As part of a tribute to Tupac in The Source Magazine Issue #272, ‘Pac’s induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the release of All Eyez On Me, and his birthday today, The Source asked his close friends to share their memories of him.
“In the spring of 1990 during the Big Daddy Kane Tour was opening night of Pac’s first arena show with Digital Underground. All through the show Pac kept holding his mic down towards the stage monitors and this created loud feedback noise. Pac thought the sound man was sabotaging our set and swore he was going to whoop the sound man’s ass. I had to let him know that he was the one causing the feedback and he needed to stop acting like a bad ass and should be happy that he was here working and living his dream because life doesn’t owe him sh*t! He then turned to us and said, “Chop, ‘Every Black Man Owes Me!” –Chopmaster J, co-founder Digital Underground
“Legendary. That’s the word that comes to mind when I think of Tupac Shakur. He was the epitome of a leader that used his platform to acknowledge and raise awareness for issues affecting the minority and oppressed. Tupac was willing to sacrifice himself to better the circumstances of others. That is what made his 25 years on Earth legendary.” –Rayven Ferrell, actress “All Eyez On Me.”
“No other artist in the history of Hip-Hop has managed to touch the heart and souls of the people like Tupac! A true revolutionary, he cared so much about the plight of Black people in America. He was truly a multi dimensional person as well as a multidimensional artist. He could hug you one minute and punch you the next! His artistry is the reason so many still feel connected to him till this day!” – Ed Lover, Radio personality The Ed Lover Show
“I don’t have too many things that haven’t been said about him already but I feel he was a good dude and a good person outside of the music. In a lot of ways, ‘Pac was misunderstood by most but seemed totally understood by the people that knew him. A lot of people knew the public Tupac. I knew the private Tupac. Maybe I’m biased but on my account of dealing with him, he was a good dude beyond his persona.” – Ice Cube
