2pac: greatest rapper Alive

April 25, 1990

It was just another day in hip-hop—until an interview changed everything.

N.W.A was set to appear on Pump It Up!, one of the biggest rap shows on TV, hosted by Dee Barnes. The episode had been promoted as an inside look at N.W.A's upcoming album and their thoughts on the current state of hip-hop. Fans tuned in expecting the usual mix of energy and controversy, but something was different this time.

Tupac wasn't there.

For years, Tupac had been the loudest voice in N.W.A, the one who could dominate any interview with his charisma, passion, and unfiltered words. But now, with him gone, the interview felt… empty.

The remaining members—Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, and MC Ren—sat on the couch, but the energy wasn't the same. The absence of Tupac left an undeniable void. Dee Barnes noticed it immediately. Usually, she struggled to get a word in when N.W.A was in the studio, but today? The group wasn't as talkative.

Still, she did her job.

"So, let's talk about the new album," she began. "What can the fans expect?"

Eazy-E leaned forward, grinning. "Same old raw shit. We ain't changin' for nobody."

Dr. Dre nodded. "Yeah, we keepin' it real—gangsta rap at its finest."

They went on, hyping up their album, talking about their music, their success, and their impact on the game. But Dee knew what people really wanted to hear about. She glanced at the producer, who had been pushing for her to ask the question. She hesitated.

She respected Tupac. She knew he and N.W.A had history, but the producer wanted drama. And if she didn't ask about it, they'd just edit in a voice-over or re-shoot the segment with someone else doing it.

So she went for it.

"Tupac was a big part of N.W.A," she said carefully. "Since he left, there's been a lot of speculation about why. Can you guys talk about that?"

The mood shifted instantly.

Eazy-E smirked. "Man, look. Tupac was cool, but he wasn't built for this."

DJ Yella laughed. "Yeah, dude started actin' like he was bigger than the group."

Dr. Dre shook his head. "That's why he left—he thought he was too good for N.W.A. Thought he could do this shit on his own."

MC Ren leaned in. "He ain't no gangsta. He just playin' the role."

The producer behind the camera grinned. This was gold.

Eazy took it further. "Pac act like he the king of rap now, but lemme tell you somethin'. That dude wouldn't be shit without N.W.A. We made him. Now he out here talkin' like he the greatest? Man, get the fuck outta here with that."

The insults kept coming. They mocked Tupac's lyrics, his style, even his decision to work with pop artists like Michael Jackson.

"He out here dancin' with Michael and shit," Yella joked. "What's next? Tupac singin' love songs?"

They laughed.

Dee shifted uncomfortably. She didn't like this. She had seen Tupac's grind firsthand. The way they were talking felt personal. She knew the producer was eating it up, but she didn't want to be part of it.

Still, she had to wrap the segment.

"Well, there you have it," she said, forcing a smile. "N.W.A has spoken."

The interview ended, but the damage was done.

When the episode aired, the hip-hop world exploded. Fans who had been debating whether there was beef between Tupac and N.W.A now had their answer.

And Tupac? He didn't need to watch it to know what was said.

He had been ignoring the media drama, assuming it was just another case of the press trying to stir up problems. He had even told his crew, "Man, the media just want us to fight. It ain't real."

But then he saw the clip.

It played on TV screens everywhere, on rap stations, on the news, in record stores. Headlines popped up:

"N.W.A Calls Out Tupac!"

"Eazy-E Says Tupac 'Ain't No Gangsta'"

"Dr. Dre: 'Tupac Wasn't Built for N.W.A'"

Tupac sat in his studio, arms crossed, jaw clenched. His team was dead silent, waiting for his reaction.

This wasn't just the media twisting words. This was N.W.A, his former crew, dragging his name through the mud.

He exhaled sharply. "So that's how it is?"

Someone changed the channel. Another station played the final part of the Pump It Up! episode—a clip of Tupac from an older interview, where he had spoken about leaving N.W.A.

The producer had edited it to make it seem like Tupac was responding directly to what they said.

On screen, Tupac's voice played:

"N.W.A? Man, fuck N.W.A."

The room went silent.

The media had just turned this into a full-scale war.

Tupac leaned forward, rubbing his chin. His mind was racing. This wasn't just some rap beef now. This was personal.

For the first time, he realized—he had been wrong. The media didn't create the beef.

N.W.A did.

And they were about to learn exactly who they were messing with.

The interview spread like wildfire. Everywhere Tupac went, people asked about it. Fans approached him on the streets, wanting to know if he was going to respond.

Other rappers weighed in too. Some sided with Tupac, calling out N.W.A for turning on one of their own. Others stayed neutral, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire.

The industry took notice. Record labels, magazines, and TV networks saw the brewing war as an opportunity. Radio stations started playing both N.W.A and Tupac's music back-to-back, fueling the rivalry.

Meanwhile, Eazy-E doubled down in another interview, saying, "Tupac ain't got no street cred. He just actin'."

Tupac heard it all.

He didn't respond publicly—yet.

But behind closed doors, he was already planning his next move.

This wasn't over.

What Happens Next?

This moment would go down in history as the moment the Tupac vs. N.W.A beef truly began. It wasn't just rumors or speculation anymore. It was real.

End.