In a recent interview on The Art Of Dialogue podcast, rapper and brother to late Hip Hop icon Tupac Shakur, Mopreme Shakur, talked about how he managed to land the rap feature on Tony Toni Toné’s smash single “Feels Good”, which was originally supposed to feature then superstar MC Hammer. From there, Shakur delved into how his little brother almost landed a role in Star Wars because of his close relationship with Samuel L. Jackson.
In previous rumors about the relationship between the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur, it was suspected that the Brooklyn favorite was to be recruited into ‘Pac’s “Thug Life” conglomerate and Tupac’s brother Mopreme confirmed it in a conversation with AllHipHop.
When speaking of the relationship between the two, the elder Shakur said, “Before things fell apart, Pac was a uniter. We knew we were from New York. We knew we were from the East Coast. And Pac liked to work with the best talent around. So, there was a period, there was a time when we was all cool.” He went on to say, “There was a time when Pac wanted Biggie to be part of the East Coast faction of Thug Life ‘cause we was kicking it with each other anyway. Pac wasn’t just a hater just to be hating. He liked [Biggie].”
Busta Rhymes has been circulating in the music news for the past few days and for good reason. He recently graced the issue of Men’s Health as part of the celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. In this feature, Busta and other fellow rappers, 50 Cent, Common, and others were asked to talk about their personal mental health battles throughout their careers. Other questions naturally came up during their interviews and Busta shared a one-of-a-kind story from his past during the late 90s.
He retold a story about the effervescent icon and close friend, Tupac Shakur. “I had an incredible relationship with Pac,” says Busta. “Me and Pac been friends from early Leaders days. Before he put out his s**t, when he was still dancing with Digital Underground.” That is where this tale comes into play, back during a college show.
CHICAGO – MARCH 1994: Rapper Tupac Shakur performs at the Regal Theater in Chicago, Illinois in March 1994. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
Busta Rhymes harkens back to the unforgettable memory saying, “We doing a college show somewhere on the West Coast, and Digital Underground, [Tupac] was still with them.” He goes on, “We get to the soundcheck late, so the sound man was kind of turning off the equipment and was like, “’Y’all kind of missed your window for the soundcheck.’” Tupac had overheard the conversation so, Busta continues, “Tupac starts choking this motherf***er.”
So, the Leaders of the New School had to interject because they were afraid Tupac would get them kicked off the show. Funny enough, Tupac proclaimed the group to be “legends” even with just one album out at the time. How much Tupac history do you know? What is your reaction to this story? Be sure to give us your thoughts and knowledge down in the comments section. Stay locked in with HNHH daily for all the latest on hip-hop history, as well as news, and updates around the genre.
On the most recent episode of DJ Whoo Kid’s “Whoo’s House” podcast, West Coast rap legend Ice Cube talked about the evolution of his BIG3 basketball league as well as the growth of the career of the rapper/actor. Cube also spoke about a list of the “most unforgettable diss tracks in Hip Hop history”, in which Tupac’s “Hit ‘Em Up” took the pole position and his epic “No Vaseline” track aimed at N.W.A. was placed at a modest third.
Cube reaction to ‘Pac beating him on the list? “How’s 2Pac number one when he needed help on that record?” before saying, “Me, ‘No Vaseline,’ one MC.” When Nas’ “Ether trck was mentioned, Cube said, “I love Nas but it’s not. Took out four n***as and the manager. I mean, damn! Got to give me credit for that.” He added, “[The] group was over. I don’t know if they made another record after that. So, nah man. Sorry!”
The Hulu documentary “Dear Mama,” which delves into the life of iconic west coast rapper and actor Tupac Shakur and his mother Afeni Shakur, has been nominated for an Emmy. The film chronicles Tupac’s struggles with school, poverty, and family while pursuing his dreams of using music as a catalyst for social change. This powerful […]
One of Tupac Shakur’s personal, custom-designed jewelry pieces will be auctioned off this weekend at Sotheby’s in celebration of Hip Hop’s 50th year.
The diamond and ruby encrusted ring, which was actually designed by the rapper/actor, was worn by Shakur at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards just days before his untimely death in Las Vegas. The crown ring, which features a giant cabochon ruby flanked by two pavé-cut diamonds in front and center, has 5 carats of diamonds and is inscribed with “Pac & Dada, 1996.” The inscription in the ring was for his fiancée, Kidada Jones.
According to Sotheby’s, the ring is estimated to be valued at $200,000 to $300,000.
The late legendary rapper Tupac Shakur‘s self-designed ring is set to be auctioned at Sotheby’s Third Annual Hip Hop Auction, coinciding with the celebration of Hip Hop’s 50th Anniversary. This 14Kt gold and diamond, ruby ‘Crown’ sovereign ring holds sentimental value, engraved with the words ‘Pac & Dada 1996’ to commemorate Tupac’s engagement to Kadida […]
2Pac’s custom ring is scheduled to go up for auction later this month at Sotheby’s New York. The ring is made of gold, diamonds, and rubies, is shaped like a crown and was created in honor of his engagement to Kidada Jones. It’s estimated to bring in between $200K-300K when it goes up for auction July 18. The ring will be displayed at Sotheby’s New York from July 18-24.
To celebrate Hip Hop’s milestone 50-year anniversary, Sotheby’s presents its third dedicated Hip Hop sale, highlighting Hip Hop’s profound impact on art and culture across five decades, from its inception in the South Bronx in 1973 through today.
2Pac wore the self-designed ring to the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards just days before he was shot. According to Sotheby’s, 2Pac typically wore the ring on his left ring finger. It will be auctioned as part of a special series in celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip hop.
The ring is on offer from Yaasmyn Fula, the artist’s godmother who was one of Tupac’s most trusted advisors with all of his most important matters, including commissioning a new piece of jewelry to commemorate his achievements and usher in a new era of prosperity.
Featuring original art, historic studio equipment, sneakers and jackets, archival flyers and posters, rare artifacts, and more, the auction spotlights the iconic artists and trailblazers who defined not only the musical genre as we know it, but also the global phenomenon of Hip Hop culture spanning art, fashion and much more, including Tupac Shakur, Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Ice-T & Afrika Islam, Fab 5 Freddy, Big Daddy Kane, Futura, Lee Quiñones, UNKLE, and Mo’ Wax Founder James Lavelle, among many others. The sale will be presented in collaboration with entertainment company Mass Appeal, which throughout the year has curated an array of programming as part of its Hip Hop 50 initiative.
Tupac Shakur’s fans recently expressed outrage over a pride campaign using his iconic song “Changes.” Many fans argue that if the legendary rapper were still alive, he would disapprove of his music being associated with the campaign. The revelation of the pride campaign featuring Tupac’s song “Changes” triggered an immediate backlash from his devoted fans. […]
On June 16th, the late rapper Tupac Shakur would have celebrated his 52nd birthday. Despite his passing, Tupac continues to be remembered and celebrated by those he impacted during his life and beyond. One person adding to the Tupac buzz is American radio host Big Boy, who took to Twitter to share a heartfelt video […]
