Tupac’s Godmother Assata Shakur Dies In Exile After Decades On FBI’s Most Wanted List

Assata Shakur, the godmother of late rapper Tupac Shakur, a former Black Panther and convicted cop killer who escaped U.S. custody and fled to Cuba in 1979, has died at the age of 78. Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed Shakur’s death on Thursday, citing “health conditions and advanced age.” Her daughter, Kakuya Shakur, also announced her passing in a heartfelt Facebook post, writing, “At approximately 1:15 PM on September 25th, my mother, Assata Shakur, took her last earthly breath… Words cannot describe the depth of loss that I am feeling at this time.”

Born Joanne Deborah Chesimard, Shakur became a prominent figure in the 1970s as a member of both the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army. Her militant activism, along with a string of criminal charges ranging from bank robbery to kidnapping, made her one of the most notorious figures of the Black Liberation Movement.

Her life changed dramatically on May 2, 1973, when New Jersey State Police pulled her and two companions over. A gunfight broke out during the traffic stop, leaving Trooper Werner Foerster dead, another officer wounded, and one of Shakur’s associates killed. Shakur herself was injured but survived.

In 1977, Shakur was found guilty of murder, armed robbery, and other felonies connected to the shooting. She was sentenced to life in prison and incarcerated at the Clinton Correctional Facility for Women.

But in November 1979, Shakur staged a dramatic escape. Armed members of the Black Liberation Army, posing as visitors, stormed the prison, took guards hostage, and fled with Shakur in a commandeered van. She disappeared for years, eventually resurfacing in Cuba in 1984.

In Cuba, Fidel Castro granted Shakur asylum, shielding her from repeated U.S. requests for extradition. Over the years, she became a symbol of resistance to some, and a fugitive murderer to others.

Shakur maintained her innocence in writings from exile, insisting she never fired a weapon during the 1973 gunfight. In 2013, she became the first woman added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists List under her birth name, Joanne Chesimard. Authorities continued to pressure Cuba for her return, with leaders from both Republican and Democratic administrations, including President Donald Trump, demanding her extradition.

Assata Shakur’s name remained in headlines for decades in part because of her connection to her famous godson and step-nephew, Tupac Shakur. Much like Assata, Tupac’s life was defined by both activism and controversy. The rapper became a voice for a generation, tackling systemic racism, police brutality, and inequality in his music. At the same time, his career was marred by legal battles, feuds, and an infamous East Coast–West Coast rap rivalry that dominated the 1990s.

Tupac’s life was cut short in 1996 when he was gunned down in a Las Vegas drive-by at just 25.

Despite being one of the most high-profile fugitives of the 20th century, Assata Shakur lived quietly in Cuba for the remainder of her life. Her death at 78 marks the end of a decades-long saga that spanned activism, violence, exile, and international politics.

Her daughter Kakuya’s tribute captured the personal side of a figure often reduced to controversy. “My spirit is overflowing in unison with all of you who are grieving with me at this time," she said. "Sending much love and appreciation to you all.”