Tupac Shakur Filed For Unemployment In Kentucky

The economic downturn is hitting millions very hard. Even filed for unemployment, in Kentucky.

A man sharing the name with the late, legendary rapper filed for unemployment assistance in the Bluegrass State, and its Governor proceeded to step in it.

NBC News reports that on Monday night (April 27), Governor Andy Beshear brought up the name when speaking about his state’s goal of processing all March unemployment claims by April’s end. Beshear reportedly noted that there were some “bad apples” trying to abuse the system, like one man who filed under the name “Tupac Shakur.”

“We had somebody apply for unemployment for Tupac Shakur here in Kentucky,” Beshear is quoted as saying. “And that person may have thought they were being funny, they probably did. Except for the fact that because of them, we had to go through so many other claims.”

However, there really is a Lexington, Kentucky man whose name is Tupac Shakur, and he really does need the unemployment benefits. Per the Lexington-Herald Ledger, a man named Tupac Malik Shakur, 46, goes by Malik, and unfortunately is out of work as a cook due to coronavirus pandemic orders that restaurants shut down.

Shakur, not the rapper, as soon as he was eligible too he applied for unemployment insurance on March 13 and was determined qualified for it a few days later. But, he still hasn’t received any of his money. He tells the Lexington-Herald, “I’ve been struggling for like the last month trying to figure out how to pay the bills.”

Rather than skulking away from the faux pas, the Governor called up Shakur to apologize on Tuesday (April 28).

Beshear called Shakur personally to apologize Tuesday morning.

“I understand, he’s dealing with a lot. Mistakes happen,” said Shakur, who legally changed his name to Tupac Malik Shakur in 1998.

Get Tupac, ahem, Malik, his money.