Questlove Clarifies Criticism Of 2Pac's "Hit 'Em Up" After Backlash

[@javi__...]

Hes trying way too hard to be intellectual

[@kazuogo]

He is intellectual, just on the wrong side here

[@MFGH0ST]

Weakest argument. Quest takin a L for this

[@musa9784]

He sound crazy 🤪 pac music when up a noch when join death row.

[@pasoedodibornnla2373]

2Pac still got haters and that’s crazy.

[@Animalhouser]

Wild as hell

[@radrick3257]

So if you’re not feeling a song that doesn’t make you a hater it means you don’t like the song that’s it

[@Beauty4Ashes578]

If you’re not feeling a song that’s absolutely fine. But, to try to undermine, discredit, insult by making fun of it; claim it’s “weak” and “disqualified” and try to gaslight the public by trying to make it seem like the record wasn’t fire 🔥 because it was a jazz sample or because it was “violent” and filled with misogyny is not only corny but total BS! and the definition of hating..absolutely imo. Imagine hating on a dead man and a legend; thinking you’re fooling the public by painting false narratives and rewriting history…only to end up losing all credibility and looking like a clown/hater! Nasty stuff 🤮🙄🙄

[@TheMackoftheyear]

Pac was overrated

[@TheMackoftheyear]

@@adctw3422 true tho

[@KP43-08]

Bros entitled to his opinion but he didn’t like the beat because 2Pac sped it up & didn’t sing on it?😂 you bugging on this one quest I’m disappointed in you lol Hit em up by far one of the greatest distracks of all time🔥 fuck what you talking about.

[@nmcbride171]

🎯🎯

[@ceelothatmane9421]

Ts was weak gang. All he said was “imma kill you fat boy” in a few different ways on the whole song. Ts ass gang

[@knutt81]

Nah, he's mad cuz Pac said he can't be on no ✌🏽 shit like De La, and Quest was a fixed instrument in the Neo-Soul movement.

[@jittredd2934]

If he actually listened to 2pac's music Majority of 2pac's music was jazzy and smooth

[@redliquid35]

It’s a thin line between questlove and questhate and this fool hatin!! 💯

[@aurakl2407]

Nice one 😹🤓😎🫡🙌👏

[@alphonso-d8v]

Quest DONT TALK ANY FUTHER

[@Lanorriz]

He's talking about don't take his shit outta "context" bro WE HEARD WHAT YOU SAID 💀

[@design1of470]

respect to Questlove, I've listened to this guy talk on podcasts for hours and hours about music, but him having an issue with Hit 'Em Up because of the sample, give it a rest, buddy, NO ONE is on your side about this. Questlove knows how people feel about Tupac, he's talked about it. So I don't know why he thought this was a good idea

[@TheMackoftheyear]

Im on his side and pac was trash

[@KOVIDGOON]

Quest love and vlad had the same exact critique pac and kendrick. Let that sink in

[@smokeclub4162]

Questlove dumb for saying pac ryhming over a smooth jazz beat ... thats the dumbest shi i have heard . Definately hating

[@saychicity5409]

Questlove wouldn’t and has never came out and said he doesn’t like Get Money remix(Biggie) or Paid in Full (Rakim) which uses the same beat, that’s why you know it’s not the beat it’s him just being a 2pac hater 25 years after the man has passed. Smh Lame

[@thdoom81]

east coast shit

[@editnosmirc4489]

With all these beefs lately Netflix should bring back 'Beef' except make it a series. 1 hour episodes for each beef they talk about. Could start with NWA vs Cube/Dre vs E

[@musa9784]

Dope👍👍💯💯

[@Pettybank45]

Hit 'em Up best diss track of all time 🔥

[@TheMackoftheyear]

It was trash

[@blachubear]

Nope, Ice Cube's "No Vaseline" or Nas' "Either".

[@bakedandbeaded]

@@blachubear It’s spelled “ETHER.” It’s not even pronounced the same way as either… The fuck

[@AlphaO_]

Exactly, Quest just lost a lot of respect from me for this. How can he claim to know hip hop and not know that PAC took the beat from Biggie, he even had the females in the background like big but changed the words. Why you think Jay took Joe Buddens Beat, Why you think Beans took Jada's Beat during the diss? PAC set that trend, Cube did Jackin for beats but he wasn't battling anyone, he just took their beats and killed them. Quest please just stick to drumsticks from now on bro. You let Philly hip hop heads down with this one

[@almightytre3730]

Actually, Biggie took the beat from Pac and used it to get money remix

[@AlphaO_]

@@almightytre3730 lmmfao, you can't be serious, how old are you? I hope you're gonna say you were born in 2000 or something, or you don't really listen to hip hop 🤣 simply google get money, and then Google the remix called getting money, and all of your questions will be answered, PAC was in prison when they released both of them

[@almightytre3730]

@AlphaO_ Pac did the original Hit em up in October of 1995 and played it for faith Evans she went back and told Biggie that's where Get Money Remix came about, and a Google search will tell you the remix in 1996. Why do you think Edi changed his verse from the original and said" You’s a beat biter, a Pac style taker"? Both Edi and Suge confirmed this.

[@SoulOfTheSouth]

Of course Quest knew Pac took the beat from Biggie. He was just talking about beat, which is a remake. The Biggie beat with the Dennis Edward’s sample in it sounded better. If you listen to both versions, sonically they sound different but the melody was the same.

[@DoggyZworlD07]

LoL, Pac didn't make this beat tho, he took junior mafia's beat. Junior mafia made that beat with that sample bro LoL

[@musa9784]

History is factual not rubbish farted in some podcast 😂😂

[@aurakl2407]

His timing makes him look so petty-boohoo the west is winning 😭 Pretty sad he doesn’t know this 🤣🤣🤣

[@foureyes1244]

U mean when Faith told biggie that pac was making a disstrack with that sample, biggie took it and made Get money Pac scrapped it and Johnny J made another beat with the same sample

[@aurakl2407]

@@foureyes1244 didn’t faith spend time in the studio with pac and that’s how she knew? Pretty sure that’s what she said.

[@foureyes1244]

@@aurakl2407 exactly. My man Pac hit that also no doubt 😂

[@alanspring111]

So you cant use samples now 🤔🤣🤣🤣

[@aurakl2407]

Right!? This just looks crazy and petty. Bruh ok QL Hip Hop without samples 😹😹😹 and this was not even his beat, he just did it better.

[@MeanwhileInIraq]

No he's sayin the sample choice was wack.

[@aurakl2407]

@@MeanwhileInIraq that’s not all he said. Also it was a flip of a bad boys track. He’s just a biter east coaster crying because they hate it when the west coast is shinning. Sad and disappointing

[@cantfailent]

My problem is why he didn't say that when Pac was alive? Mofos be straight cowards! He thought his level of fame was going to shield him from the backlash! Wrong! I'm no longer a fan!

[@SoulOfTheSouth]

There was no social media at that time. Only magazines. He probably did say something about it but it’s not like the whole world knew about it.

[@aurakl2407]

This 🙌👏

[@CamboRecordz]

Ain’t nobody bumping The Roots

[@MPPharaoh]

NOOOOOOBODY

[@mrworkowt5419]

Hold on the roots are a great great group and black thought is one of the top lyric is right now. Questlove is bugging though

[@madodatinta3753]

Mad he can't get close to Pacs level 28 years later

[@jeanemlicar]

I love Questlove and the rest of the Roots crew but he is wrong for saying this about Tupac’s Hit ‘em Up. Everyone who was alive in the 90’s listening to Hip-Hop music was bumping Hit ‘em Up. That song is a classic.

[@TheShadow84]

He didn't mind When Biggie & Junior Mafia sampled the exact same song?

[@aurakl2407]

😹😹😹

[@djstarsign]

Junior Mafia sampled the Dennis Edwards song. Pac used a cheap sounding imitation of it. It sounds watered down compared to the original.

[@newdreamsnetwork]

Pac jacked their beat and did better

[@trutherbotJOKER3]

Didn't Black Thought use the tv show Nightrider beat for a single?

[@aurakl2407]

😂😂😂

[@ajamu4304]

Busta rhymes did!

[@Whitejunez]

Wonder why he is still talking about it this time?

[@kadafioutlawz3962]

Cuz Pac still troubling them

[@aurakl2407]

Because east got major issues when the West is winning. They think they own Hip Hop. I think it is a fear and control thing. Ego ting

[@nashones8158]

He's a Cornball he would say some goofy shit like that

[@Matts-gv6nz]

Quest should go somewhere where the sun don't shine to find love on this one

[@immaculatemal1379]

Trolling and trying to rewrite History

[@TheAlkebulanTrust]

At the end of the day a diss song is truly directed towards the individuals mentioned and Diddy himself is spooked by Hit Em Up. That's all that matters

[@bgoodDNA-br2tc]

Ironic he insulted the tone of the production when most of the Roots foundation was smooth digable planet type beats 🎧 talking bout the pot call the kettle 😮

[@gt024]

I disagree with Quest but he’s entitled to his opinion

[@rahajibaba]

I’m from Philly and I was in Harlem on 125th the day it came out and they played this song back to back all day in NY😂😂😂

[@C-Lyfe85]

Well at least Tupac was direct when he made a song about his enemies. The Roots dropped a diss song, title what they do, but they had to do it on some sneak subliminals.

[@TrueJaguarPaw]

Crazy how its actually a junior mafia beat first.

[@SoulOfTheSouth]

But it’s a remake of the beat.

[@TheBulletzgottishow20]

People had they feelings to hit em up

[@SoulOfTheSouth]

He’s talking about the beat. Not the lyrics. Listen to what he’s saying and everybody calm down.

[@musa9784]

Beat from badboy remastered for the purpose diss biggie... you can't go against greatness... even big like the song...

[@aurakl2407]

Beat wasn’t even his 😹😹😹

[@rl6990]

PAC 🐐👑

[@BossaQueenie]

Bad take Quest. I was born in the 70s, this track was pure FIRE, and we knew he jacked the beat as a further diss to Bad Boy. So , we not listening to him. Now I understand why the rest of the Soulquarians fell out with him, lol 😆

[@teadubbz1546]

This is a yoga reach 😂😂😂😂

[@tarkatanwarkamp5065]

BBL Quest luv needs to shut up N play sum DRUMS ! 🥁

[@justineebourgeois3420]

Quest Love is a clown for hatin on Pac. I wish Pac was alive to diss him too 🤷‍♀️

[@aurakl2407]

I’m sure Kendrick and others got the memo and will address it accordingly (on his behalf. Just in case people need to learn again, the west is blessed 😻😻😻 I’m cool with the east as well but I’m so over these toxic gate keepers thinking they own Hip Hop.

[@pearljam1984]

Huge L take

[@cesarortizable]

He instantly went into promoting a weird ass book?? He just needs the clout cmon now.

[@LuckyBide]

What a clown, him trying to find the most ridiculous thing to say against Hit Em Up shows how much he wanna hide that he's a 2Pac hater.

[@arin-douglashaliburton6031]

QuestLove has to realize the instrumental was chosen due to it being Junior Mafia's "Get Money Remix" beat. He took the Jazzed instrumental that Biggie & Junior Mafia chose to make a remix & dissed their whole hip-hop group. I love The Roots but Black Thought need to come get QuestLove tell him to shut the hell up and come make a drum sample 100 100 You have to realize "Hit Em" Up" may have been overrated to some but the lyrical prowless was definitely not "weak" that's not to be said. To me you're discrediting The Outlawz. QuestLove must've been a friend/fan of Biggie, No Diddy. 2Pac killed Bad Boy Records with their own beat & the methaphors, the similes from Kadafi, & the rest of The Outlawz were For it being 1996, and to be saying the shit they were saying was crazy. I'm a hip-hop head I listen to The Roots, Wu-Tang Clan, Junior Mafia and truthfully The Outlawz at their peak was better than everyone I mentioned. You can't tell that "Still I Rise" album wasn't a classic. Wu-Tang said whole bunch of rhymes that went over you're head but never left a lasting memory. You can point to a song but you can quote a lyric that stood out. Still to this day "36 Chambers" was Wu-Tang's best album.

[@frankjum]

At times I'm disappointed at the maturity level of older hip-hop people. A man's opinion is just that. A person's opinion shouldn't have to match the populous. We all have different opinions on just about anything in the arts so why should hip-hop be any different? I'm afraid I have to disagree with Quest's opinion here but I recognize that it's still a unique take that I find interesting enough to hear out and possibly debate. Let's all grow up and pull ourselves out of this notion that if someone has a different opinion than our own about a piece of art or an artist it must be hate, regionalism, or business politics and that person should be canceled or not be taken seriously anymore. Everybody isn't always in lockstep about art and thank God for that.

[@MeanwhileInIraq]

Don't even think it's a unique opinion tbh, at the time there was a clear split between jiggy and backpack rap and this beat was firmly in the jiggy camp. Boom bap heads in their 20s couldn't stand this style of beat but of course the teens and embryos loved it...

[@flygerianfly2508]

He's not a rapper, his opinion don't matter. I want black thoughts options on this

[@djstarsign]

Exactly, he’s a musician. Which is why he was talking about the music not the actual lyrics. His opinion is valid.

[@jinxa1913]

So how does he feel about Kendrick rhyming over Teddy Pendergrass?

[@shinobenji]

That’s what makes it gangsta it’s unorthodox is hip-hop

[@murryjm]

We called the sample, “the MC Lyte beat” from the old school DJ Screw days.

[@Scotland_the_Brave1984_McCabe]

I think the track is cool and wit Pacs voice on it its brill and I'm a early 80s baby so not that much diff between me and the critical tucker 😂

[@swat686]

Damn!! Questlove!! That’s how you feel?? 2Pac hit em up change diss track forever right after Ice Cube set bar so high with no Vaseline. They should have asked him, how do you feel about Biggie rapping over “Juicy Fruit”?

[@trapez77]

It’s on sight for me

[@philippe597]

I'm agree with QL, in my opinion, it was a wrong sample choice or a wrong way to use it. Maybe because I know, as QL, the original song.

[@alchemicvisuals3695]

Invalid opinion. That was a masterpiece.

[@zeresenayweldeslassie6693]

Q, never mattered, will never matter man who never grew up Just got older

[@MrKing8050]

If that's the case then Ether should be disqualified cause that beat is garbage

[@robertknowles5714]

Never

[@joesephkroll2056]

Best rap song ever.

[@ThaSUB1]

Ha! If he's critiquing Hit Em Up for that, he should listen to "When We Ride On Our Enemies". Pac kills it.

[@sphakamisozondi]

Let me guess,, Quest Love enjoys Diddy parties?

[@tito5428]

? Is woke. He is disqualified

[@keithrochester4671]

Whattt all them song are off old jazz songz

[@aurakl2407]

Exactly 😹😹😹

[@coryhernandez508]

He must really hate regulate by warren g. This ain’t the doobie brothers!!!

[@JorgeGarcia-tf3sw]

❓❤️ lost some credibility

[@mrlij6534]

his commentary about the sample makes no sense, some of the hardest hiphop rap songs are made from Jazz samples , smooth Jazz samples. the innocence of the original sample has nothing to do with the hardness of the track and the lyrics, doesnt diminish them in any way. not sure if he thought that through enough. there are so many jazz and funk samples made into hardcore rap songs

[@laquandaniels222]

Like biggie wasn’t rapping over smooth rnb beats picking n choosing is getting outta hand no cap 🧢💯💯

[@musa9784]

Quest go play 🥁 why you even talking...roots production ain't all that. Hit them up by pac will always be in top 5 diss track. Wich of your song😂 can i remember before putting them in any top...😮😅😂😀

[@theinformationcenter1248]

This weirdo is crazy.

[@deepvoicebanton1]

I grow tired of these touchy FOOLISH ism making Weirdo's

[@Skwaktopus133]

Damn when did Questlove join the circus? Smh

[@deelakasirdeeedwards7945]

Take questlove out of hiphop history and put him in Im hater for life history moments

[@Ms.Federally.Official-Matthews]

Quest love is entitled to his opinion, the same way I dont much care for the roots. Matter of fact , Im not a fan at all of the roots. 2pac was a prolific writer and phenomenal storyteller. There is no artist that has has the versatility/ pedigree/ activism/ talent/ charisma and pen game that 2pac has. Hit em up was a song that was written by 2pac in Danamor Prison before putting pen to paper. As he carefully crafted the specific situation for which the song would be centered around, which obviously was his sleeping with Faith( as revenge against Biggie). Once out on bail and the situation presented itself ( Faith) the song was then finished and recorded. That particular song did exactly what 2pac intended ot to do, which was strike a nerve and let everyone know that Faith betrayed Biggie with 2pac. As well as 2pac rapping Hit em up over( the Jr. Mafia beat).

[@alphonso-d8v]

Quest love gets no love u tripping quest tupac should have added you in his lyrics

[@IceKoldKilla]

Yeah life is just a game of telephone. Everyone repeating info slightly off until it's so wrong. That's the bible. It ended with people believing some dudebwas going around doing miracles. Y'all missed the whole point. So if that happened on a big scale throughout history, it obviously happens on a smaller scale everywhere else.

[@C3K1J8]

?uestlove been trash to me since he broke up the Geto Boys

[@hhawkins4442]

Questlove please !!!! Go tell some earthy people We don’t care

[@makaveli7377]

He should have said that when 2pac was alive, but he was scared because he didn't want to get dissed by 2pac 😂😂😂

[@RaneMP2016]

Didnt paid in full use the same sample?

[@MeanwhileInIraq]

Quest just telling you what the average 20 something thought of the wack beat at the time in the midst of the jiggy era which was full of wack sample choices... Obviously those of you who was hormonal teens and embryos at the time hadn't necessarily experienced the harder drums and more interesting samples hip hop was built on so to you it maybe seemed like a fitting accompaniment...

[@Nr-xr8hj]

Quest’s take got demolished at the end of the video lol

[@DianteWombach]

Guess who's not allowed in the West Coast?

[@Topsey2000]

Pac was born in New York!

[@DianteWombach]

Born in the New York, raised in Oakland, California. So yes, he's from the West. In fact, the Bay.

[@RonaldJames-eo2hc]

Why Quest didn't say that to Pac back then? I mean yall probably bumped head before he passed, why wait till now 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@robertknowles5714]

Damn bro

[@luiso.9103]

Questlove speaks for himself …he acts like people listen to him for music history . 😂😂

[@aaronnickey6119]

Hey own what you said fuck these fans who think Hip Hop started with Tupac! Smmh

[@lavondajohnson7554]

His opinion so let he keep that it and the same energy…. Don’t worry about me buying or supporting anything from him

[@thaonewiththaglasses801]

Why does it matter what type of beat he rhyming on?

[@knutt81]

"?uestLove shut up and makes some drums"

[@akristobal47]

Cause of the beat? So the words don't matter?

[@travistouchdown2118]

Let the man have opinions everyone acting like you have to be monolithic and like everything someone else likes.

[@linusfingesi2222]

The problem is his opinion is trash (he is entitled to it though) even Black Thought wouldn't come out and say this regardless of if he felt same...in the 90s The Roots were just up and coming and hadn't reached any heights of success ...The leaders in that "Back Pack" sub genre were Leaders of the New School, Tribe, De La and you could say Brand Nub....why didn't Quest talk then? Even De La (who were close to PAC) spoke out and he (PAC) retorted back....Quest should have asked Black Thought to say a verse on his views after Hit Em Up dropped. We would have heard PAC's retort before he passed.

[@travistouchdown2118]

@@linusfingesi2222 None of that matters. It’s his opinion rather you like it or not. He doesn’t have to like Hit’em up!

[@linusfingesi2222]

@@travistouchdown2118 Did I not say he was entitled to it!? (his opinion)

[@travistouchdown2118]

@@linusfingesi2222 You did though you act like he change it. The problem is people want people to be real and honest and when they are they get upset. If you and all the people in the comments don’t like his opinion then what does it matter what his opinion is.

[@linusfingesi2222]

@@travistouchdown2118 its not really about what he said, it's just that Questlove has always been a "Goof Ball!" Great phenom as a musician and one of the best behind the scenes in Hip Hop producing and music, but his opinions (not only this) have always been funny....only way I can describe him is like saying a Kanye West...Brilliant talent (also one of the best at what he does musically), but 9 times out of 10 you wouldn't go to him for Hip Hop advice (or any advice or opinion for that matter).

[@fabianbrown5902]

Naw that song is still fire cool opinion

[@Cloudedmindzfilms]

🧢

[@jalenmarks-allen2371]

An actual dumb take from a genius.....

[@aurakl2407]

Questlove acting like every other east coaster. Y’all are not the only voice of Hip Hop. It’s embarrassing, they always got to say something if the west is shinning. It just looks bad. If you are sooo smart QL how did you not figure that out. You could have said this years ago but nooo you wait until now to cry bully and then put Tupac’s music down. You’re weak af for this. Lost mad respect. ❌Bambaataa ❌KRS ❌Kweli ❌Combs

[@NICKDAB1]

Once the roots went to Jimmy Fallon as the instrumental band for Jimmy Fallon NBC Network that's the one I knew he was a sellout 😂 😂😂😂

[@cjjohnson3827]

East coast bias

[@Kryssthealien]

All your "heroes" will disappoint you at a point. if not all 99%...

[@jameskelly6347]

He’s a hater

[@Yukmouth1]

Bet he wouldnt say that if he was alive 😂🤣

[@jamesberry1719]

Hit em up is a classic and who said the music had to be a certain style for you to be a diss track, that's not even your lane so how do you get to make the rules some might say that afro fork in your head is Owen cornball 🤔 stop with the attacking music is aunt and that was his fault of expression and it's still resonate today, what's with this culture everybody's trying to attack and bring down everybody that is or was on top to feel relevant just stop 🛑