Kanye West, legally known as Ye, has referenced Tupac Shakur on various occasions. Interviewed by just about everyone imaginable, Ye has done everything from giving Tupac praise for his “get your money right” advice to singing the “Hail Mary” chorus on national television.
“We are in constant prayer. Hail Mary came to me. Not in a Catholic way, but more in a Tupac way,” West said on FOX News as he sang the hook to Hail Mary. “It’s like a Negro spiritual.” View: Kanye West’s Biggest Hit Was Inspired By Tupac Shakur
Recently Mutah “Napoleon” Beale appeared for an interview on Bomb1st, where the former rapper was asked about Ye’s interpretation of one of Tupac’s iconic records.
“Pac’s lyrics, his lyrics has always resonated not only people who are Black, African Americans or Latino. You have people all around the world that resonate with his lyrics,” explained Napoleon. “Pac was our Malcom X in our generation. According to our culture. Our parents had Malcom X and was a speaker. He was able to speak to crowds the way he spoke to crowds. Pac’s lyrics at our time growing up, his lyrics reflected what was going on in the hood. I think that’s what Kanye West meant.”
Although Napoleon was not on the hip hop classic and no longer listens to music, the former Outlawz member clearly remembers the impact of Tupac’s lyrics. “I don’t listen to music or anything like that, but I can sometimes go back and think about some of the lyrics Pac said and even till this day it’s relevant.”
