Chris Rock reveals that he and Tupac were involved with the same woman — and nearly had a confrontation over it
Chris Rock has always had a wealth of stories, but one of the most unexpected involves a near-fistfight with Tupac Shakur, stemming from a classic case of intertwined romantic interests. The comedian recounted the story during a recent live episode of “Fly on the Wall,” the podcast hosted by Dana Carvey and David Spade, illustrating an uncomfortable dynamic that lingered between the two entertainers in the months preceding the rapper’s death.
Rock clarified that the source of the tension was simple. “It’s always the same situation; we were involved with the same girls,” he said. “He consistently triumphed in that conflict.”
The situation escalated at an afterparty for Rock’s 1996 stand-up special “Bring the Pain.” Earlier that evening at the MTV Video Music Awards, Rock took the stage to present the award for Best R&B Video and made a brief remark aimed at Death Row Records co-founder Suge Knight.
“Suge Knight, how are you?” “Please don’t kill me,” he remarked while presenting alongside Beck.
Tupac was not pleased. During the afterparty, the rapper approached Rock face-to-face.
“Tupac was like, ‘What’s up with all the issues concerning Black individuals and their experiences?’ “Rock recalled,” “He sort of approached me, but Tupac wasn’t that large.” He appears larger in photographs, but in reality, he isn’t that big. I remain quite slender. A slender individual eagerly anticipates battling another slender individual. However, nothing occurred. There was some intense glaring happening.
Producer Eric B. took a moment to speak with Rock regarding the remark about Suge. Rock stated, “He asked me, ‘Why did you mention Suge?’” “I thought to myself, ‘If this person is afraid of Suge, we’re all in a precarious situation.’”
Tupac was tragically killed just weeks later in September 1996. Rock succinctly captured their relationship: “Tupac didn’t like me.”
