"Can you picture my prophecy?" -- Tupac Shakur, lyrics from "Me Against the World" Few could have pictured the enormous impact that rapper Tupac Shakur would continue to have after his death, inspiring and influencing youth and music just as strongly as he did during his life. He is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling rap/hip-hop artist of all time (most sold posthumously), and has had 17 Top Ten singles in the United States.
It makes sense Shakur would be the first rapper ever to be immortalized in world-famous Madame Tussauds Las Vegas, the global wax museum that creates extraordinary replicas of the world's prominent icons. The figure was recently unveiled after being constructed in London. As the most requested celebrity to appear in the legendary museum, the addition to the Las Vegas location comes on the 10th anniversary of his passing.
Shakur's lyrical prowess transcended the negative connotations that are unjustly tagged to hip-hop, and perhaps now, as the Las Vegas community deals with its own acceptance of the rap industry, there is no better time for his presence return. His songs tackle issues far beyond the common ideas associated with the art form; metaphors chase political, economic and racial-equality messages through his words.
With Shakur's likeness joining those of musicians from Jimi Hendrix to Frank Sinatra, Madame Tussauds seems to recognize that rap culture is something much more than just a fad.