Remembering Tupac Shakur: Tragedy Khadafi
So Hood: What are the most powerful lyrics that you ever heard from any person in general?
Tragedy Khadafi: There’s a couple of them but the main one I have to say is Tupac. I can't take nothing from Nas; he said some powerful shit. That joint Many Men by 50 Cent, I think that's a powerful song. That's what gives a song power when it becomes spiritual, it's not just about the streets, it's not just about money but it's about streets, money, power, struggle and spirituality. To me, Tupac encompassed it.
So Hood: Tupac has such an influence in rap, What do you think about artists, you see a sample here a sample there of Tupac?
Tragedy Khadafi: I just think they were influenced by him but I also think they showing respect to a certain degree, certain artists need to let go cause they can’t even fuck with Pac you know what I’m sayin’?
So Hood: So when did you start feeling Pac?
Tragedy Khadafi: I’m not going to lie I wasn’t a Pac fan the first couple of times I heard him but when I was listening to his shit. I was like ‘Yo hold on, man. This dude is in fuckin’ pain - he’s crying.’ When I rhyme I be crying straight up yo! I started feeling Pac when he did this song called ‘Pain’ that was on the Above The Rim Sdtrk. I went to see the movie Above The Rim and I’m the type I like to watch till the credits go off so I’m sitting there and this beat comes on and shit and the beat is fuckin’ dumpin’ and it’s crazy and then Pac just comes on and he says “They never take me alive I’m getting high with my four-five cockin’ these suckas time to die even as a youngster causing ruckas in the back of the bus I was a fool all through out high school kickin’ up dust, so they label me a troublemaker. Who can you blame? Smoking weed help me take away the pain cause I’m hopeless.” And I said ‘Oh shit, that’s fucking Tupac?’ that’s some shit like I would say. From then on I became a fan.
So Hood: When the whole beef and everything went on. Were you rolling with Nas? Who were you with though at that time?
Tragedy Khadafi: I was always with Pac regardless. I’m not sayin’ I would shit on Nas or shit on Biggie cause I love Nas and I love Biggie too. But in terms of being the best artist more in my eyes - and who would always win is Tupac, straight up! Period. Point Blank.
So Hood: You were involved in the "L.A. L.A." joint.
Tragedy Khadafi: No doubt! Very much so, not only was I involved in the "L.A. L.A." video which I paid for out of my own pockets - I paid seven grand and Nick Smith who went on to be a big director and shoot Cash Money, Nas, and all types of big stars. I actually architect the whole song; Stretch Armstrong and I came up with the song idea, we put Mobb Deep on it and C-N-N on it. So we orchestrated the whole shit, no doubt I was involved with it.
So Hood: What motivated you to get into that?
Tragedy Khadafi: I felt like it was an attack on our character on East Coast artists when they made "New York, New York" Death Row was getting real strong and powerful and I felt like no one in the East Coast was answering to that. And I felt like if we didn't answer to that the fans in the East Coast as well as those artists coming at the East Coast would've felt like something is sweet, and there's nothing sweet on this side of light.
