We know Tupac Shakur was one of the most beloved rappers of the '90s (and, as evidenced by his shooting death, one of the most hated), but we had no idea he was this benevolent: 'Pac apparently had plans to include several artists -- including Outkast -- in a new project he called ONE NATION, according to a handwritten letter obtained by OkayPlayer.
The report places a 1996 timestamp on the letter, which was addressed to a friend that went by "Big Lock."
Here's an excerpt:
As 4 me my record sold 5 million so I love it like that. I'm tearin B.I.G. a new ass! [smiley] I'm doing a record now called ONE NATION it's a group album, with me, greg nice, Buckshot, smiff & wesson, outkast, the outlawz, scarface & E40. It'll be out in the late summer.
Check out the full letter below:
Shakur was known for his many collaborations, but ONE NATION would've topped them all, bridging a gap between the west, south, and east hip-hop cultures (although he had no plans to squash beef with Biggie anytime soon).
Alas, Outkast -- Andre 3000 and Big Boi -- never got in the studio with Tupac, and we were forever robbed of a surefire rap classic.
In more positive news, the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles recently opened up an exhibit dedicated to 'Pac.
Fans will get a glimpse at several treasures, including:
- The Versace suit Shakur wore to the 1996 Grammy Awards ceremony.
- The tape box and studio notes from the first recording session that Shakur did after his release from prison.
- Shakur's handwritten notes, lyrics and poems.
- Interview and performance footage, plus other outfits he rocked.
The exhibit will run through April 22 and will also take a closer look at Shakur's time with Digital Underground.
