Why Nipsey Hussle thought he was the Tupac Shakur of his generation
Nipsey Hussle may have passed at 33, but his legacy will live forever. Between his motivational lyrics, impact within the community, and trailblazing marketing of his music, the Crenshaw rapper will be remembered as one of the greatest West Coast rappers. Nipsey always had confidence in himself, enough to compare himself to the legendary Tupac Shakur.
On ‘Dedication’, a Kendrick Lamar collaboration from his Victory Lap album, Nipsey believed he hit every musical point as an artist. In the song’s opening lines, he matter-of-factly calls himself the Tupac of his generation. Nipsey is among a generation of rappers who rose to fame in the late 2000s and early 2010s, with rappers like YG, Kendrick, Drake, and J Cole among his contemporaries, and he considered himself as one of the best.
In the first verse of ‘Dedication’, he raps, “Tupac of my generation/ Blue pill in the fuckin’ Matrix, red rose in the grey pavement/ Young black n*gga trapped and he can’t change it/ Know he a genius, he just can’t claim it/ ‘Cause they left him no platforms to explain it/ He frustrated so he get faded/ But deep down inside he know you can’t fade him.”
The track, produced by Mike & Keys, is one of the biggest of his career, racking up over 97 million Spotify streams. Nipsey described those lyrics as a representation of his life story and many others in the streets. He knew his gift and how far he could take it, and never took his success for granted. Many others, such as those in the Rollin’ 60s who are also talented with their pen, aren’t so fortunate to be in the position Nipsey was in.
“That’s why I said I’m the Tupac of my generation, because I follow the red roses in the grey pavements,” he told Billboard. “The rose that grew from the concrete. I know what Pac was trying to do.
“Pac was like, ‘I know if I tell y’all the shit I know, y’all will call me smart. In our culture, smart is weak. So, I’ma show y’all I’m a rider first. I’ma show y’all I’m not afraid to fight, I’m not afraid to shoot and I’m not afraid to be with my n*ggas in the worst of the worst. I am not afraid of my people.'”
He added, “Listen to ‘White Man’z World’ and listen to Makaveli. He was trying to take n*ggas there, and they got killed. That’s why I say that. God bless Pac and his spirit. I’m not Tupac, I’m Nipsey Hussle. That’s why I said Tupac of my generation. It’s my intention.”
Funnily enough, Nipsey initially didn’t want Kendrick on that song. He asked his team to send him ‘Keys 2 the City 2’, but they decided to forward him ‘Dedication’. It wasn’t until the All Eyez on Me premiere in 2017 that Nipsey found out, with Kendrick inspiring him with the verse he sent back. Thanks to that, Nipsey provided one of the most impressive performances of his career and a standout track in his catalogue.