BRIEF ENCOUNTERS WITH TUPAC SHAKUR
Reflecting on this complex artist with 'Dear Mama' about to premiere
With the five part documentary series, Dear Mama, which I executive produced, about to debut on Friday, I’ve been reflecting on my very brief, but memorable encounters with Tupac Shakur. Unlike the director Allen Huges, I was never an intimate of Pac. During his rise in the early ‘80s I had left Billboard and was transitioning into TV and film production, while still writing non-fiction books. But I was close to many figures who were involved in the so-called “east coast/west coast” rap wars and found myself in a few spicy moments with them.
I first met Tupac at a music conference during the “Brenda’s Got A Baby” and “Trapped” early part of his career when his Black Panther upbringing and social consciousness was paramount in his music. I forget where the event was held (I think LA.) I was on an panel about the state of hip hop. Afterwards a young man with wire framed glasses came up to me and introduced himself. He seemed bookish and smart. He didn’t have the aggressive edge of a lot of MC’s I’d met over the years. I was aware of his music, but didn’t know much about him other than that he was viewed as a Bay Area artist.
As his reputation grew, and controversies followed him in the early ‘90s, I was spending a lot of tme in Los Angeles working as a screenwriter and producer. I’d befriended John Singleton before ‘Boyz in the Hood’ was released and remained in contact with him through its success. So when Pac was performing at a downtown LA nightclub, John invited me to sit at his table. He was prepping ‘Poetic Justice,’ so it wasn’t surprising that Janet Jackson attended as well. This was my first time seeing Tupac live and he delievered an energetic performance of sweaty charisma. This was not the bookish kid I’d met, but a real star. Afterwards Tupac, John, Janet and a slew of posse huddled at a table in the balcony, bonding as they moved towards creating a memorable film.
My last time meeting Tupac was the craziest. He was signed to Death Row and he and Suge Knight were a red carpet tag team. So at the MTV awards at Radio City, the two sat together. My friend Chris Rock was presenting an award. He spotted the Death Row duo and made a joke about being affraid of Suge, which got a big laugh. The after party was held outdoors at New York’s Byrant Park. I was walking with Chris and comic Mario Joyner when, out of nowhere, Tupac and two bodyguard types blocked our path. Tupac, in full gangsta mode, started barking at Chris about the joke. All I could think was that, if he came to blows, Chris and Pac were a fair match, but I was gonna get squashed by the bodyguard. But Chris, who’s fast with the quips, made some Jedi mind comment. Tupac cooled down and Chris walked past him and I followed closely.
Seeing that seething anger up close was scary. It seemed a long way from the young man I’d met just a few years before. But, as the doc series will explore, Tupac Shakur was a man of many sides and multiple dimensions. He lived a brief twenty-five years, yet it feels like his life was twice as long. Moreover, Tupac has remained an international symbol of rebellion, an image that has kept him alive in the hearts of so many in decades since his murder. My encounters with him were short windows into a complex life.
The first two episodes air on FX Friday at 10pm and Saturday on Hulu. The subsequent three will air on Fridays into May. Looking forward to seeing what folks think.