During a 2014 interview with Vlad TV, famed comedian and television personality Arsenio Hall was asked what his favorite memory with the late Tupac was. In his response, Hall discussed a conversation he had with Pac about marijuana, and how Pac’s mother Afeni Shakur introduced him to the drug.
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“I remember he wanted to sit his mom in the audience because when he talked about his first experience smoking weed, he wanted to be able to see his mom,” Hall recalled.
Calling him a “unique contradiction,” Hall’s discussion with Pac was broadcasted to the world on July 19, 1993, for an episode of The Arsenio Hall Show. Taking place just five months after the release of Pac’s sophomore album Strictly 4 My N****Z…, and four days before the rapper’s appearance in the iconic Janet Jackson film Poetic Justice, the episode was not only an opportunity for Pac to share anecdotes like the one noted above, but to also discuss his stance on police brutality.
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“They beat me up in that city, took me to jail, and I was back within two months doing a major motion picture with Janet Jackson,” Pac boldly said about his relationship with police in Oakland, where Poetic Justice takes place. “And they had to protect me. We hired them. I was the star.”
After touching on topics like these, Hall finally allowed Pac to get to the stage on the show’s set for the most important part of the show: his performance. Playing the 14th song on the Strictly 4 My N****Z… track list, titled “I Get Around” featuring Shock G and Money B of Oakland rap group Digital Underground, Pac wowed the crowd.
Donning his black Strictly 4 My N****Z T-shirt, a glistening gold chain, a backward Montreal Expos cap, and blue jeans, Pac strutted onto the stage to deliver his first verse along with his round and round chorus. Including a unique vocal loop of the Ain’t no party like a thug life party, cause a thug life party don’t stop chant, Pac’s live rendition of “I Get Around” would also see Shock G and Money B join him to recite their verses, making for one of the most beloved on-screen performances in hip-hop history.
Watch Pac’s 1993 episode of The Arsenio Hall Show below.
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