Tupac Shakur could make Grammy history nearly 30 years after his untimely death.
The late rapper, whom Jada Pinkett Smith refers to has her ‘soulmate’ in her new memoir, received a nod in the best music film category when the nominations were announced last week.
The hitmaker’s music appears in Dear Mama, a docuseries titled after the name of one of his biggest hits.
The five-episode FX/Hulu show focuses on the relationship between the Changes artist and his mother, Black Panther activist Afeni Shakur, who passed away in 2016.
If he were to win, it would be Tupac’s first Grammy award.
History: Tupac Shakur could make Grammy history nearly 30 years after his untimely death. The late rapper was nominated in the best music film category (pictured in Chicago in March 1994)
He is not the only artist to receive a posthumous nomination.
David Bowie, whose music was featured in the documentary Moonage Daydream and Little Richard, who was the focus of Little Richard: I Am Everything, were also nominated.
Bowie died after a long cancer battle in 2016, and Little Richard passed away from cancer in 2020.
Rounding out the rest of the nominees in the category are Lewis Capaldi for How I’m Feeling Now and Kendrick Lamar for Live From Paris, the Big Steppers Tour.
The best music film category is ‘for concert/performance films or music documentaries. Award to the artist, video director, and video producer,’ according to the Recording Academy.
The winner will be announced at the Grammy ceremonies on February 5, 2024.
The nomination comes as new attention is being paid to the Tupac Shakur murder case.
Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis, 60, has been arrested for Tupac’s murder in September 1996.
Dear Mama: Tupac was murdered in 1996 at age 25. His groundbreaking music was used in the docuseries Dear Mama, named after the song he wrote about the relationship with his mother, Black Panther activist Afeni Shakur
Posthumous: David Bowie and Little Richard also received posthumous nominations. Bowie’s music was used in the documentary Moonage Daydream. Little Richards was included in the doc Little Richard: I Am Everything
Investigators say the self-described gangster did not pull the trigger on the gun that killed the 25-year-old rapper.
Behind bars: Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis, 60, has been arrested for orchestrating Tupac’s September 1996 murder. He is being held without bail in Las Vegas until his trial begins in June 2024 (Pictured in Las Vegas November 7)
Prosecutors assert he orchestrated the hit in Las Vegas after the Hit Em Up and producer Suge Knight, 58, had a run-in with members of his crew following the Mike Tyson fight.
Davis has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges, although he admitted to his role in the killing in his 2019 tell-all memoir, Compton Street Legend.
A grand jury voted to indict him on one count of murder with a deadly weapon, and added a sentencing enhancement to the murder charge for gang activity that could add up to 20 additional years, if he’s convicted.
Davis will remain behind bars until his trial, which is scheduled to begin June 3, 2024.
