In a recent interview with The Art of Dialogue, former Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight claimed that tensions between Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg nearly led to a physical fight just before Tupac’s death in 1996.
Knight revealed that the friction began after Snoop Dogg made comments during a radio interview that Tupac took as a betrayal. At the time, Death Row Records was deeply involved in the East Coast-West Coast rivalry, with Tupac and Knight firmly against Bad Boy Records, led by The Notorious B.I.G. and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The Confrontation Between Snoop Dogg and Tupac
According to Knight, the incident took place after the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards. He said Tupac stormed into his hotel room, clearly upset, and immediately demanded a radio. He then played Snoop’s interview, in which the Long Beach rapper stated that he had no issues with Biggie or Diddy and was open to working with them.
Knight recalled Tupac’s angry reaction: “Pac was so mad because he loved those dudes. He always would ride for them, but he felt betrayed.”
Tupac reportedly confronted Snoop Dogg in the hotel lobby. Knight described the moment: “Pac took off on Snoop. Pac ran up on him, did what he did, and Snoop ran.”
Knight claimed he stepped in to de-escalate the situation. He emphasized that while Tupac was known for his fiery temper, the conflict could have been avoided if Snoop had spoken to him directly instead of discussing it publicly.
Lingering Tensions
Knight suggested that Tupac felt abandoned by those he considered friends. He noted that Snoop remained distant after the confrontation and even avoided speaking to Tupac on their flight back to Los Angeles.
The rapper was fatally shot just days later in Las Vegas, adding an air of finality to the unresolved dispute. As of now, Snoop Dogg has not publicly responded to Knight’s claims.