Appearing on Off Air With Big Boy, Snoop Dogg talks about him telling Tupac why he did not like the diss record Hit ‘Em up.
When it comes to Snoop Dogg reminiscing about Tupac Shakur, the Dogg Father always reflects on meeting Shakur for the first time, being responsible for Tupac joining Death Row records and explaining their fallout. In a recent interview with Big Boy, Snoop touches on all those topics, while adding why he was not a fan of Tupac’s classic diss record, Hit ‘Em Up.
“When he played Hit ‘Em Up the song I didn’t like it,” said Snoop. “Like, you buying more problems cuz. Gangsters is everywhere. They make them everywhere. And I think when he got with us, he got to the mindset of, ‘We the motherf***ers and ain’t nobody like us.’ Oh, there’s people like us everywhere.”
This wasn’t the first time the Dogg Father expressed his true feelings about hip hop’s greatest diss record. Back in Summer of 2020, appearing on Jemele Hill is Unbothered, Snoop labeled Hit ‘Em Up a “come and go record.”
“But what I did clash him up on was the Hit ‘Em Up song when he played it for me. I was like cuz, ‘I ain’t really feeling that.’ I just didn’t feel it. I just felt he was making great music and that was not great music. That was gonna be a come and go record. That record came and went, cause now that Biggie died, people that loved Biggie don’t wanna play that record,” he said on Jemele Hill is Unbothered.
Although Snoop was not a fan of the record, his long time friend and music comrade Dr. Dre had different feelings towards the song. According to Outlawz member E.D.I. Mean who was featured on Hit ‘Em Up, Dr. Dre was ready to help produce the record. Tupac declined the offer and went with Johnny J.
“Pac was like Dre wanna holla at us,” recalled E.D.I. on Cam Capone News. “‘Yeah Dre wanna holla at us. We gon’ chop it up real quick.’ Long story short, Dre had told ‘Pac that he wanted to direct the Hit ‘Em Up video. Because he was f***ing with it so tough and he was f***ing with our music.”
Tupac and Snoop Dogg’s friendship took a hit during the MTV VMA’s which was held in New York. The day after the awards show, Snoop appeared on Hot 97 with Angie Martinez.
“A week before he died we was best of friends. Two days before he died, I don’t think he liked me,” explained Snoop on Off Air With Big Boy. “Because we was in New York. S*** had happened. New York n***** had shot at me and did all kind of s*** to me. Just the worst things you could think of and I forgave them. And went and did an interview and was asked how I felt about Puffy and Biggie, and I was like I like them n*****. I wanna do some music with them and that just rubbed cuz the wrong way.”
According to Snoop, Tupac was angered by his comments, not understanding why Snoop Dogg would entertain recording music with Biggie and Diddy after Snoop had gotten shot up and Tupac was shot in New York two years prior.
“I wasn’t thinking about his emotions. I was thinking about what I felt at the time. I wasn’t into no controversial. I liked them n***** music. They was our friends. We was all friends at one point. There’s video footage of all of us hanging out. ‘Pac, Biggie, Puff, Suge… all of us together prior to Death Row. I never seen myself getting involved,” added Snoop.
