During a recent interview with Allison Kugel, 2Pac's former manager Leila Steinberg opened up about the late performer's early career. According to her, he was discovered because she was hunting for someone who was able to strike a middle ground, making topics of social justice palatable to young listeners. She says that upon first hearing the hitmaker's poetry, she knew he was it.
“The reason 2Pac came about is because I kept saying, ‘Oh gosh, we need a rapper that is about social justice, that gets some of the same things [as me],’” Steinburg explained. “I kept looking for someone that was kind of like me. Someone who read like cr*zy and could tackle issues that we don’t talk about. Public Enemy was too radical. There were artists that were in hip hop that were using their voices, but they couldn’t penetrate the schools, because they were too extreme.”
2Pac's Former Manager Discusses His Early Career
“I was looking for somebody that could straddle these worlds like I could," she added. "One day Luanda, who was one of our group members said there was a kid that just came from Baltimore, and that he was it. She’s the reason ‘Pac came to the group. He had lots of poems. Poems, lyrics… and from the first poem, I knew.”
Obviously, her inkling was correct, and he went on to become an icon ahead of his 1996 passing. 2Pac continues to be one of the most well-respected figures in the history of his genre, largely due to the complex issues he tackles in his music. Unfortunately, elsewhere in the interview Steinberg also recalled him signing to Death Row, revealing that she believes that was what cost him his life. According to her, he was then "exploited financially" by those around him, including the infamous Suge Knight. What do you think of how 2Pac was discovered? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.