An unheard 1996 interview with Tupac Shakur recorded by Angie Martinez during the height of the East Coast-West Coast rap rivalry will premiere on Netflix on Nov. 27 as a four-part video podcast series titled The Tupac Tapes With Angie Martinez, Billboard reported.
Martinez traveled to California in 1996 to conduct the sit-down when she was working to establish her radio career. She ultimately chose not to broadcast the full discussion at the time out of concern that the remarks would fuel ongoing violence and endanger lives, according to Billboard.
“There were things said in that conversation that could have hurt people, damaged relationships and added fuel to an already dangerous situation,” Martinez told Netflix’s Tudum, as reported by Billboard. “I chose not to release the more inflammatory parts. After Pac died, it became even more complicated. I felt a responsibility to protect something that was never meant to become his final statement.”
Shakur was shot on Sept. 7, 1996, in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas following an altercation at an MGM Grand Mike Tyson fight. He died six days later at age 25. Duane “Keefe D” Davis was convicted of murder in August and sentenced on Oct. 13 to 40 years to life in prison for orchestrating the killing, Billboard reported.
30 years later, New York Times bestselling author Angie Martinez explains why now was the right time to share their conversation: https://t.co/MmXpjUZ5PW
The upcoming series aims to present the archival audio with historical framing rather than just highlighting explosive soundbites. The project breaks the interview across four episodes supplemented by commentary from prominent figures in the music industry and culture.
Contributors featured in the series include Charlamagne Tha God, RZA, Wallo, Joe Budden, Lil’ Cease, Big Boy, Monie Love, Dream Hampton, Bootleg Kev, Erica Ford, DJ Hed, and former NBA player Matt Barnes, according to Billboard.
“They’re a piece of hip-hop history, and I don’t think they should just sit in my possession forever,” Martinez told Netflix’s Tudum, as reported by Billboard.
“The difference now is that I have the opportunity to share them with context. Not just play the most explosive moments and let people react, but really examine what was happening, why it was happening, and what we can understand differently today.”
Netflix released a trailer alongside the announcement, featuring a preview of Shakur speaking on his cultural impact and industry standing during the 1996 interview.
Angie Martinez interviewed Tupac Shakur three months before his death. She’s finally sharing her interview with the world in THE TUPAC TAPES WITH ANGIE MARTINEZ, a four-episode video podcast event, premiering on November 27. Joining her to reflect on Tupac’s life, legacy, and… pic.twitter.com/9TIMpejDvA
“I’ve done more for credibility in hip-hop than any f–king artist,” Pac says in the teaser clip, according to Billboard. “Where’s the f–king love? Just because they didn’t kill me? What love?”
The sit-down stands as one of the rapper’s final recorded interviews, captured while Martinez was broadcasting live on Hot 97. The four-part series arrives on Netflix on Nov. 27.
