Tupac And Son
"Scared to drop a seed hoping I ain't cursed my baby," 2Pac "Smile"
"Now as I open up my story get to blazing yo blunt," Scarface "Smile!" The brother Black Dot recently said that we are in a thirty-year time loop, and that we are now operating from a nineties perspective. I didn't think much of it then, but I have noticed how much of the history that we grew up knowing, is being revisited. Not only are the stories being retold, many of them are being relived. Names that were big in the Hip-Hop Culture are beginning to pop again. Names such as Alpo from New York, who recently came home from the penitentiary. Larry Hoover, who made his name here, on the streets of Chicago. There's an effort to bring him home, but for now it's only talk and hope by those that love the elder street leader. Another name that most of us grew up hearing of in Hip is Haitian Jack, made notable by the late great Tupac Shakur.
Tupac and Hatian Jack at one point were friends, as he and the late great Notorious B.I.G. were also! As the story has been told, in the "All Eyez On Me" film, as well as by Hatian Jack himself, on the new "Hip Hop Uncovered" series, they went their separate ways after both men were accused of rape by a former acquaintance. Tupac believing Hatian Jack was also involved in the robbery and attempt on his life in '94, let it be known on the outro track to his "Makavelli" album, titled "Against All Odds." In the song Tupac described Jack as a snitch, and pretty much said nothing more about him, besides him being flashy, which Jack admitted to himself. Although Haitian Jack denies being a snitch, and feels he would have had a "Discussion" with Pac after that album was released, he also expressed sadness about his death, and wished that he would have been more cautious in his movements. Now, I'm not the one to say if Haitian Jacks words are sincere or not, but with the recent revisionist history of people like Pac, told by those that lived long enough to tell the story, I do recognize a common theme, the influence of those who were around Pac, and the duality between 2Pac the rapper, and Tupac the man.
For someone who has had beef with a person, and would have the most motive to spit on that persons grave, to respect them enough not throw them under the bus, affords them the benefit of doubt. As great of a fan as I was, and still am of Tupac, I must say towards the end of his life, I found myself disappointed with some of his choices. I wasn't crazy about the Death Rowe move, Tupac and Dr. Dre wasn't my greatest hope for his musical career. I actually appreciated the music better that he'd done on the East Coast. The Makavelli Album to me was closer to the Pac that I felt, more than All Eyez on Me! With that said, I am a genuine fan, then and now, and even back then that made me feel qualified to give my opinion. It's like telling someone you love that they need to make some changes, it's out of love that you tell them because you can foresee them being hurt. I dedicated one of my songs to the memory of 2Pac, as well as a few friends. It's on my album, the "Audacity of Hip Hop," the song is called "Still," as in we still keep our heads up! At the end of the song, I express how Pac had been like a big brother, or a father figure to some, cause we watched what he did, especially if we hadn't grown up with male role models. One of saddest part about Pac's story is, that he was killed by his son!
From what we know, Orlando Anderson was a Hoover Crip, who had been part of a robbery of one of the Death Rowe members, in which his Death Rowe chain was stolen a few days prior. At the MGM Hotel, that Death Rowe member spotted Orlando Anderson, whom he said was responsible for taking his chain. 2Pac, Suge Knight, and thirty of the Death Rowe members stomped Orlando out as a result, Orlando then connects with his homies, comes back and shoots 2Pac later on that night. That's the story that we know, but Orlando also said he hadn't been apart of taking the Death Rowe members chain, and he aslo expressed how much of a fan he was of Tupac. Given the benefit of doubt, of course he could be lying, but imagine if one of your greatest hero's became your enemy. Street justice is and has always been to go and retaliate if someone disrespects you, that's even on a basic level, if you went home after getting jumped on, you'd probably get sent back out to handle it. For it to come from someone you idolize, that had to be a different kind of hurt! Although, some may feel because he loved Pac, he shouldn't have been able to do that, and I would agree, but I also know that more people kill people that they love, then they do those that they hate. Whether it be a crime of passion, fear, or confusion, it's usually those that are accessible, and over a minor misunderstanding!
My purpose for writing this piece was to focus on the similarities(physical) between Tupac and Orlando, as well as the decisions made by both men. Too many of us have yet to realize that we reap what we sowe, the seed planted will surely be the one that manifests!