Ice-T appears on ‘Holdin Court Podcast‘ where he spoke about Tupac biggest mistake was getting involved in gang politics.
Throughout his career Tupac had enormous respect for Ice-T since his early days with Digital Underground. Vise versa, the west coast veteran, 13-years older than Tupac, watched over Shakur. But, when it came to gang politics, Ice-T was not able to stop Tupac in his tracks before it was too late.
“I was not a fan of Pac hanging out L.A. gang bangers,” Ice-T explains. “If you’re from the Bay, you don’t really truly understand L.A. gangs. I’m just being honest. No matter how down you are, how gangsta you are, L.A. gangs – you join a L.A. when your twelve-thirteen years old and you build a bond.”
Ice-T says Tupac going from kicking it with crips affiliated Thug Life members to then riding with Suge Knight and dealing with bloods, was not the best decision. Ice-T till this day is angry at Tupac, because he wished Shakur was still alive. Even Shock G back in 1996 approached Ice-T at his home and asked for him to speak to Tupac about “pushing the line.” “At the end of the day, he crossed the line by getting involved in gang sh-t. Fighting over a chain. To a gang banger, a gang banger who is really gang banging it’s like an insult to them. It’s like you a rapper, you’re stepping in our area.”
Ice-T echoed those same concerns back in 2019. Sitting down with allhiphop.com, Ice-T believes that Tupac’s affiliation with different gangs gave off an uneasy vibe. Speaking on Tupac associating with both Crips and Bloods, Ice-T said “You can’t get reckless out here, especially in LA with gangs. Pac is from the Bay, you in L. A. these gangs operate differently. You over here with Thug Life, with some Crips, you with Rated R, you with Macadoshis. Now you over here with these Piru’s and some Bloods.” He added that crossing the divide between entertainment and gang banging became Tupac’s demise.
Also view: DJ PREMIER ON WHY GANG STARR DIDN’T MAKE THE POETIC JUSTICE SOUNDTRACK
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