Oakland on Friday showed a little California love for the late, legendary hip hop artist and rapper Tupac Shakur – a section of MacArthur Boulevard will be renamed in his honor.

The iconic artist was born in Harlem, New York in 1971 and raised in Baltimore.

But his Bay Area ties stretch back to his parents, who were active in the Black Panther Party and his early life in Marin City, California. And he lived in East Oakland after moving here in the late 1980s.

He once said “…I give all my love to Oakland, if I’ma claim somewhere I’ma claim Oakland.”

His former home near Lake Merritt on MacArthur between.Grand Avenue and Van Buren Avenue will now be called Tupac Shakur Way.

Shakur’s sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, told KTVU on Thursday that her brother would be proud that Oakland is recognizing his contributions to culture and music.

“He’s gonna be skipping in heaven and excited to see everybody that’s gathered for him, and his impact that’s still present in a place he loved,” she said.

The idea for the street came from Oakland City Councilwoman Carroll Fife, who wanted to ensure the Shakur legacy lives on and “that we build a world where roses no longer have to grow through concrete because we’ve broken down those obstacles and softened the ground for all beauty to bloom with ease.”

The street renaming comes 27 years after Shakur was shot to death in 1996 while sitting in a car at a red light near the Las Vegas strip. S: Fox KTVU