The 6 Most Woke Tupac Interviews

On June 16th we celebrated the birthday of one of rap’s G.O.A.T.S, or the G.O.A.T. depending who you ask. On that same day, the new film All Eyez on Me was released and put Pac’s name back in the mainstream. That being said, let’s reflect on the insight he’s blessed us all with during his prime.

Let’s countdown the times he’s blown our minds in wild and eye-opening interviews throughout his storied career. From his interviews with E! News to his very first on BET Network, he shows us why he is one of the most impactful and influential public figures of all time.

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Image via Instagram/@2pac

In this 1994 Interview with BET’s Eric Gordon, Tupac addresses claims that he was a sellout, which were bubbling over at that time. He opens up to Gordon about his true self and his perspective on life regarding his personal abilities when he says, “I can talk to anyone. I have the ability to reason, I have logic. I have compassion. I have understanding. If we talk, there is no problems.” In the interview we get to see Tupac talk about black suffering and the state of racism of that time.

“You can see the lessons that I missed when you talk to me. You can see where I haven’t had a father when you talk to me. You can see where I spent a lot of time in the streets when you talk to me,” he says elsewhere, revealing just how self-aware he is. Pac shows his true colors in a rare, can’t-miss conversation.  

Tupac sat down for his very first televised interview with BET in 1992, alongside Sherry Carter. Here he declares a mission statement of sorts -- “Instead of a role model, I want to be a real model,” he tells Sherry. He goes on to talk about his mother’s incredible influence on his life and how, because of his mother’s influence, he’s been able to latch onto other female role models, such as Harriet Tubman.

“Tupac is a survivor, you are a survivor, we all are. So when we are a put into a position to where as we have to survive, we will do it.”

 In this 1995 interview deemed “The Lost Prison Interview,” Pac expresses just how much heart he puts into his music, as he derives it from his personal experiences. He reveals that his focus isn’t only to sell records, but to get the truth out there, in hopes that people will listen, and that by extension, it will incite a change. He even recites “Me Against the World” lyrics to prove his point. He later talks about how prison has changed his mindset when he exclaims, “Prison has gave me so much knowledge and put me on such a right track that I’d like to do a whole tour of prisons and use(influence) sinners.” Topics like community gang life, AIDS, and the power of the youth hit the table in a invigorating interview.  

In this interview with VIBE from 1996, Tupac talks about the difference between the “streets” and the “real-world,” saying that the real world is actually much more difficult to navigate. When Pac says “the real world,” he’s referring to the people in a business-oriented world-- the industry. He exclaims that “these mother f*ckers are worse than the nig*as in the streets”. He then goes into talking about how he believes his music truly influenced and changed Biggie Smalls’ style saying that, “Study how Party and Bullsh*t was me before I met biggie, you don’t hear my style in his rap. Study how after I met biggie, Ready To Die came out and his whole style changed. Study. Study why I would be mad.” He goes in!

Throwing it back to a 1992 interview with E! News regarding Tupac’s movie Juice, he uses this time to talk about police brutality and the affect it’s had on his life, as well as his influence on the youth. Pac expresses that he wants to send a positive message to his young followers. He states, “I would rather tell a young black male, to educate his mind, arm yourself, and defend yourself, then just sit there and turn your cheek.” He also acknowledges how his rhymes referencing police brutality do not necessarily reflect reality -- “In reality I couldn’t shoot em’ like (he says he does) in my rhymes, I couldn’t do that in reality.” He gives a lot of insight in this must-watch interview.

In one of Pac’s more memorable interviews with MTV in 1996, we watch him walk through Venice Beach as he discusses his emotions post-prison release, and the message he’s trying to send his listeners. This interview gives us a real glimpse at what his experience was like in jail. He reveals that there was a point in time where his life felt threatened “by guards, not prisoners.” He talks about his mindset when he was shot 5 times; he wasn’t worried about dying . He states in the interview, “I know how it’s going to be when I die. No lawyers, no screaming, I'm a fade out.” The most woke interview.