The exhibit will open at the Canvas at L.A. Live on Jan. 21 for a limited time.
Over 20 years after his murder, fans will get the chance to explore Tupac Shakur's life and legacy with an immersive museum experience. On Tuesday, the Shakur Estate released a statement describing the exhibit -- titled Wake Me When I’m Free -- as "part museum, part art installation, part sensory experience." The release also noted that the life of Tupac's mother, Afeni Shakur, who was a member of the Black Panthers, has a significant presence in its narrative.
The name references a passage from the rapper's 2000 album, The Rose That Grew From Concrete, Volume 1.
"WMWIF will showcase Shakur's music, poetry and never before seen artifacts in a 20,000 square foot curated space akin to a contemporary art museum. Guests will transition through a myriad of surround sound spaces, rich with rarities embedded in technology. [The exhibit] will delve into the greater meaning of his activism, music, and revolutionary art. The attendees will be educated and enlightened through a labyrinth of emotions as they take this journey through his extraordinary life."
WMWIF was created in a collaboration led by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Chief Curator Nwaka Onwusa and creative director Jeremy Hodges and his firm, Project Art Collective. The late rapper's estate sanctioned the project, which will premiere on Jan. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles, California, at The Canvas @ L.A. Live, and run for a limited time only.
"It is a privilege to be a part of such a monumental project," Hodges said. "Tupac Shakur was my Malcolm; he was my Martin, and to build an experience that honors such a prolific man, cannot be summed up in words. We wanted to create a memorable experience that will inspire you to be better than when you walked in, all while leaving you with the knowledge that he was a true revolutionary spirit."
The exhibit will travel to other American cities, as well as international sites, over the next few years, but that information will be announced later. Pre-sale tickets will go on sale on Nov. 9 at 10:00 a.m. PST and general tickets go on sale on Nov. 12 at 10:00 a.m. PST.
"Tupac Shakur was without a doubt one of the most important artists of his generation, transforming culture through his music and ideas," Steve Berman, Vice Chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, and an executive producer on the show, said. "Wake Me When I'm Free honors Tupac's extraordinary contributions and I know I speak for the entire Interscope and Universal Music Group family that we are so proud to be able to collaborate with our partners to bring this incredible exhibit to life."
Learn more on the upcoming experience at the Wake Me When I'm Free website.
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