He actually died September 13th, but we'll let you away with that one.
Regardless of whether you're black, white, asian or any other religion, race, sex or even if you're not a fan of hip-hop, you have to appreciate what Tupac Shakur represented. He was a poet in his own right and belongs up their with the Kurt Cobains and the Elvis Presleys.
I know people who are not hip-hop fans, I include myself in that as I'm a genuine fan of all music (near enough), that not only respect Tupac but actually listen to his music with a sense of satisfaction that someone could get their point across so well and have an influence on so many people.