West Coast Connection Forum
DUBCC - Tha Connection => West Coast Connection => Topic started by: sweetdudejim on December 03, 2024, 08:47:10 PM
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Hey so I was thinking about Dr. Dre and what a gift it was to Tupac that Dre offered him the song to be released as his return single. And how it ended up being Tupac's biggest hit single in his lifetime, I'd assume. And after all that, because he left the label and was fed nonsense by Suge Knight, Dre was repaid by Tupac with a bunch of homophobic disses and whatnot.
Now my question is, did Tupac really believe that Dr. Dre was gay? And did he really think Dre was a bad dude and was whatever else Suge was saying he was? I mean, for all his faults (and there were many), Tupac seemed to me to be a pretty smart dude. So did he really believe the bullshit Suge fed him? Or was he just being what he thought was a "good soldier" for Suge?
I mean I know Tupac had a lot of beefs with a lot of people before he passed, and in retrospect now knowing what we know about Diddy, I think that perhaps Pac wasn't totally out of line thinking that Puffy and Biggie were somehow involved. If I ever knew any of the details about what may have happened back then, I've long forgotten, but I think it's perhaps possible that they were involved. But beyond that and anybody who may have been literally out to hurt him, do any of you guys or gals think it is possible that maybe some of this stuff was an act? Or was he truly just that out of his mind at that time that unless you were fully onboard with him, you were his enemy? Like how it got to the point that apparently he even had beef with Snoop post VMAs?
Now, about Dre and Tupac coexisting on Death Row Records, was that ever really a possibility, or was Suge signing Tupac the last straw for Dre? We all know they did "California Love" and that Dre gave Tupac "Can't C Me" and that they possibly did one or two other tracks together, but was that just Dre being nice on his way out the door? Does anybody know from reports around that time, or even anything that Dre has said since? I know Chronic II was listed in the booklet of All Eyez on Me along other supposed "Upcoming Death Row releases" but who knows if Dre even okayed that by that point. I also know that Suge's general hatefulness and lack of general decency were among the main reasons Dre left, along with Suge signing artists that Dre seemed to have no interest in to the label.
Anyways, any opinions on all this? I know this old stuff, but still, just intrigued to hear if anybody has anything to add.
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Don't you believe he is gay?
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Don't you believe he is gay?
No I don’t. And if he was, it’s not a big deal. But he has shown nothing at all to think that he is.
However, you have Tupac on his album cover in S&M leather and then you have him wearing this girdle…
(https://southbeachleather.com/cdn/shop/products/vest__17459.1483290536_1280x.jpg?v=1648459878)
Anyways, I don’t know why I’m surprised that the only reply was some homophobic nonsense.
Or this gem…..
(https://i.redd.it/emed1ngicxua1.jpg)
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Is this real? :ohmy:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9IiVtFN8LvLhZXQBdPmNaA/community?lb=Ugkx7rNYtZYSaEZZViigBX-HubzLSLNq_kgj
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Changes is probably 2Pac's biggest hit in terms of the reach and the broad demographic appeal it can still garner to this day. California Love undoubtedly in the top 5 though, along with Dear Mama, Hit em Up, and (for the European markets that reached first # 1) Ghetto gospel, although California Love could probably have more streams globally. Although it's painted as Dre happily gifting 2-3 tracks to 2Pac, it looks to be more of Suge pretty much demanding he hand something over for the project. Nothing new was worked, and no real musical effort by Dre on All Eyez on Me. Not that I think he had personal issues with 2Pac, I think his mind was already swayed before 2Pac was even signed.
I remember numbers used to skew the playing field with 'How Do U Want it' back in the day too, due to the sales that single had, but it wasn't necessarily that singular song that drew a lot of sales, but because it served as an All Eyez on Me EP, and also had a new song you couldn't get on the album. All Eyez on Me album was expensive back then, especially in foreign markets if imported.
But on Dre being gay, he is probably Bi-Sexual. Everyone has heard the stories about him and Bruce. And his 'close' relationship with Jimmy. 2Pac himself could have been bisexual too. His attire, like you have pointed out is questionable, and certain mannerisms, but those horrid leather vests could also be put down to imagining for marketing purposes, and his mannerisms being raised by women etc. but I don't think 2Pac was out of line for being cut throat with how he stood with loyalty. We know of the 2 shootings (NY / Vegas) but 2Pac apparently had at least 5 attempts on his life, that is documented. Police actively pursuing you when you arrive in different states, FBI watching, the panther background, and infiltration they had. Being set up and framed a few times, other than the rape allegation. I can see why he had to have people around him that were either 100% with him, or they were not. Outlawz were directly under him, willing to follow his every command, Suge pretty commissioned absolutely anything from 2Pac's creative vision - if he wanted to record over 150 tracks in the studio he could, if he wanted to do over 10 music videos less than a year he could. I don't think Suge would have veto'd anything 2Pac wanted to do, so I do believe there was genuine support from Suge other than just the typical business interests you'd expect from artist and manager. Then you have Snoop Dogg, who many forget - stoked the fire initially, he stood up in NY dissing the crowd, doing the whole NY NY video kicking down buildings, diss songs on the fly (recorded when he had been aquitted, though many like to use the murder case thing for his switch) then does a complete 180, leaving 2Pac, Suge and others to carry the burden, and from 2Pac's perspective, Snoop flip flops too easily, willing to be cool with guys who aren't fully loyal to 2Pac's expectations. I think it's easy for others to think he was being a bit excessive with how easily he could fall out and disregard others, but not so much when full context is provided and why he had to probably be that way, not only for survival, but just to help minimise the mental stresses, with everything he had going on