The Night Tupac Went Crazy
On September 3, 1994 at the Mecca
Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a concert took place that included
BOSS, Big Mike, Xscape, Spice1 and
more, including the headline act, Tupac Shakur.
After all the acts had done their
thing, which included an appearance of McEiht with Spice 1, which
really got the crowd pumped, it was time for 2Pac and the crowd
was ready or were they? To the roar of "2PAC"
and "THUG LIFE," he hit the stage with vengeance, opening
with a track called "Bury Me A G" from the new Thug
Life Album. But he seemed like a man out of control. Midway through
the song, his mic started fading in and out. And while Thug Life
were doing their verses, 2Pac was running aroung trying to get
his mic to work. Finally, he got a working mic and all hell broke
loose in Milwaukee. Half way through the second song, 2Pac stopped
the show for a "moment of silence" for the 14 year old
girl killed in Chicago by an 11 year old boy (who was later killed
himself.) But before the silence began 2Pac yelled out: "You
better stop killing those babies or else I'll murder you myself!"
I sat with my camera in hand wondering. "Where
did this come from? But I didn't have time to think about it for
long. Tupac was now yelling: "I taught you all about harming
those babies. Keep it up and I'll murder all you motherf*****S."
With that I started looking around
the arena to see if anyone else was as shocked as I was. Then
I started thinking that it must be a skit or some part of the
act. But then I looked in his eyes, I was very close to the stage
and I realized that this wasn't a skit 2Pac was dead serious!
Before he could get to his next song, the audience started throwing
coins at 2Pac, and he wasn't going to take that. No way. "I
don't know who the f**k you all think I am. You motherf*****s
better stop throwing shit at me!" He then offered a 200 dollar
reward for anyone to bring an offender to him on stage and said:
"He will get you paid, but he will die tonight."
Again, I was shocked! Where was all
this coming from? Did a coin tossing incident cause this violent
reaction? But what came next was even worse. People in the audience
started throwing up gang signs at 2Pac and taunting him. That
did it. "You can flash them gang signs if you want,"
screamed 2Pac, "but I'll kill all you mother******s this
is Thug Life!" Then he invited people to come on stage and
try to "kick my ass"! Thug Life rushed on stage to be
with 2Pac and I started thinking that this looked like a scene
from westside story and when I thought it couldn't get any worse,
it did. A shouting match occured with a guy in the pit (great
just where I was). A member of of Thug Life just kept at it. Suddenly
the guy threw a cassette on stage and then a water bottle was
hurdled at him, missed and hit someone else in the audience! Tupac
grabbed the mic stand like a sword and started daring people to
come at him. Chaos was erupting all around him and then it happened.
A member of Thug Life pulled a gun. The photographer next to me
said, " Let's get out of here." And he didn't have to
tell me twice! As I gathered up my gear I kept glancing at the
gun that was being held at his side. 2Pac announced he would continue
the show for the "real g's," but people now were beginning
to run. Some for the exit, and others who were gangbangers for
the stage to challenge 2Pac and Thug Life. I began to run as well
and it wasn't towards the stage! Shots were fired from the stage,
but luckly no one was hit. Police started entering the arena and
the Mecca security tried to guide the people out so they wouldn't
get trampled. I was glad to be out of there safely, but I felt
I had to find out what happened!
Later I interviewed the cheif of
security, Sgt. Delroy Roberts, who told me that the police had
to kick in 2Pac's dressing room door! They made everyone kneel
with ther hands behind their heads as they searched the dressing
rooms. they found two semi-automatic weapons. No one admitted
to knowing about the guns. As I was leaving, people who had been
in the audience were saying, "What was wrong with him?"
"Has he snapped?" "We all could have been killed!"
And we could have! I was shocked and saddened. Why did this happen?
I had just witnessed another chapter in the troubled life of Tupac
Amaru Shakur. That was the end of the story I wrote when I reported
this incident. Now we know the answer to my final question. It
ended badly and sadly. Personally, I liked 2Pac. Having met him
once in Chicago, I found him to be very pleasant and cooperative
as I took photos and intrviewed him. I sincerely liked the guy.
So I wanted to hear his side of the story on what took place in
Milwaukee. But a call to his manager's office informed me that
the office was no longer representing Mr. Shakur. And that was
the last time I had contact with the late Tupac shakur!
By: Raymond Boyd
