Long Beach, California; the home to an array of celebrities such as Snoop Dogg, Warren G, and Nicolas Cage. The culture of Long Beach has been a mystical setting of gangster-rap and the occasional movie shoot; "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" was famously shot in the city. September 7, 1996, would become a chance encounter between the Long Beach Poly football team and the rap superstar known as tupac Shakur.
Tupac & the In-N-Out encounter
Journalist Jeff Pearlman from the Bleacher Report interviewed members of the Long Beach Poly football team and relayed an unknown story that eerily represents the last day of Tupac's life.
The Long Beach Poly squad was making their way back to California after losing an exhibition game in Las Vegas. They decided to stop in Barstow, California (two hours from Long Beach) at a local In-N-Out for a quick meal. One of the football players described the surreal encounter to the Bleacher Report writer and noted Tupac's paranoia.
The buses carrying the players pulled into the In-N-Out, suddenly a player noticed Tupac and shouted out his name numerous times while approaching the rap legend. Tupac responded in a state-of-anger and in the midst of chaos, two of his bodyguards drew their firearms at the high school students. After the misunderstanding, Tupac warmed up to the football team and asked them if they were aware of his homeboy from Long Beach named "Snoop Dogg".
The Aftermath
The reactions of the Long Beach football players differ on that September meeting with the rapper; some were disappointed with Tupac's demeanor but others claim they "connected" with Pac after he settled down from his tirade. Tupac's life would come to a halt later that night at 11:15 p.m. after leaving the Mike Tyson/Bruce Seldon boxing match.
While stuck-in-traffic at a red light, a white Cadillac pulled beside the BMW Tupac and Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight were riding in and shot thirteen bullets into the car.
Tupac was shot four times and died six days later on Friday the thirteenth. The murder remains unsolved and has been the topic of conspiracy theories worldwide.
Did Tupac fake his death? Did a helicopter pick him up from the Las Vegas shooting? These questions fuel his legacy and the movement of future artists inspired by him. Tupac left an everlasting impression on a High School Football team from Long Beach and continues to make new ones with his growing fanbase. A biopic entitled "All Eyez On Me" will be released on June 16, and a biography from A&E is also set for June.
