De La Soul are shedding new light on a long-discussed moment with the late 2Pac Shakur.
During a recent interview with Ambrosia For Heads, Posdnuos broke down how the group’s misunderstanding with Shakur sparked an unexpected feud. According to Pos, the tension began after the release of De La Soul’s “Ego Trippin’” video. Pac believed the visual was mocking his visuals for “I Get Around," a misconception that, per Pos, disappointed him more than it angered him.
“2Pac we had an issue with because when we did the ‘Ego Trippin’’ video, he unfortunately thought we were mimicking and trying to make fun of the ‘I Get Around’ video,” Posdnuos explained. “He was very disappointed… He reached out to his manager and the people at Tommy Boy at the time and was like, ‘Yo, man, I love those dudes. I didn’t know they had an issue.’”
Pos said he tried to call Pac to clear the air immediately, but timing worked against De La Soul. Pac was, Pos remembers, dealing with a police incident in Atlanta at the time (possibly this, though he doesn't specify), and the two sides kept missing each other.
By the mid-’90s, De La Soul shifted their sound and message with Stakes Is High, a project that openly critiqued certain trends in mainstream and gangsta rap. Some listeners, 2Pac included, felt the criticisms were directed at artists like him. Posdnuos said by that point, Pac had already written his responses.
Those responses surfaced in his music. On “Against All Odds” from The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, 2Pac tossed a quick jab: “Look at De La Soul tryna player-hate on my shit, n***a, eat a fat dick!”
On the unreleased track “Watch Ya Mouth,” he took it further, accusing the group of looking down on “hard” rap acts and mocking De La's early success.
The conflict never escalated into a major public battle, but it became a notable chapter in ‘90s hip-hop because it reflected deeper tensions within the culture.
Over the years, De La Soul have maintained that the beef grew out of miscommunication rather than malice. 2Pac, who spoke highly of many East Coast peers despite other feuds, never publicly revisited the issue before his death.