Renowned actress Jada Pinkett Smith, who has been openly discussing her own experience with alopecia, recently unveiled a hidden aspect of her close friend Tupac Shakur’s life. As she prepares for the release of her memoir, “Worthy,” Pinkett Smith disclosed that the iconic rapper also grappled with alopecia but chose to keep it concealed due to societal pressures.
In a week of candid revelations ahead of her memoir’s release, the “Girls Trip” star sat down for an interview with People and shared this deeply personal insight. She revealed that Tupac Shakur’s alopecia became evident after an incident with police officers in Northern California, which had a profound impact on him. She emphasized that Tupac’s experience with alopecia was more extreme than her own.
The decision to maintain privacy about his condition was a reflection of the societal norms of that era. Pinkett Smith explained, “I don’t think Tupac ever talked about the alopecia he suffered from. But that was during a time and during an era that you wouldn’t — he just wouldn’t talk about it.”
The actress, now 52, forged a deep bond with Tupac during their school days at the Baltimore School for the Arts. She expressed her belief that, if Tupac were alive today, he would likely be more open about his journey with hair loss. Pinkett Smith stated, “I’m sure if [Shakur] were alive today, he would.”
Furthermore, Jada Pinkett Smith conveyed her gratitude for the opportunity to raise awareness about alopecia and to candidly share her own experiences with the condition. Her hope is that her openness will contribute to destigmatizing alopecia, allowing people to discuss it without the burden of shame.
She concluded by underscoring the pervasive stigma that often surrounds alopecia and her unwavering commitment to changing that narrative. “And there’s a lot of shame around alopecia,” she noted, emphasizing the importance of fostering understanding and empathy for those dealing with this condition.
