Snoop Dogg Talks Tupac’s Historic Rock Hall of Fame Induction
Tupac Shakur is the first solo rapper to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His longtime friend and collaborator, Snoop Dogg, introed the late rapper during Friday’s ceremony. Before the show, Snoop caught up with Rolling Stone to talk about Tupac’s continuing influence on hip-hop and the significance of letting rappers into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
You’ve said that Tupac is the greatest rapper of all time. Why?
His influence, his inspiration, his delivery, the songs that he wrote. He changed hip-hop while he was here and even after the fact.
What was your first impression when you met him in 1993?
[We were] just on the same page, at the same level. And to be able to meet somebody that gets down and does [things] the way you do it, that’s fly. To know you can respect someone who does it in their own way and build a friendship.
What was it like recording “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted” together?
That was spontaneous. We were making records and it was just a moment. You really had to be there to capture that moment.
Tupac is the first solo rap artist to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. What does that say?
The Hall of Fame has come a long way and we appreciate them for appreciating us for what we do. And hopefully there will be many more to come, because there’s a lot of greats in hip-hop that deserve to be here.