It's been 23 years since the passing of Tupac Shakur. The game hasn't been the same since but the rapper's impact is felt forever. In a short period of time, he recorded a ton of music, essentially laying down the template for how hard a rapper should be working when they're in the studio. Despite how impactful he was as an artist, that wouldn't have happened without those who came before him.
On Me Against The World, Tupac paid homage to everyone who paved the way for him on the song, "Old School." Music often marks eras in everyone's lives and on the record and on the record, Pac reflects on simpler times when listening to certain artists before becoming one himself. Throughout the song, he shows love to Slick Rick, Queen Latifah, De La Soul, Big Daddy Kane and more.
A lot of kids in this generation disregarded the people who have paved the way for them, including 'Pac, but "Old School" is a reminder to give praise to those who deserve it before its too late.
Quotable Lyrics
I can't explain how it was, Whodini
Had me puffin on that buddha gettin buzzed, 'cause there I was
Them block parties in the projects, and on my block
You diggy don't stop, sippin on that Private Stock
About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years.
Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021.
Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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