Ever since Lil Yachty uttered the mumble heard around the world, the newest generation of rap artists have repeatedly shown a disconnect with hip-hop’s “Golden Age” by stating they are better than the giant ghosts of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls—a blasphemous claim that now can be attributed as a quote from problematic sensation, Xxxtentacion.
“Please don’t compare me to Tupac,” X begs during an interview with DJ Akademiks. “I’m better… Tupac can’t make rock music.” This cringe-worthy statement came after Akademiks asked the rapper if he will be able to spread his message outside of music, similar to Shakur, which must have struck a nerve. X followed this hubris with a rant on why he’s not fond on Tupac, even stating he wants to “bring back” the beef that cost both Pac and Biggie their lives.
“Pac got idolized for a minute because they viewed him as a street n***a, but as soon as that left the streets and went into a song it wasn’t no street sh*t… I can’t respect that,” X explains. “They could have squared up one-on-one… I blame Tupac and Biggie for why these kids want to go around shooting each other.” Pairing this with other parts of the rant—especially where he puts Joyner Lucas in the same revolutionary context as a poet described by Nikki Giovani as part of the black power movement—shows his lack of knowledge on Tupac’s career and impact.
In one of Tupac’s most iconic records, “Against All Odds,” Pac raps, “Puffy you a punk or you would see me with gloves / Remember that sh** you said in Vibe about me being a thug?” This alone disproves X’s claim that Tupac was less of a “street n***a,” as it is apparent Pac would have “squared up” if given the opportunity.
Yet, this appears to be a moot point, seeing as though several different videos have surfaced showing X on the losing end of multiple scuffles. That, combined with pending domestic violence charges, makes it clear that Xxxtentacion is in no position to speak about anyone’s physical aptitude or moral standing.
Watch the entire conversation below.