Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts Vandalized, Noose Tied Around ‘Pac Statue

 •  XXL Magazine  •  by XXL Staff  •  72 Comments

The Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts in Stone Mountain, Georgia was vandalized on two separate occasions this past weekend, and one man has been arrested in connection with the acts. During the early morning hours of Saturday October 20, vandals defaced the building and tied a noose around the neck of the Bronze statue of Tupac that sits in the Center’s Peace Garden. At around 2:00 a.m. Monday morning, the statue was once again defaced when fliers bearing “garbled rants” about 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina were plastered all over it. The fliers were also said to contain vague threats directed at certain rappers and record companies. One unidentified man is in police custody, and the Dekalb County Sheriff’s office is investigating both acts as hate crimes. “We thank everyone for their prayers and support,” said Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur, who founded the Center. “Although our hearts are temporarily in pain, our spirits have already forgiven the perpetrators. Hate comes in all colors and genders therefore we will use this act of hate and ignorance to bring our community together and to pray for the healing of those who harbor such feelings. With God’s guidance, the work of the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts and Peace Garden will continue to positively impact and transform our community.” The use of a noose, a highly charged racial symbol, echoes other recent incidents across the country. On October 9 in New York City, a noose was hung on the office door of a Columbia University professor. Just this week, two more turned up in the city, one hanging from a tree in a Queens park, the other sent to a Brooklyn high school principal. Similar incidents have also occurred in Atlanta and Connecticut, and the hanging of a noose from an “whites only tree” in Jena, Louisiana helped spark the high profile “Jena 6” case.

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  • Miami Nigga

    Racism is still alive and well. They try to conceal it but they cant help but to express it sometimes.

    • Keith James

      “Miami Nigga” you are part of the problem, teach them to respect us by respecting yourself and stop calling “Yo own dayum self” a Nigga.

      • Stefan

        i was thinking the exact same thing.

  • anonymous

    but would his punk ass have the balls to that shit in broad daylight???

    • Vuitton Gotti

      I agree, whoever probably what’ve got his ass fucked up.

    • djAK

      Yea if the kkk and all those other punk ass cowards was so tough they woludnt wear robes to hide there faces…

  • j-money

    1zt bitches…

    yo this b-shit happens all the time in

    Minneapolis,MN
    what shall I do about it??

  • Name

    first

  • Chad Alahio

    Why is this big news. Racist people like this are very easy to find. this is garanteed to happen if there is not a night time security gaurd there. And why does Tupac have a monument anyway. Shouldn’t they have a monument for forgetten soldiers of the civil rights or black power movement and not a huge hypocrit like Tupac. Its in Georgia for Christ’s sake.

    • ?s10

      It’s his center, that his mother founded, its in memory for him. Remember its the Tupac Arts Center!
      haha

      • http://xxl.com mett

        it doesnt suprise me a NIGGER would disrespect PAC when he is gone …….cause they did the same when he was ALIVE……..r.i.p pac fan 4 life

    • Cami

      Peace Chad,

      I really dug your comment. I do not disagree with a monument to Tupac. He affected many lives. He is a mondern day idol to many of our youth — however, there SHOULD also be monuments erected for those who fought in WWII, Vietnam, Civil Rights, etc.

      Peace

    • Dorothy

      Well Chad Alahio

      You are just as ignorant as the guy who put the noose around the statue of Tupac’s neck. The center is in honor of him. Founded by his mother fecause of him, so why wouldn’t there be a statue of him. Your personal beliefs of him should not override the crime committed.

    • Carlos

      there is already a statue of martin luther king. So leave 2pac alone

  • MEMPHIS 10

    HOW DARE THEY DIRESPECT THE GREATEST RAPPER EVER. SHAME ON THEM!! IF YOU HAVE HATE IN YOUR HEART, YOUR NOT ONE OF GODS PEOPLE!!

  • The Kanadian

    Man yesterday I was bitching that Biggie only got a lame wax figgure at Madame Goomba’s and that Pac got a bitchin’ Bronze statue, only to find out today some ignorant Fuck vanalized it, Man. Aint no love in the heart of the city!!

  • pause

    too many people are gettin statues. i know this doesn’t have anything with hate crimes but still had to get that off my chest. tupac was never a dope rapper.

    • Escobar

      pause, wat tha fuck u talkin about, “Tupac was never a dope rapper”. Yo bitch ass need to do yo homework. Tupac was tha best
      u makin yo self look real stupid nigga

  • CHI-TOWN STEPPA

    fear breeds hate. only ignorant people do this ish, myself being white feel sorry for people like this. this is what breeds stereotypes about different genders, colors, or religions. there are always going to be that small group of people that impact the larger picture. small white groups feel they have to deface a statue, probably because they are threatened of what tupac represented, that being the empowered black man. i think tupac stood for a movement, and thats why he was rubbed out. i rep for pac whenever i get a chance, wether its bumpin that ish in my ride or whatever. R.I.P Tupac one love.

    • Camilla

      I agree with you there Chi-town steppa…you must be a very good steppa to tag the name, I’ve been steppin for over a decade all over the chi and have yet to see a white steppa who does it well and being one of the early female steppas, I’ve stepped with a whole bunch of wannabes. There is a reason colleges have their students study Tupac’s lyrics, he was most def here to teach us all.

  • AZ40

    Man them crackas lost their minds! Thank goodness they caught at least one

  • b-ease

    yea, hanging the noose is fucked up and all, but i think we are all missing the larger issue. How fuckin terrible is that statue?? i mean, is that WEB Dubois? how did people not laugh or look confused at the unveiling? that shit looks NOTHING like him…

  • Big Kev

    It seems there will always be ignorant, disrespectful peoples!!!! Like my man avove just said: Ain`t no love…

    Peace out

  • Durty

    IF PAC & BIGGIE WAS HERE THEY WANT “US” TO SUPPORT THE BLACK OUT NOV. 2. DONT SPEND NO MONEY THAT DAY BASCICALLY, I KNOW AMERICAN GANGSTA COMING OUT BUT 4 “US” WE DONT NEED TO BUY NOTHING THAT DAY..DENZEL AND T.I. ALREADY GOT PAID, THEY NOT GETTING COMMMISION OFF THE FILM, SO NOV 2…BLACKOUT

  • http://www.overthrow.com Himmler

    We’re not afraid of you criminal Blacks. We have posted the names, addresses and phone numbers of everyone involved in the Jena 6 case on Bill White’s website.

    We’re afraid to bring it up in public because you Blacks will do nothing but have guilty Whites assault us for alleged ‘racism’.

    • Mike Patch Fortworth,TX

      ??? Get your dumb wannabe ass off this site. Bet you won’t bring your scary internet ass down to Texas. Queerbait. Ha haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Inbreeding is not right. Please stop. Now.

    • LA TRECE 13 LA

      U FUCKIN FAGGET.. U HIDE BEHIND A COMPUTER, U CRACK HEAD!! I WOULD PERSONALLY RIP OUT EVERY SINGLE FUCKING TEETH OUT’CHO’ MOUTH U FUCKING FAGGET… THE FUNNY SHIT IS THAT U DONT HAVE THE BALLS TO SAY SOME SHIT LIKE THAT TO A REAL NIGGA IN THE STREETS.. THATS WHY EVERY TIME I SEE ONE OF U SKIN HEAD MOTHA’FOKAZ SOME WHERE I GIVE YA’LL A HARD BY TALKING SHIT.. HOPING A MOTHA’ FOKA MAKE A MOVE SO I CAN FUCKING SKIN HIM ALIVE U FUCKING FAGGET.. ENJOY UR DAY U INTERNET RACIST FAGGET.

  • http://DDupoint@dos.state.fl.us Ghost of 2Pac

    Got me rollin’ in my grave!! A damn shame!

  • Mr.Defrosted
  • http://www.myspace.com/bigvalbxny Big Val Puccio

    2OO7 SOON TO BE 2008 …I AM ASHAMED OF THESE RACIST NOOSE HANGINGS, SLURES , HATE CRIMES ….IT’S ALL NONSES ! GARBAGE ! THESE PEOPLE THAT DO ,SAY AND ACT THIS WAY ARE EVIL , PLAIN AND SIMPLE …WHEN WILL YOU ALL GET IT ? WHY DO YOU THINK OUR PLANET IS MELTING AWAY ,BURNING DOWN ,MASSIVE WATER WAVES OF DISTRUCTION ,CRAZY AZZ WEATHER ? ALL THESE THINGS ARE ACTS OF ” GOD ” SHOWING US HOW SOME WE ALL ARE ,AND HOW QUICK ”HE” CAN END IT ALL …MAYBE THATS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN ,MAYBE THE NEXT GENERATION WON’T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SOMEONE SKIN COLOR ? MAYBE THEY WILL LOOK AFTER EACH OTHER THE WAY GOD WANTS US TOO …MAYBE IT WON’T HAVE CORRUPTION THE NEW WORLD ,WERE NEIGHBORS FEED HUNGRY NEIGHBORS ,LOOKING OUT FOR EACH OTHER LIKE SIBLINGS AND LOVERS DO …I HAVE GROWN UP IN THE STREETS OF THE BRONX ,BEEN THEIR DONE THAT ,DRUGS ,BOOZE, GANGS… IT’S ALL CRAP .. HOW TOUGH ARE YOU ? IF YOUR GOING ALONE WITH A CROWD OF ABUSERS WHEN IN YOUR HURT YOU KNOW ITS WRONG ,ARE YOU TOUGH ENOUGH TO SPEAK YOUR MIND ? WE NEED LOVE FOR LIFE ,FOR EACH OTHER ,FOR THE WORLD WE LIVE IN …IT’S SAD VERY SAD THE WAY THIS WORLD IS ! EVIL RULES THE EARTH WITH JEALOUSY ,AND HATE AND BREEDING ,BREEDING AND BREEDING MORE HATERS , NOT BY ME , I WILL FIGHT ,TO THE DEATH IF I HAVE TOO BECAUSE JESUS DIED FOR ME …AND MY FATHER GOD’S LOVE IS WORTH IT …MARTIN LUTHER KING KNEW THAT TOO ,THE COURAGE THAT HE HAD CANNOT BE MADE ONLY GIVEN AS A BLESSING I PRAISE GOD FOR GIVING US HIM …ARE YOU TOUGH ENOUGH TO FIGHT WITHOUT VIOLENCE ?

  • cee-cipher

    pause! u got to be an idiot or a fuck pussyhole! first of all what the hell u doing on xxl talking shit!!! about pac was not a dope rapper? further more!! fools only scorn the wisdom of my words!! suck out!!! pussy!

  • cee-cipher

    pause! u got to be an idiot or a fucking pussyhole! first of all what the hell u doing on xxl talking shit!!! about pac was not a dope rapper? further more!! fools only scorn the wisdom of my words!! suck out!!! pussy!

  • alonzo thorpe

    go see american gangster but go on the 3rd and so that you can pay homage to the nov 2nd event on the tupac yes we are in ga so racism is like baseball and apple pie and perpetrated by ignorant people even though they try to play it down it still very prevalent today on the down low and in certain (cumming,ga) areas and region and you know i,m a blackman and when the cops get behind me i aautomatically think about rodney king but it ain,t gonna go down like that if you comprehend you know pac was a prophet we only remember the truth even though he is deceased he spoken of like he,s still here i,ll never delete him from my memories pac is in my top 3 rappers cube,scarface,pac but donot misunderstand me i respect every rapper out there so just because i stated top 3 actually it,s atop 25 good riddance to every one and keep getting money its not your fault cause only god can judge ya

  • smoove

    this is sad…a picture of our beautiful country, in all of its peace and love.

    racism will never cease to exist, it’s a state of mind that just gets passed from one racist down to his/her kin…the only thing that would stop racism is the apocalypse, and it sucks to say that but if you have eyes and a fully functioning brain, you can see what it is.

    i just wish there was a way to let everybody know that regardless of race, religion, culture, etc., we’re all much more alike than we are different.

  • http://yahoo CaesarDuke

    Racism is still out there don’t let nobody you that it doesn’t exist because it does and here is your proof and I am not surprise that these nooses are being hung in the south because slavery began in the south no surprise but that’s life and there no use getting mad at it and i not saying that there doesn’t need be a change because it does but who going to be the voice for not just black people but all people who have encounter racism oh I forgot al sharpton and jesse jackson but they only come on the scene when theres something serious but not that serious hapens and what I mean by that is the don imus situation and using the n-word those are both serious issues but not that serious hanging up nooses that is a serious issues need change and that’s 4real

  • http://www.yahoo.com Shawty Reg

    It’s ironic b/c I just saw a documentury about skinheads on the History Channel this past weekend (10-20-07)

    Them muthaf*ckaz are really getting prepared for war (Revolution). They have little bootcamps all over the U.S.

    When it’s all said and done are going to be willing to take the gun off our own people and point it at the real enemy (Racial Bigots)?

    • The DJ Formerly Known as N-CREDIBLE

      Cosign this but they wont have a racial war just in the US it would be something Global if it happen (which I doubt). The ones who are racist are small minded groups that are influenced by the elite and supremacy. Supremacy is the real issue. Let the racist live in their fantasy world.

  • http://www.hip-hopkings.com Stu

    Please respect a rap legend.

  • south side

    man we can have the worst crime rates in the world we have ever had we can have all tha gangbangin in the world and all tha drugs being done and sold as long as we didnt have racism I would be the happyiest man alive because I was raised to love any race because on the inside we all have tha same colord blood and we all come from the same place.
    dear lord jesus please help us to stop all this raciseness goin on in our country!!!

  • http://dirtyglovebastard.blogspot.com ziploc Moe

    Amerikkka home of the brave.

  • goosey

    they gonna whup that dude as in jail stupid ass people

  • PROBLEM SOLVER

    PROBLEM SOLVER.. crips, bloodz, kingz, ms 13 and other gangs across the country should turn on this white racist, skin head bullshit… every time one of them white boys skin heads is spot.. WE GOTTA’ BE BEAT THE SHIT OUTTA’ THAT MOTHA’ FOKA… then all this bullshit will stop.. PROBLEM SOLVER… I PROMISE U IF THE G’S ON DA’ STREETS START DOING THAT SHIT THIS CRACK HEADS WOULDN’T BE DOING THAT SHIT..

  • PROBLEM SOLVER

    PROBLEM SOLVER.. crips, bloodz, kingz, ms 13 and other gangs across the country should turn on this white racist, skin head bullshit… every time one of them white boys skin heads is spotted.. WE GOTTA’ BEAT THE SHIT OUTTA’ THAT MOTHA’ FOKA… then all this bullshit will stop.. PROBLEM SOLVER… I PROMISE U IF THE G’S ON DA’ STREETS START DOING THAT SHIT THIS CRACK HEADS WOULDN’T BE DOING THAT SHIT..

  • joez

    Big Val Puccio speaks the truth.

  • http://sirjorge.com/blogx sirjorge

    who cares?

  • thatwhitedude

    why are black people so easily upset? its a frickin rope tied in a certain knot, and it creates national headlines everytime. its so predictable, how about if yall didnt give these stores national coverage everytime it happened then it would stop happening, i mean thats what the people doing it probably want right? attention and national press. its a frickin knot get over it, let me guess, yall want to ban a knot now so you can have one less thing to bitch about all the time? crazy, ps. peep the video of the jena 6 rolling in hundreds and you will see where the otherside is coming from.

    • The BLACK MAN

      Black people are so easily upset by a noose because it’s a symbol of racism you idiot. Racism is hard for black people because of all the violence -among other things- that happened to black persons living in America years after slavery. And i know that if the tables were turned it woould be the same way. It would be the white ppl bitchin’ about it. So y don’t you go take a seat and read a history book or google famous hate crimes against blacks. Then you’d probably understand you dumbass.

      PS. VOTE for OBAMA

    • Camilla

      Please take a look into history….dig deep, and learn what the connotations of hanging a noose means before you brush it off as complaining. Without knowing history, how does one move forward without learning from the past..this doesnt mean to use the past for your own gain..it means to gain WISDOM from it and to past that wisdom on for our future….the children…ALL CHILDREN.

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  • FRANK WHITE

    YO DEZE SHITS IZ UNFOGIVABLE, WE GOTZ TO KILL DEZE FUKKAZ, IF DEY WANNA CASTRATE A CULTRURAL ICON, DEY GOTTA NOE THA REPRERCUSSIANS THAT CUM WIT IT!!

    1

    FRANKIE BABY NH

  • http://meccastreet.blogspot.com/ MAX

    IGNANT!

  • Izza

    Im white, and this makes me sick.

    What man doesn’t know, man destroys
    (at least trys to).

    These pusssy ass fags make me sad that
    we cant all chill cause some fags with always
    stir shit an then go hide behind there PCs.

    Faggots, you bee real and we kill you.
    So you just come out at night, fuck up a center made to help people then fuck off back home.

    Sad.

  • http://myspace/wilpowermusicproductions Sir Wil

    Yo this is Sir Wil of myspace.com/Wilpowermusicproductions and I know none of you out there are surprised are you? This country was built on racism and therefore wil always exist. People will always hate us because we are the chosen people of God.

  • harrydirty

    for every white boy that wants to be black, you got 1 who hates blacks.

  • http://blog.myspace.com/hiphphustler82 HipHopHustler

    GlobalGrind.com has an informative story on this, some white people even want to lie and say it wasn’t REALLY a noose. I’m tired of racism running rampant in our country. The more we try to stand up against it, the more angry white people get. We are supported by a powerful community and will not fall victim to racist white people’s ignorant acts.

  • UNKNOW

    I LOVE THE USA IT FEELS LIKE HOME AGAIN LIKE OLD TIMES !!!!

  • Proud

    Hey i have an idea. why don’t black ppl start killing white ppl for, no appearant reason, with baseball bats. Then they can leave baseball bats in the yards of the white ppl so they can know what it feels like.

  • William

    I have heard that WSB in Atlanta reported the man arrested for this incident was black. Racism will only stop in this country when both whites and blacks stop hating people for the color of their skin. MLK said to judge people by only the content of their character – and that goes for EVERYONE.

    Also, this was on AJC.com that the Dekalb County Police Spokesperson said it was not a noose, but a rope with a cross attached to it. Sounds like they are trying to make a story where there wasn’t one.

  • barbarian at the gate

    Damn interesting commentary.

    Sounds & looks like whites and blacks are just simply tapped out on eachother’s bad shit behavior.

    Neither group smells or looks very clean & virtuous these days.

  • jada

    ppl shud jus leave pac alone…so pac calld himself a nigga nd wat we cnt deny what we r jus cos sum racist dudes cant control dem selves plsssssssssss

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  • beazee

    black people in america are still stuck in a slave mentality- thats why shit like this will fuck with your heads- its all a smokescreen so you will never actually focus on reality just bullshit- they caught the BLACK dude who did this- then he gets a fine and life goes on—- not with you black slaves- someone will have to go do something ignorant- slavery is passed- you are handed a chance to be something bigger and you choose to worry about little shit these white folks got you shook bubba,

  • nigga

    if i find dis mothafucka dat did dis, im gon kill him.
    no joke

  • Ashkii

    Tupac deserves remembrance just as much as any black rights protester. All he wanted was for people to realise what was going on and help change the future for everybody.

    “Mr. Po-lice, please try to understand there’s a million motherfuckers stressin’ just like me”

    He wasn’t afraid to fight for what’s right and neither should anyone else be; unless people step up whatever way they can the world won’t ever change. Violence isn’t the answer until there’s no other answer

    He was a beautiful, intelligent man with a lot of pain, and it’d be a crime to forget his words, and a sin to ignore what he wanted us to do.

  • Romanian Pal

    Mr Shakur is a legend that influence many talented trashes today that stole his music and ideas,they become wealthy and hypocrits,To the person say that Mr Shakur was hypocrit u are a race hater,Mr Shakur was a dedicated person to his black comunity and a example that even someone with violent past can share love and respect,Im white men but i do respect talents to any colours,Mrs Shakur foundet these monument with her own asset and she has the right to be angry,but to the suprise of other haters she is a Lady with a kind warm heart and respond in a gentle way and compassion,that is example that should take those have hate issues.

  • Romanian

    Mr Shakur is a legend that influence many talented trashes today that stole his music and ideas,they become wealthy and hypocrits,To the person say that Mr Shakur was hypocrit u are a race hater,Mr Shakur was a dedicated person to his black comunity and a example that even someone with violent past can share love and respect,Im white men but i do respect talents to any colours,Mrs Shakur foundet these monument with her own asset and she has the right to be angry,but to the suprise of other haters she is a Lady with a kind warm heart and respond in a gentle way and compassion,that is example that should take those have hate issues.

  • Peace

    peace! 2pac for life you are a king!R.I.P

  • http://www.facebook.com/vankaime SwaggK

    2pac is the best…Y’all peepz who say eish f uz

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  • kendog1984

    all I can see and say about what people do about the only standing memory of 2pac is that I am discraced, and embarassed someone could do such an act. I love 2 pac no matter what I see or read about the and pain hurt or the people defacing his love and passion by doing such a disgraceful act. No matter the fact F&^K em. I draw deep emotions when I read and hear new lyrics from that man.

    Ken From Terrace Bc

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  • http://mag.com catherine nazario

    i miss tupac i didnt even get to meet him he was ma cute but people think he is still alive and hes not just because they didnt show his body was because his mom didnt want the casket open it was her choice now all ya dumb asses sayin oh theres good proof y he still alive well he aint and if any body got something to say about how tupac is still alive throw dem hands nigga