The two names Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls undoubtedly spark a light of recognition when heard on the radio, TV, or simply in conversation. They made a name for themselves by becoming two of the best artists in the history of hip-hop and rap. Some may know the nitty gritty details of the friends-to-enemies relationship between the two of them, but some younger fans who had not been alive during their time may not know the heartbreaking story of their lost friendship, and the tragic endings of their lives.
The Beginning
In the early 90’s, the artist Tupac Shakur started to become more and more popular. His unique poetic talent and mesmerizing voice became recognized as he rose to the top of the music industry. Shortly after rising to fame, a man called Biggie Smalls begged his friend to introduce him to Shakur on the set of the movie Poetic Justice. Since that day, the friendship between the two of them grew. According to Vice, they had a great friendship. Tupac became a mentor to the aspiring rapper, devoting “special attention to Biggie, and grooming him and letting him perform at his concerts.” Although Biggie remained signed with Sean “Diddy” Combs, he had originally asked Tupac to be his manager, but Tupac declined, claiming that he didn’t mix friendship with business.
The Turning Point
As the days went by, Tupac and Biggie continued to be friends, and they had even written a song together. Unfortunately, their relationship took a turn for the worst on November 30, 1994. That day, Tupac and Biggie had planned to meet at Times Square’s Quad Recording Studio, getting ready to collaborate on a song with fellow rapper, Little Shawn. According to Biography, Biggie and his manager, Combs, had been waiting upstairs for Tupac’s arrival. When Tupac arrived, he had immediately been gunned down in the lobby, getting shot five times. Luckily, he survived the ambush, but he believed that Biggie had something to do with the attack. Biggie continued denying the allegations being spread about his involvement, but the incident ended up putting a strain on their relationship.
East Coast vs. West Coast
With their feud starting in 1994, tension arose between Tupac and Biggie, which only increased when Tupac decided to sign with Los Angeles record label Death Row. Biggie joined Combs’s label, New York’s Bad Boy Records. Tupac joining a rival label caused tensions to run high, especially when fans started to compare the two rappers, igniting the controversial question that stands today: Which rapper had been better? Eventually the list of rappers joining the two sides grew, only adding to the intensity and rivalry between the two companies. The two rappers continued to deliver verbal blows, hitting each other with diss tracks and songs.
The Tragic End
Unfortunately, the two rappers never had a chance to clear the air, as their murders, only six months apart from each other, precluded their reconciliation. According to History, on September 13, 1996, Tupac and one of the heads of Death Row Records, Marian “Suge” Knight, had been driving to a Mike Tyson boxing match when a car pulled up beside them, and fired 12 shots. Tupac suffered immensely from the life threatening injuries, and even though his doctors said he would recover, he died. Six months later, on March 9, 1997, the world faced another moment of shock as the news of Biggie’s murder traveled around the globe. He had died the same way as his rival; a car pulled up beside him, firing shots into his car and ended his life.
The rivalry between Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls continues to be controversial to this day. Although both of their cases have never been solved, haunting family members, friends, and fans with many unanswered questions, they left such an important impact on the music industry, ultimately changing the rap game forever.