Kentucky Man Tupac Shakur Receives Apology From Governor

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A resident in Kentucky named Tupac Shakur was denied unemployment benefits after his application was considered a prank.

A man from Kentucky who shares the same name as the late Tupac Shakur was put on blast by Governor Andy Beshear recently who deemed the Kentucky resident's application for unemployment benefits a "prank." Of course, 2Pac might be the most famous Tupac Shakur to ever live but he isn't the only one.

"We had somebody apply for unemployment for Tupac Shakur here in Kentucky,” Beshear said. “And that person may have thought they were being funny, they probably did. Except for the fact that because of them, we had to go through so many other claims.”

46-year-old Tupac Shakur, who's known to most as Malik, is actually a chef at Alfalfa’s and Lynagh's in Lexington, KY that ultimately closed temporarily to help slow down the spread of coronavirus. And he actually needs his unemployment check. “I’ve been struggling for like the last month trying to figure out how to pay the bills,” Shakur told Kentucky.com.

“I’m hurt, I’m really embarrassed and I’m shocked,” Shakur said. “He needs to apologize. That’s just my name.”

Beshear ultimately called Mr. Shakur on Tuesday morning to apologize. “I understand, he’s dealing with a lot,” Shakur added. “Mistakes happen.” Though he did accept the apology, he still hasn't been accepted for his unemployment claim. 


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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