Afeni Shakur Davis, mother of the late great Tupac Shakur, died on Monday night (May 2). Officials report that Marin County deputies responded to a call at her home in Sausalito, Calif., after she suffered an apparent heart attack. She was taken to a nearby hospital at 9:30 p.m. and pronounced dead at approximately 10:30 p.m.. She was 69 years old.

Shakur Davis was a noted member of the Black Panther Party, a commitment that led to her name change from Alice Faye Williams. Following her son’s death in 1996, Shakur Davis championed his legacy, founding the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation and spearheading several posthumous project in honor of him. The rapper famously dedicated a song to his mother with his 1995 classic, “Dear Mama:”
“There's no way I can pay you back/But the plan is to show you that I understand/You are appreciated,” he vowed.
Tupac is set to be memorialized in an upcoming biopic directed by Benny Boom. Actress Danai Gurira was reportedly scheduled to play Afeni in the film. The Marin County Sheriff's Coroners Office is conducting an investigation to determine the exact cause of Shakur Davis’ death.