Tupac Shakur: Limited Pop-Up Restaurant Opened in Honor of Rapper’s Birthday
One of Tupac Shakur’s plans before his death was to open a soul food restaurant. The Poetic Justice star was excited to bring his fanbase his love of good food and drinks. Aside from his current traveling museum exhibit that reveals his original plans for the restaurant, there’s a new pop-up restaurant in LA in conjunction with his birthday.
A popup restaurant is open for a temporary time in honor of the rapper’s birthday
The popup, named after Tupac’s original concept Powamekka Café, opened on June 16 at 800 W. Olympic Boulevard (aka L.A. Live). LA Eater reports it’s part of a collaboration with Fixins Soul Kitchen. In conjunction with what would have been his 51st birthday, will run until June 30, with lunch through dinner hours daily.
It’s not the first limited-run rapper restaurant collaboration to hit the LA area. Eminem’s Mom’s Spaghetti popped up this year in Downtown LA. in 2021, the daughters of the Notorious B.I.G. and Jam Master Jay opened a New York-style pizza restaurant in the city.
Regarding Powamekka Café, hours are from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, plus an extension to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. On Saturdays and Sundays, the cafe will open early at 10 a.m. Reservations can be made online via OpenTable.
The plans for the restaurant are currently on display at his traveling museum exhibit
Ahead of his death, Tupac wanted to share his love of food and libations in the form of Powamekka Café. The taglines planned for his restaurant were “A Passionate Paradise 4 People With Power 2 Play and Parlay,” and “The Perfect Hideout 4 Those Who Wish 2 Escape The Worldz Cold Reality.”
Currently on display at his traveling exhibit features a blueprint and the original written plan of the restaurant. The logo features an ankh and ocean waves surrounding the restaurant’s name. Bathrooms for the women were labeled as “Divaz,” and for men as “Playaz.”
The rapper planned to hire four cooks, one manager, one hostess, three waitresses, two bartenders, two dishwashers, and two bussers. The Juice star also planned to have live entertainment via a house band, a DJ, and a valet for high-paying guests.
Much of the food on the projected menu is categorized as soul food. Entree meats included barbeque wings, baked chicken, meatloaf, steak, gumbo, fried chicken, and fish of the day. Sides included macaroni and cheese, house garden salad, rice and beans, french fries, potato salad, green beans with smoked turkey, corn on the cob, and baked potato. For customers with a sweet tooth, dessert options included banana pudding, sweet potato pie, peach cobbler, cake, and ice cream. Some of the same items are listed on the menu at the current pop-up eatery.
A popup restaurant opened once before with rapper Nas’ involvement
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the rapper’s death, Sweet Chick — a popular eatery in New York City’s Lower East Side — actualized the vision for Tupac Shakur’s restaurant in 2017. It was also a collaboration between co-owner and restaurateur John Seymour and rapper Nas,
On display throughout the pop-up, family photos of Tupac and social activist leaders such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr were dispersed throughout, as well as quotes from Tupac also lined the walls of the restaurant.
