Snoop Dogg and 2Pac were once thick as thieves, two of Amerikaz most wanted, ride or dies — but as they say, all good things must come to an end. Unfortunately for ‘Pac, the end came way too soon. He was only 25 was he was gunned down at a Las Vegas intersection in 1996.
On Tuesday (June 16), which would have been ‘Pac’s 49th birthday, Snoop shared a series of photos to his Instagram account as a tribute to his fallen friend. He captioned the first of four, “Happy 49th still ain’t nutn but a Gangsta Party,” a reference to their celebrated All Eyez On Me collab “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted.”
In another photo, Snoop is standing behind ‘Pac at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards as he’s accepting a gilded Moon Man trophy. He wrote in the caption, “Still got ya bac. Happy 49th playboy.”
The two Hip Hop icons reportedly met at an industry party in 1993 after ‘Pac had just finished shooting the film Poetic Justice with Janet Jackson. During an interview with Cece & Romeo of 93.5 KDAY in February, Michael Rapaport — who was at the party — recalled, “That night was a cool night because I saw with my own eyes and heard the conversation between Tupac when he first, the very first time met Snoop Dogg.”
Snoop takes credit for introducing ‘Pac to Death Row Records, the legendary label founded by former CEO Suge Knight, Dr. Dre, The D.O.C. and Dick Griffey in 1991.
“I’m the reason why Tupac was on Death Row,” he told once Big Boy. “I’m the reason for a lot of things that happened cause I was the one that always to speak up. Nah that ain’t right. Nah I ain’t wit that. Even when Pac and Biggie was into it. I would tell Pac, nah cuz, that ain’t cool. He don’t want none.”
Snoop and ‘Pac collaborated a few times on songs such as the aforementioned “2 Of Amerika’s Most Wanted” and “Wanted Dead Or Alive” from the Gang Related soundtrack.
Check out the rest of Snoop’s tribute posts below.