Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur were a dynamic duo during the 1990s, with the two California MCs regularly seen at each other’s sides throughout the era. Snoop (real name Calvin Broadus) rose to prominence alongside Shakur as part of the infamous Death Row Records. However, although the two artists were friends, Broadus wasn’t always a fan of Shakur’s actions, and in a sit-down interview with LA radio host Big Boy, Snoop Dogg admitted that Pac’s Bad Boy diss track did not sit well with him when he first heard it.
Snoop was a member of Death Row before Shakur and met him for the first time in 1994. Still, the two quickly became very close and developed a mutual admiration for each other. However, in 1996 as the East versus West Coast war raged on, Broadus admitted that there was minor friction between the two legends. The ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ emcee has often explained that despite Pac’s sentiments towards Bad Boy Entertainment, he never had an issue with Biggie Smalls or Puff Daddy (Diddy). In fact, when Snoop was on the rise, despite his affiliation with Shakur, he made it his business to stay out of the regional feud. In a 1996 interview alongside Angie Martinez, he declared he wanted to work with The Notorious B.I.G and Diddy. Furthermore, during a 2022 appearance on the Drink Champs podcast, Broadus unveiled that his children and Diddy’s kids have been friends since they were seven.
Snoop’s aim to actively avoid confrontation with Bad Boy Entertainment created tension between himself and Shakur as the ‘Do For Love’ rapper sought to destroy the New York crew. In a sit-down interview with LA radio host Big Boy, the Long Beach emcee reflected on his tumultuous relationship with his labelmate in the days leading up to his death in September 1996. Addressing his feelings on the beef between Biggie Smalls and 2pac, Broadus told Big Boy “Man, I’d say a week before he died, we was best of friends. Two days before he died, I don’t think he liked me. Because we was in New York, and shit had happened. New York n*ggas had shot at me and did all kinds of sh*t to me, just the worst sh*t you could think of, and I forgave ’em. Then I went and did an interview and was asked how did I feel about Puffy and Biggie. I was like, ‘I like them n*ggas. I wanna do some music with’ em.”
Snoop continued, “I wasn’t thinking about [2Pac’s] emotions. I was thinking about the way I felt at the time. I wasn’t into no controversy. I liked them n*ggas’ 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 [Knight], all of us together prior to Death Row, just on some regular shit. So that to me, I never seen myself getting involved.” Due to his conflict-averse nature, Broadus admitted that he really didn’t care for 2pac’s 1996 diss track ‘Hit Em Up’. Elaborating on why he didn’t like it, the ‘Gin And Juice’ rapper explained, “Even when he played the video for me to ‘Hit ‘Em Up,’ even when he played ‘Hit ‘Em Up,’ the song, I didn’t like the song. I didn’t like it! I didn’t like the sh*t! It wasn’t the sh*t to me. Like, you buying more problems, cuh. You buying problems. Gangstas is everywhere. They make ’em everywhere.”
‘Hit Em Up’ is known as one of the most savage diss tracks ever made, and, according to Kurupt of Death Row, 2Pac recorded the track immediately after being visited by Biggie’s ex-wife, Faith Evans, in the studio. During the period it was recorded, Faith Evans was Biggie Smalls’ wife. You can watch the Snoop Dogg interview with Big Boy in the video below.
