One of my favorite things to do is talk about hip-hop.
Growing up, I always wanted to fit in. Coming of age as the son of Irish immigrants in South Florida made that really hard, though. Thankfully I had hip-hop.
I remember the first time some rap shit saved my life. I used to frequent the local boy’s and girl’s club as a youngin and one day while waiting in line for the water fountain I had that Biggie song “The What” stuck in my head. It was the monsterous B-Side of the “One More Chance” tape I acquired for three bucks from my buddy J-Holla, who stole it from the mall probably. It featured Method MAn. I’d wager a mint I’ve heard that song 500 times. I let my tape rock 'til my tape popped.
Back to the Club. When an older kid, maybe 16, who was drinking from the fountain had finished, he turned around and bumped into me, as I was literally below his line of sight. He barked "excuse me" in a very intimidating, puberty-has-made-me-stronger-than-you kind of way. Without hesitation I recited:
Excuse me, flows just grow through me / Like trees to branches / Cliffs to avalanches / It’s the praying mantis / Deep like the mind of Farrakhan / A motherfucking rap phenomenon
I’m 11 years old. And this older kid looks at me like he saw a pigeon working at a car wash, then quickly goes from pissed to confused to impressed. I walked away with my life. Needless to say, I gave J Holla (who dropped the hyphen when his son was born because it felt more adult) five bucks and memorized every single song on Ready to Die by the start of sixth grade. … Because I had to be ready to not die.
That is why I love the entirety of hip-hop culture, not just the music. It was a way for me to connect with people that I otherwise would have nothing in common with. It connected me culturally to a country and state and neighborhood my parents were not from. Writing is hard, but I can talk hip-hop with anyone. In that light, I'm proud to announce this column's first big interview get. This artist has influenced a great many MCs. Some would call this artist the voice of the digital generation. This artist's innovative stage show blew up the Internet in 2012. Without further ado, Cashmere Thoughts presents an in-depth, hardball conversation with The Tupac Hologram!
First off, thank you for joining us, Tupac Hologram!
Thanks for having me.
Let's talk about your iconic Coachella appearance. How did it feel to perform for the first time at such a relevant, dickhead-filled festival?
Well, it was the worst day of my afterlife, first of all. When they made this stupid hologram my undead spirit was energized and now I’m cursed to live in the physical plane for all eternity as a $400,000 optical illusion.
Snoop Dogg and 2pac perform at Coachella 2012 with Dr. Dre, Eminem, 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, Kendrick Lamar, Tony Yayo etc.. for more info
Subscribe To Snoop Dogg's Official Channel http://youtube.com/westfesttv
Sounds rough, bruh. Damn right! But there's more! Getting tattooed is completely impossible when you don’t have a corporeal body. I don’t even eat when I go out to restaurants anymore, the food just ends up on the seat.
So you’re dead? How was heaven?
It’s weird, Ronald Reagan was there.
Was Biggie?
Nah
You probably weren’t in heaven then.
Now that I think about it, Chris might be in the ghetto.
I always wondered if heaven had a ghetto.
Me too! It does.
I know Hologram, Tupac [laughs]. I know.
Think you could get me Hologram Princess Leah’s number?
Sorry, man.
Maybe have someone make me a Faith Evans Hologram?
No can do. Gotta go now!
What an interview! So proud that it’s my first.
