Top 5 Best Tupac Shakur MTV Moments

No other entertainment outlet captured Tupac more than MTV. We take a look at the top 5 best Tupac Shakur moments via MTV.

MTV has created memorable moments throughout its start in 1981. Growing up in the nineties viewers echoed “I want my MTV.” Covering all genres, the entertainment giant covered many Tupac moments in the nineties. Since his passing MTV continues to release never-before-seen footage of the hip hop icon.

Here are some of the best moments involving Tupac and MTV.

5. Tupac Talks Greed, The Rich, The Poor, And Donald Trump

In 1992, producer Jimmy Iovine, released ‘A Very Special Christmas Volume 2.’ The album’s goal was to help benefit the Special Olympics. Featuring Boy II Men, Michael Bolton, Debbie Gibson and Run DMC to name a few, Tupac was also asked to the talented roster.

Tupac would go on to record a song for the album in the summer of 1992. Unfortunate for Tupac, because of legal problems, he was scrapped from the album. Not only was Tupac scrapped from the album, but his MTV interview promoting the compilation project also never aired.

Parts of the interview have leaked since then, along with MTV uploading a 5 minute clip of the interview on their YouTube channel in 2016. In the clip, Tupac talks about the greed in America and Donald Trump. “I know you’re rich. I know you got 40 billion dollars, but can you just keep it to one house. You only need one house. And, if you only got two kids, can you just keep it to two rooms. Why have 52 rooms and you know somebody with no rooms,” Tupac said.

4. Bishop On The Set Of Juice

Speaking with Fab 5 Freddy in 1991 (MTV mistakenly titled the clip 1993), Tupac is on set for the movie Juice. Released in January of 1992, ‘Juice,’ the movie written and directed by Ernest R. Dickerson, helped to launched the careers of young actors such as Omar Epps and Khalil Kain. The movie was also Tupac Shakur’s first movie role. Tupac would go on to star in Poetic Justice, Above The Rim, Bullet, Gang Related and Gridlock’d.

Also watch: Diddy Requested To Remove Tupac As Bishop In The Movie Juice

“Tupac is gonna go ahead and rock this. It’s just me clowning around with these dudes,” Tupac filled with energy said in the 1 minute clip. “It’s crazy though. You’re not gonna expect it. I’m not gonna tell you the plot, but it’s sick.”

3. California Love Video Shoot

Released in 2020, a year which saw many never-before-seen photos and videos of Tupac, MTV did not disappoint as they blessed fans with behind the scene footage of the ‘California Love’ video shoot.

In the video, Tupac is seen having a great time and ready to make his Death Row records debut and return after spending eleven plus months in prison. During the on set interview, Dr. Dre stated how ‘California Love,’ the song itself and the video, all came together within a week. Not surprising, given the reputation of Tupac’s unmatched work ethic since his release from prison in late 1995.

In the six minute clip, Dr. Dre also reveals a rare fact about the high budget video directed by Hype Williams. According to Dre, Jada Pinkett Smith came up with the concept for the music video. California in the year 2095 after the world ended as Tupac and Dr. Dre party it up, only to have Chris Tucker try and stop it. “Its a little different from what she came up with, but we liked the idea and ran with it,” Dre said.

2. Tupac’s Big Mouth

As an artist who is known for being outspoken, Tupac clearly understood his “big mouth” also got himself into trouble. Interviewed by Abbie Kearse for MTV News, Tupac says he is best known for his “big mouth.”

The clip uploaded on MTV’s YouTube channel in 2017 on Tupac’s birthday has Shakur talking from the heart. “I got a big mouth, can’t help it. I talk from my heart. I’m real. Whatever comes, comes,” Tupac explained. “It’s not my fault. I’m trying to find my way in the world. I’m trying to be somebody instead of making money off everybody.”

Conducted in March of 1994, Tupac was also joined by co-star Marlon Wayans as the two appeared in the movie ‘Above The Rim.’ Filmed in Harlem and directed by Jeffrey Pollack, also known for being the writer and producer of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, the movie pulled in close to $4 million dollars over the opening weekend.

MTV has yet to release the interview in full.

1. Tupac’s Last MTV Interview

Interviewed three days prior to being shot on the Las Vegas strip, Tupac appeared for his very last MTV interview. In attendance for the 1996 VMA’s Shakur sat down along with Snoop Dogg, Tupac spoke about Biggie, Puffy and the so called “West coast East coast war.”

At the height of the beef between Tupac and Biggie, Death Row records was in New York. In fact, Tupac and Suge Knight would go on to introduce Death Row East at the VMA after party in Bryant Park. (Watch: Nas Details Tupac Incident On New Song “Death Row East”)

“We’re here as business men to enjoy and support the video music awards and MTV, because they support us,” Tupac said. “There’s no dream of making an album with Biggie and Puffy or none of them. We’re not sweating it like that. We peacefully co-exist right now, cause we’re all cool. Everybody here.”