It's no secret that Dee-1's controversial comments don't always sit right with the hip-hop community. According to him, however, his rapping skills put him up there with the best of them. During a recent appearance on The Breakfast Club, the Christian artist opened up about a run-in he claims to have had with 2Pac's mother Afeni Shakur at a school talent show. He says the late activist's encouragement filled him with enough confidence to move forward with his career, despite not having placed in the competition.
"The first time I did a show it was a talent show at LSU, and Ms. Afeni Shakur was at my school," Dee-1 began. "I didn't didn't win first place, second place, or third place in that talent show. But when I got offstage, she was like, 'Young brother, your passion on that microphone when I see you perform reminds me of my son.'"
Dee-1 Recalls His First Talent Show
He continued, revealing how Afeni's praise made him believe that his talents weren't going to waste. “When she told me that, I was like, ‘oh, I got something special,'” Dee-1 recalled. "Even if people not recognizing it in the moment, I got something special. 2Pac's momma just told me that, you feel me? At that point I was like, 'Alright, I know if I use this for the purpose it was designed for, it could be life-changing.'"
While Afeni's compliment encouraged Dee-1 to pursue his dreams, the performer encountered some serious obstacles down the road. Elsewhere in his interview, he revealed that his 2014 BET Cypher put him up against suicidal thoughts. “It started messing with me mentally to where I was like, ‘Damn, I kinda don’t even wanna be here no more," he shared. Luckily, he says his faith combined with therapy put him back on the right track. What do you think of Dee-1 claiming that the late Afeni Shakur once compared him to 2Pac? Are you surprised? Do you see their similarities? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.