The FBI and My Son Tupac

BY MUTULU SHAKUR

from BLU (www.blumag.com)
August 2000

Cultural expression is the first stage of a People’s Resistance.

Culture speaks to the very base of the people’s awareness, and awareness creates a collaboration against aggression and oppression. At this point in history, the bottom line is that young people dominate the expression of rebellion and resistance in their struggle against the pain and toward mental, physical, and spiritual liberation.

The assassination of Tupac Amaru Shakur and Notorious Biggie Small is an indication that progressive rappers from the New African nation will be targets of COINTELPRO as long as they continue to effect the hearts and minds of our young souls. It’s very important that the hip hop and funk jazzz dwellers understand the specific role CONINTELPRO played in our movement, and what effects that tactic will have on efforts to organize. COINTELPRO is a serious military strategy against an unconscious, divided civilian population. It’s important to understand our enemy but never have fear. Our counterattack must be based on a historical analysis that captures the highs and lows of the historical struggle waged by sisters and brothers of the Black Liberation Movement.

There is no question of Tupac’s impact on the hip hop generation and on the social political attitudes of many youth and the disposition of many street crews.

Whatever may be said about my son and a few others, there was never a loss for political analysis and social evaluation in his albums.

There was always a political discussion of his movement, the hiphop generation, and he continued to give explanations and descriptions as opposed to just glorification of the dynamic of the street reality. I have an obligation to speak of Tupac’s influence as it concerns Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War. The Shakur family’s continued struggle for liberation of our people has led to many of its members being Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War. For this reason, it was natural for Tupac to ally with the lockdown and demand that his peers support Sekou, Mumia, Geronimo, and others. It was also natural for him to understand the best character of street life and to struggle with the negative. That’s why he and I push for “the code of the thug life.”

The natural response to the void left by the struggle waged in the Black Liberation movement and other political movements is the emergence of an aggressive belligerent youth response to the oppressive social condition. Without political leadership, the focus of that aggression splintered.

The fact that many people of various ages and cultures have some understanding of the joy and pain of the present condition of oppressed people and awareness of Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War is because Tupac and rappers of the hip hop nation have established rap as the revolutionary culture.

We strongly believe that our future is in the hands of the young folks.

We have not forgotten as Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War why we were prepared to sacrifice.

Now is a very important period for the struggle. In order to lead, you must establish some guidelines and principles of unity and character, a character that comes from a revolutionary culture. Then when we say to the street crews and underworld dwellers to create a code and stand on it, we know it can help to bring the unity we need on an international level for our next generation.

It is your duty to free the Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War of our movement. You have to unravel the self-destruction and give voice to the pain caused by the combination of oppression and horizontal aggression, as Tupac did. If we do, we will change the condition of our people. We believe in the strength given us through the spirit of our ancestors and our martyrs who sacrificed for our future.

We give honor to Tupac Amaru Shakur.
All Power to rappers in the Hip Hop Nation who dare to Struggle.
Freedom which comes from struggle is the truest liberation.
Stiff resistance

Dr. Mutulu Shakur
83205-012
Box PMB
USP Atlanta, GA 30315

(In 1987 acupuncturist and community health care worker Mutulu Shakur was sentenced to 60 years by the federal government, for his role in the Black Liberation Movement. The government alleged 0,A, that he was a BLA (Black Liberation Army) commander who liberated Assata Shakur from a NJ prison, among other actions in behalf of Black people and the Freedom Struggle).