. 4 at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.