Suge Knight has claimed Tupac Shakur wanted to sign Aaliyah. The revelation comes as part of a series of interviews Knight has been giving from prison, shedding new light on Death Row Records’ history.
The Death Row Records co-founder claimed the late rapper was blown away when he first saw Aaliyah perform at a Gladys Knight concert in Las Vegas and he was determined to sign her to the label. At the time, Aaliyah was already making waves in the music industry with her innovative sound and style.
“We had a thing. I would always listen to oldies, and Pac would listen to rap. He didn’t like oldies, so I told him, ‘I gotta show you what oldies are about.’ So, I took 2Pac to go see Gladys Knight perform in Vegas,” Suge said, speaking over the phone from prison with The Art of Dialogue. The concert took place during a pivotal time in hip-hop history.
“Aaliyah starts singing and 2Pac said, ‘Don’t get up! Don’t get up!’ I said, ‘Why?’ He said, ‘Because Gladys Knight knows you, you’re gonna speak to Gladys Knight, and then you’re gonna talk to that little girl singing. And the next thing you know, you’re gonna be doing an album.’ He said, ‘I’m gonna go talk to her, you come later on, because I want to do an album with Aaliyah.'” This interaction occurred during Death Row Records’ peak in the mid-1990s.
“He wasn’t thinking about signing nobody else. He thought she was the biggest star and had the best voice ever. Me and that dude spent hours and hours and days and days together. Me, personally, I never seen him get so excited about no female artist. … He lost his mind over Aaliyah. He talked about her for days and days. I got tired of hearing him talking about that little girl. He said, ‘I got these songs I want do with her. I’m gonna do this song with her.’ … He was super, super, super excited.” During this period, Aaliyah was signed to Jive Records and later Blackground Records.
Tupac was shot and killed in Vegas in 1996 at the age of 25 and Knight claimed he is still not over his death. The rapper’s murder remains one of music history’s most discussed unsolved cases.
“I always looked up to 2Pac because he was such a real brother. I don’t know how long it’s going to take me to get over his death, but I do know his music will live on forever. All of us have suffered a major loss, including those who tried to destroy his name, reputation and spirit when he was alive,” Knight reflected. Tupac’s legacy continues to influence artists today, with his albums having sold over 75 million copies worldwide.
Aaliyah died in 2001 at the age of 22, following a plane crash. The tragic accident occurred after filming her “Rock the Boat” music video in the Bahamas, cutting short a career that was reaching new heights.
The potential collaboration between Tupac and Aaliyah would have represented a groundbreaking fusion of hip-hop and R&B, two genres that were increasingly intertwining in the 1990s. Aaliyah’s work with producer Timbaland had already revolutionized the R&B sound, while Tupac was pushing boundaries in hip-hop.
Knight’s revelation adds another layer to the rich tapestry of 1990s music history, highlighting the interconnected nature of the industry during that era. Both artists left an indelible mark on music, with their influence still felt in contemporary culture.
Their legacies continue to inspire new generations of artists, with both Tupac and Aaliyah’s music regularly being sampled and referenced in modern songs. Tupac’s estate has released several posthumous albums, while Aaliyah’s catalog has recently become available on streaming platforms, introducing her music to new audiences.
This story also provides insight into Tupac’s vision as an artist and entrepreneur, suggesting he recognized talent across different genres and saw the potential for cross-genre collaboration long before it became common practice in the music industry.
