TMZ: Tupac Estate To Be Handled By Tom Whalley

Tupac Shakur

According to TMZ, TUPAC SHAKUR's estate will be handled by TOM WHALLEY, the veteran record executive who originally signed him to INTERSCOPE, according to a trust left by his late mother AFENI SHAKUR, who passed away earlier this week. 

WHALLEY was an A&R executive at WARNER BROS. RECORDS, CAPITOL RECORDS and, eventually INTERSCOPE, where he signed TUPAC SHAKUR, who had recorded a demo while working as a dancer and feature MC with the OAKLAND, CA, hip-hop group DIGITAL UNDERGROUND.

WHALLEY would then oversee TUPAC's late 1991 debut, "2Pacalypse Now" on JIMMY IOVINE's label, then A&R'ed 1993’s "Strictly For My N.I.G.G.A.Z.," and 1995’s "Me Against The World" -- which gave the jailed rapper his first #1 record.

Following TUPAC’s death, WHALLEY returned to A&R and executive produce a host of posthumous releases, serving as President of INTERSCOPE from 1998 to late 2001. During that time, PAC compilation releases included the diamond-certified "Greatest Hits," "Until The End Of Time" (both double-discs), as well as 2000’s "The Rose That Grew From The Concrete."

Even as WARNER BROS. RECORDS Chairman later in the mid-2000s, WHALLEY would step over to assist AMARU ENTERTAINMENT and INTERSCOPE in releasing 2006’s Gold-certified "Pac’s Life." One year later, he would help prepare and release 2007’s "Best Of 2PAC" double-disc -- one of the final DEATH ROW compilations.

In her 2007 injunction against DEATH ROW, AFENI SHAKUR was reportedly awarded 152 songs in the label’s vaults. This material was recorded during her son’s most prolific period, in late 1995 and throughout 1996. the estate and AMARU ENTERTAINMENT released 1997’s multi-Platinum double-disc, "R U Still Down? (Remember Me)," which was material recorded prior to SHAKUR’s DEATH ROW years.

WHALLEY currently runs LOMA VISTA RECORDINGS, a label now distributed by CONCORD BICYCLE MUSIC, whose roster includes IGGY POP, ST. VINCENT, ANDREW BIRD, GHOST, MARILYN MANSON, SPOON, HEALTH, LITTLE DRAGON, DJDS and GHOST.

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