Erykah, Mike Epps Celebrate Tupac's 40th Birthday

It’s hard to believe that had he lived, rapper Tupac Shakur would have been 40 years old this year.

This week, just a few days after an inmate confessed to shooting Tupac in 1994, celebrity friends like Rick Ross, Bun B., Too Short and Erykah Badu gathered at Atlanta’s Symphony Hall to pay homage to Tupac in a special concert to raise money for the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation. The event was hosted by comedian Mike Epps, who works closely with the foundation.

“He came at a time when people weren’t looking for a savior, they were looking for someone who looked like them,” said Badu. “Saviors, sometimes are just doing the work, they are just doing their job.”

Badu dedicated her song, “Soldier,” to Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur.

Actress Jasmine Guy was also there to honor her friend. “His voice still resonates. It’s amazing,” she said. “That’s why is important that we keep the Shakur foundation going.”