Tupac Shakur would have turned 40-years-old on June 16, 2011, and in XXL’s forthcoming September issue—honoring the deceased rap legend on the anniversary of the 15-years since he passed on September 13, 1996—we enlisted famed artist, Tim O’Brien, to envision what ’Pac would have looked like if he was still alive.

O’Brien has done these types of conceptual paintings before, most notably imagining iconic cartoon character Charlie Brown as a real, human boy.

The image is just one of the many interesting items XXL has included in its special Tupac tribute issue that also includes interviews with ’Pac’s biological father, Bill Garland, his ex-wife, Keisha Morris, his first manager, Leila Steinberg, his stepfather, Mutulu Shakur, and his group, the Outlawz.

In addition XXL dug into the tragic passing of one of Shakur’s favorite producers, Johnny J., and investigated the real story behind the beloved MC’s 1994 Quad studio shooting and robbery, recently brought to light with the confession of ex-Jimmy Henchman associate, Dexter Issac. And finally, 62 rappers remember ’Pac and speak on his impact and legacy.

Be sure to pick up XXL’s September 2011 issue, hitting newststands nationwide on August 16. And don’t forget to check back with XXLMag.com, where XXL will be paying tribute to Tupac Shakur with exclusive content every day through September 13. —XXL Staff

More From XXL