Beastie Boys' Mike D: Tupac's Determination to Be Authentic Killed Him

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sharkboy1200

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Nearly two decades after a coastal feud left Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. dead, the Beastie Boys' Mike D is still trying to make sense of it. "It still boggles my mind," he told Vanity Fair in the interview below. "It escalated so fast."

Tupac's Final Words Revealed by Police Officer on Scene of Murder

Looking back on the scenario, Mike D praised Biggie Smalls' talent, calling him a "seminal rapper," and referred to Tupac Shakur as somewhat of a mystery man, referencing how he had a performing arts school background and had come up through lighthearted party rappers Digital Underground. "Yeah, he was 'Thug Life' and everything, but he was more of an artistic kid," the Beastie Boy said. "But basically he was so determined to be authentic, it ultimately killed him, which is a sad and tragic thing."
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The MC also recalled how strange he felt when he heard that Biggie Smalls had been shot. "It was super surreal," he said. "It was like, 'What? Biggie got shot?' It just seemed like it couldn't be true."

At the time, Mike D was enjoying frequenting Hollywood hip-hop clubs and seeing groups like Cypress Hill and the Pharcyde cut their teeth. But soon he saw a changing in the tide as security eventually introduced metal detectors – a thing he was grateful for since "at least people's guns were in their cars, not inside the club." But despite the changing times, the East Coast–bred rapper never felt uncomfortable there. "It wasn't like I was nervous to be a New York MC in this mix," Mike D said. "It was very specific. It still was Puffy, Suge [Knight], Tupac, Biggie."

Tupac's murder was also recently explored in the National Geographic documentary, The '90s: The Last Great Decade?, in which the rapper's Outlawz bandmate Malcolm Greenridge expressed dismay with the FBI's handling of his death, which is still shrouded in mystery. "Law enforcement around the country weren't big Tupac fans," he said. "I'm absolutely positive they know what happened. This is America. We found Bin Laden."
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http://www.rollingstone.com/music/n...rmination-to-be-authentic-killed-him-20140729

Not sure I agree about the bit of finding Osama Bin Laden vs finding Tupac's killer. It's kind of comparing oranges and apples.
 
Interesting actually.

I like listening to 2Pac all these years on. My understanding and taste in hip-hop has moved on so it's like listening to it fresh all over again.
 
Interesting as well.

I still listen to Tupac. My favorite rappers and rap songs are mostly from the 90's. I grew up in Southeast Texas, Houston had a lot of great up and coming rappers in the late 90's.
 
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My brother looks like Pac and i my brithday is one day before his. I was a true fan, but the older i get the less i listen to his music. i couldn't see myself playing most of his songs around my kids (if i had any) and none of the new "rap" around them.

2Pacalypse Now is still my favorite album of all time..
 
Tupac was so outspoken it got himself killed! I got props for him because he was himself and he didn't conform! Tupac is the kind of rapper that we need nowadays!! So go listen to your new school sh*t scrubs!
 
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