Suge Knight Reveals Tupac’s Admiration for Aaliyah and Their Unfulfilled Album Dream
Death Row Records founder Suge Knight shared that Tupac Shakur wanted to bring Aaliyah onto Death Row Records. They planned to create an album together before tragedy struck in 1996.
“He lost his mind over Aaliyah. He was super, super, super excited,” said Knight from prison during a phone call with The Art of Dialogue.
The project never happened. Shakur died in Las Vegas after a drive-by shooting on September 7, 1996. Aaliyah died in a Bahamas plane crash five years later when she was just 22.
According to Knight, Shakur became interested after seeing Aaliyah perform with Gladys Knight in Las Vegas. At the show, Shakur wanted to handle all negotiations himself, telling Knight to stay away from the singer.
The Shakur murder case has seen recent developments. A judge turned down Duane ‘Keefe D’ Davis’s immunity request, leading to criminal charges. Davis, arrested in 2023, says he’s innocent.
Meanwhile, the fight over Aaliyah’s music keeps going. Her uncle, Barry Hankerson, put her final works on streaming platforms in 2021 without estate approval. While a new album called “Unstoppable” mixes her voice with current artists, many fans hate the idea.
Earlier atttempts to make posthumous works fell through. A 2012 project with Drake and Noah “40” Shebib ended when family members stepped in.
The singer’s estate keeps fighting Hankerson’s control of her catalog. Music industry experts say legal battles over rights make new releases tough.
A Mattel Barbie doll honors what would have been Aaliyah’s 46th year. Meanwhile, fans push to get her into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
