(KMJ) The “marketing ninja” behind the Fresno Grizzlies blockbuster promotions is now mashing up gangsta rap and burgers.
Sam Hansen, the young man who gave us the Fresno Tacos and Three Amigos uniforms, is busy putting the finishing touches on his latest creation – the Powamekka Cafe.
It’s a “pop up” restaurant honoring the late rapper/actor Tupac Shakur. It’s due to take over the current eatery at 1230 Fulton Mall called Take 3 Burgers on the 20th anniversary of Shakur’s murder, Sept. 13, 2016.
It’s a one-day-only event that will also feature local musicians covering Tupac’s hit songs. “Working on Powamekka Café makes me feel like I’m bringing Pac’s vision to life like I used to do for Kanye,” says Hansen in a news release.
According to Hansen, the idea for the Tupac pop-up came from a previous collaboration between Hansen and Desirae Washington-Reed of Take 3 Burgers. The restaurant hosted a tribute breakfast for the later rapper Notorious B.I.G. on his birthday this year, taking inspiration from “Big Poppa” by serving a T-bone steak, cheese eggs and Welch’s grape (juice). After that, Hansen said Tupac was the next logical step.
On a trip to Las Vegas to attend a boxing match, Shakur was shot while riding in a car driven by Death Row Records CEO Marion “Suge” Knight on September 7, 1996. He died six days later, on September 13, 1996. Shakur was only 25 years old at the time of his death, and his killer has never been caught. Since his death, numerous albums of his work have been posthumously released, selling millions of copies.
Christopher Wallace, also known as “The Notorious B.I.G.,” was an East Coast rapper who had a long-running feud with Shakur (who repped the West Coast). B.I.G. was shot and killed on March 9, 1997. He was 24. Biggie’s murder also remains unsolved.
