Nas Pays His Respects To Former Cuban President Fidel Castro

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Over 10 years after stepping down as president of Cuba due to a gastrointestinal illness in 2006, Fidel Castro passed away at age 90. The news was announced by his brother, current Cuban president Raul Castro. According to the Cuban state media, the former Cuban leader died at 10pm Friday night. As many supporters and critics wake up to the news of Castro’s passing, one person keeping it positive is rapper Nas. The Queensbridge rhymer hopped on Instagram to mourn the loss of an “ally in the struggle.”

“RIP King Fidel Castro,” Nas captioned an image of Fidel Castro meeting with Malcolm X. “Revolutionary, only 5% understand. I don’t fully know how he affected my Cuban family, so I’m sending strength and power for your pains. But lots Of us, as Black people, and some others in the USA, we saw him as Ally in the Struggle.”

A revolutionary himself, Fidel Castro provided Black Liberation Army leader, Assata Shakur, also godmother to Tupac Shakur, with refuge after she busted out of prison in 1979. The former Black Panther member was tried, convicted and sentenced to 26 years in prison on a first-degree murder charge. Shakur was found guilty of being an accomplice in the death of a New Jersey state trooper during a 1973 highway shootout.

Castro viewed Shakur as a political prisoner and granted the activist political asylum in 1984. Now 67 years old, Shakur still remains in Cuba and was recently added to the FBI Most-Wanted Terrorists list.