Tupac Shakur’s reign in hip hop has been an urban legend for decades. Nearly 26 years after his death, stories of Tupac’s undeniable impact, genius marketing mind, and entertaining antics are still the topic of choice for hip hop bloggers and OG industry veterans who lived through the infamous 90s.
With every interview or editorial piece, something new about Tupac is revealed. This time, it’s about the original cover of The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, the last album Tupac made and the first posthumous project released on his behalf.
In an interview with The Art of Dialogue, Spice 1 revealed that the original cover of the album looked nothing like what it is today — which shows Tupac going by the pseudo, Makaveli, and being nailed to a cross.
“‘Pac was crazy as hell, man,” Spice 1 said in the interview. “I walked in the Thug Mansion and the original cover of Makaveli was on the wall. Big on the wall!”
When asked what the original cover looked like, Spice 1 had to take a deep breath before sighing at the thought of it all.
“It was Biggie with the body of a pig,” Spice 1 continued. “It was a snake and it was Puffy’s head. And it was drawn hella wicked, dude.”
According to Spice 1, Tupac had the portrait sprawled over his wall, indicating that the “California Love” rapper was deeply upset. The cover never made it to the public because the label refused to release it. Instead, a new cover — the one we see today — was created by Compton artist, Ronald Brent.
The same day Spice 1 saw the portrait was the same day that Tupac was shot in Las Vegas, later dying on Sept. 13, 1996.
Watch the Clip Below:
The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory sold over four million albums in the U.S. alone, and is certified 4x Platinum by the RIAA. The album also reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B and Hip Hop Albums and the Billboard 200 in the U.S. Top hit singles from the album include “Hail Mary,” “Toss It Up,” and “To Live & Die in L.A.”
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