Unreleased Tupac Interview From Just Before Death Surfaces: 'Changes' Rapper Was 'In Midst Of War'

The saga of Tupac and his game-changing career has been very well documented from birth to his untimely and still unsolved murder. Shakur is treasured as one of the greatest rappers to ever live and he was taken from the earth in his prime in Las Vegas at the age of 25. A recent interview with the rapper and actor that took place just 18 days before his death has surfaced on a Tupac message board. It takes place on the set of the movie Gang Related, which he was set to star in alongside Jim Belushi. During the 20-minute interview, Tupac discussed his work in the film, where his name came from and much more. (via Hip Hop DX.)

Tupac tells the story of where his name came from referring to the life of José Gabriel Túpac Amaru, a Peruvian leader in the 1700s who fought for freedom against the British and was eventually killed for his actions as a freedom fighter. Tupac draws similarity in character, saying Amaru was a "warrior similar to myself" and the name means "determined." He goes on further, explaining:

"Because I'm determined to never, ever negotiate again. We are in the midst of war. Nobody's gonna give me the breath out of their mouth for me to live longer, so therefore I'm not giving anybody the breath out of my mouth for them to live longer."

Tupac admits that he is "very conceited," but he had been humbled by his brief stint in jail the year before.

"To be perfectly honest, I'm very conceited," the rapper said. "But how the world prevents it is by putting me in jail for a crime I didn't commit last year. That kinda humbles you out. But now that I'm out and I'm free it keeps me humble. It keeps my feet on the ground...All of us as human beings have a dominant and a quiet side. I happen to be a Gemini and I'm young and I'm black and I'm from the hood, so it's just you got all these different facets, but I'm an artist. And I'm hungry for knowledge, so there's no pigeonhole for them to put me in, so they'd rather just make it look like I'm crazy. That's the biggest misconception."

The long-awaited Tupac biopic is finally going to get under way and will begin production in June. The biopic cleared the very important hurdle of liscensing Shakur's entire discography and will take an in-depth view of the rapper's tubulent and talented life.

Listen to the full interview below.

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Tupac Shakur, Tupac