Tupac Shakur Letter Details Collaboration Plans With Outkast And More
It's long been indisputable that Tupac Shakur will go down as one of hip-hop's greatest solo artists. Pac, though, was also a master collaborator--in fact his most recognizable releases are both duo cuts, and the MC made it a personal mission to spread his good fortune to friends, family and even people he'd never met.
Now, a handwritten letter that appears to be on of Tupac's personal documents has been unearthed. In the note to a friend, which likely dates back to 1996, Pac mentions his plans to drop a posse record featuring the likes of Outkast, Buckshot, Smif-n-Wessun, Scarface and E-40. Referred to as ONE NATION, the album-that-never-was would have been a landmark achievement: a bridging of the East-West-South divides of 90s hip-hop and proof that artistic respect can trump overblown beef when cool, conscious minds prevail. Read the full letter below:
Any speculation as to the truth behind Tupac's words can be put to rest from this point on. Okayplayer can confirm that Questlove attests to the truth of the letter's words; not only that, but The Roots were approached in the mid-90s and asked to participate in the ONE NATION project. After so many Tupac records were released, half-finished, following the MC's horrific untimely death, the hip-hop world will be left forever wondering what might have been, had plans for these collaborations been carried out.
