"It was a little too late" - Uncle Luke opens up about the time he tried to squash beef between Tupac and Biggie

On Saturday, May 11, during an Instagram Live session, Uncle Luke, the mastermind behind 2 Live Crew, recounted his efforts to mediate the notorious feud between Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. This bitter East Coast-West Coast rivalry tragically played a role in the deaths of both rappers.

Uncle Luke said:

“I remember when 2Pac and Biggie had the beef going on. Now, mind you, I tried to get in the middle of it and squash it. I kinda cooled it off, but it was a little too late. Outside people got involved.”

Hip-hop legend Uncle Luke's influence stretches far and wide. His music with 2 Live Crew left a significant mark on the genre. Interestingly, both Drake and Kendrick Lamar have referenced Uncle Luke in their music. Drake's 2013 song 'Pop That' features him rapping alongside Project Pat, where they name-drop Luke. Just like Drake, Lamar also quoted 'an Uncle Luke anthem' in his 2011 song 'Sherane aka Master Splinter's Daughter', and he used it as a metaphor for the girl who is hyped up.

Now, let's turn to 2024, when these two rappers, Drake and Kendrick Lamar, are in the biggest rap battles of all time. Uncle Luke, an experienced person in the field warned about the upcoming conflict and his opinions might be unexpected.

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Uncle Luke lauds Drake's rap battle prowess

In a recent breakthrough, Luther Campbell, also known as Uncle Luke, has endorsed Drake in the sphere of rap battles. On the other hand, the rapper from 2 Live Crew acknowledged Kendrick Lamar’s abilities but was quick to assert that Drake is better than him at this particular art and is “undefeated” so far.

However, Campbell noted that Drake had continued his reign in the hip-hop scene for a long time by saying, 'He would never stop until he wins one round'. According to him, this consistent demonstration of lyrical greatness by Drake has made him a major player in hip-hop.

Remembering one particular show in St Louis where Campbell opened for Biggie Smalls, he recalled how after taking his position on stage they started singing Tupac songs. Campbell wanted to show through an example how much effect this had upon Biggie because it revealed just how significant the rivalry between Shakur and B.I.G. influenced hip-hop culture.

Veteran rapper Warren G recounted on the podcast Drink Champs his chance encounter with Biggie Smalls. During their conversation, Biggie reportedly expressed frustration with the growing tension with Tupac. Warren G offered to act as a messenger, hoping to calm the rising hostility. However, he faced difficulty reaching Tupac directly due to his entourage.

This revelation comes after Uncle Luke, founder of West Coast Records, spoke about a similar experience. He mentioned a separate attempt to mediate the conflict between Tupac and Biggie but acknowledged it ultimately proved unsuccessful due to timing. He stated:

"It was a little too late".

Luke suggested a matchup between Drake and Chris Brown, citing their past animosity and undefeated records in rap battles (although the concept of an 'undefeated' battle record is subjective). This idea holds some weight as Drake and Brown did have a well-documented feud for nearly a decade.

However, there are significant roadblocks to this battle ever happening. To begin with, Drake and Brown apparently settled their differences in recent years and even became partners for the hit song 'No Guidance'. Secondly, both rappers have entered rap battles that were not for entertainment but for real personal problems with their rivals.

So, while Luke's suggestion provides an interesting hypothetical scenario, it seems unlikely to materialize due to the rappers' mended relationship and their preference for battling with genuine animosity.