In a recent interview Universal Zulu Nation founder Afrika Bambaataa discussed various high-profile rappers affiliated with the movement, including the late Tupac Shakur.
Universal Zulu Nation (UNZ) founder Afrika Bambaataa discussed how the murders of Biggie and Tupac were avoidable in a recent Vlad TV interview,
That could have been avoided. When people used to be arguing over the West Coast versus the East Coast, the Universal Zulu Nation never had that problem. We were on the East Coast. We were on the West Coast. We were in the South. We were in the North.”
Even though Biggie was performing at Zulu events prior to his record deal, Bambaataa said that Tupac was always friendly with Zulu Nation. Bambata mentioned that Tupac came out of the East and went to the West Coast, remembering that Tupac was in fact born in East Harlem. Additionally Bambaata said that he would occasionally run into Tupac even though the two never hung out. TheSource.com reached out to UZN’s Minister of Information M.C. Spice for his thoughts on Tupac. Spice said,
Tupac Shakur is our brother forever. His music and his works in the community reflected the truth and struggle, and most importantly – the emotions of the Black man in America…he represented the young men and women who had no voice: the street soldiers, the single women, the revolutionaries, and even the brothers caught up in the struggle of righteousness versus temptation. Tupac will forever be in our hearts, and we love him infinitely.”
Aside from the East Coast West Coast conflict, Tupac’s music certainly united a people and represented the values of the Universal Zulu Nation. Check out the interview below:
-Nishat Baig
