Dear Tupac Shakur.....

This letter was written the night of Tupac's death from the cell of his stepfather, Mutulu Shakur, inside the federal penitentiary in Florence, Colo.

To my son Tupac: I love you whenever....forever. Tupac, so much I needed to say, so much you wanted to say. Many conversations between us within the ether, whenever forever. The pain inflicted that scarred your soul but not your spirit gave force to the rebellion. Many couldn't see your dreams or understand your nightmares. How could they, Tupac? I knew your love and understood your passion. But you knew of your beginning and saw your end....racing towards it. You taught and fought through your songs and deeds. RATT-TATT-TATT of words penetrating the contradiction of our existence. Whenever....forever Who cares? We cared, Tupac. The Shakurs have been guided by struggle, prepared or not, whenever....forever. We've exposed our existence, naked from fear, to those who would hear the positive. Who would witness the stress, wear and tear of this lonely path. You couldn't have evaded the effect or the changes. You inherited it, it was in your genes. But still, you danced your dance, you lived your life. You forced loyality on those who would fake and shake at the true vision. You were Tupac Like the four seasons, we come to this planet taking form, becoming elements of nature, Some of us are only one season, and others like you were part of many seasons.

This dynamic will scare most anyone who realized the burden at such an early stage of life. You fought well. We love you. We understand....forever, whenever. Please give my love to our family. Ask them to help you on the other side. Tell Zayd, Lumumba, Aby, Brother Leggs, Mtaryi, Attallah, that they are to continue to help us down here. Shakur's love is strong. Whenever....forever Friday 13th didn't mean a thing. Life is for living and dying well. Whenever.....forever. Allah knows best. We choose the quality of our life. You understand the pain of disappointment in the ones we love. You pushed so many away. Burnt so many bridges so they wouldn't follow you into battles against the demons you were facing. Knowing well to what lengths you would go. This battlefield of reality is littered with many meaningless casualties You never yelled out "Somebody, save me!" You only asked for your soul to be free, whenever....forever. You told us to keep our head up, knowing the pain was coming.

Knowing to look for the strength in the heavens. Set your soul free, Tupac Amaru. We keep waiting in vain for their love Will your levitation be awakening of us all? The division unsettling to our dreams and goals? You passing demanding repentance and resistance? We keep waiting, not in vain. We give you love. Give us love. To my brother and son, these emotions are hell. I wish you well in the next journey. My soul aches for comfort. In our next life we will finish our unfinished journey. Whenever.....forever For now Tupac, we will hold our heads up. This journey is at an end, your ashes are in the wind. Friends and enimies will have to look to the stars. You are truly a star. A star navigating through the dynamics of this, your path chosen before you arrived. Lessions we've gained will materialize after you're gone. Whenever....forever Your family will keep the spirit high, for we are Shakurs. We are thankful for what life gives us. Through the pain and the struggle we are blessed by the victory. Go forward, Tupac. The victories---we will teach your mission, we are thankful for you. We love you, Tupac Shakur. We ain't mad at you, we'll be better because of you. So now I give you my tears so I might assimilate your loss and I can live on in peace. Knowing I will feed your spirit with my unconditional love, knowing you will need it on your next journey. May Allah bless you for your deeds and forgive your errors. Tupac come to me an give me strength. Love always. Your father, friend, comrade, Mutulu.