Tupac’s Music Rights Protected After Afeni Shakur’s Death; Who Will Control Rapper’s Estate?

In the two days since Afeni Shakur’s death, questions have been raised about the legacy of her son — legendary rapper Tupac Shakur. Fans feared that with her unexpected passing Monday, she may not have had a will in place, which could put both her and her son’s estate in jeopardy.

While it remains unclear whether Afeni had codified her final wishes, she did make sure her son was protected. According to TMZ, Tupac’s mother created a trust that controlled all of the “California Love” rapper’s music rights. A rep for the West Coast rapper's estate says Afeni was careful when writing up the paperwork, leaving nothing to chance. She even went as far as choosing an executor for the slain musician’s music rights, naming former Warner Bros. executive Tom Whalley. The trust outlines heirs to Tupac’s fortune, naming charities and family members that Afeni selected to inherit a portion.

TMZ’s sources assured the publication that Gust Davis — Afeni’s estranged husband — stands no chance of inheriting a portion of Tupac’s money or music rights, regardless of the contentious divorce that was in progress when she died, as he is not named in the trust documents. As was previously reported, some feared that Tupac’s mother might have died without a will, which could have potentially lead to a war over her estate, whose net worth was reportedly more than $50 million. She is also believed to have been the head of her son’s estate, which continues to bring in nearly $1 million annually. With her divorce from Davis still pending, many feared that he would attempt to claim a stake.

Afeni died Monday in Northern California. Her official cause of death has yet to be released; local authorities say they were called to her Sausalito home that evening in response to a possible cardiac arrest. Afeni was pronounced dead at 10:28 p.m. PDT. She was 69.