In 1992, Michael Jordan was at the top of the basketball world. People looked up to him, and he was seen as a role model by many. At the same time, another person who was rising in a separate industry was Tupac Shakur. Tupac was different from your traditional mainstream celebrity. He was vocal and opinionated.
Tupac stayed with his roots, no matter where he reached in life. He gave back to the community and used his lyrics as a medium to share his frustrations with society with the world. But back in 1992, Tupac was not happy with His Airness for not doing the same with his own platform.
Michael Jordan was not doing enough
Tupac Shakur did not have kind words for Michael Jordan in an interview in 1992. Tupac always stood for what he felt was right. He was often blunt with his words and revealed how he felt about everything to the community.
Tupac said, “You know Michael Jordan? I have never seen Michael Jordan in the ‘hood’. Let’s see Jordan come down to the inner city, just a parking lot, and just shoot the ball with the kids. I bet you that would change their life.“
In 1992, Jordan was at his pinnacle. People around the world knew who he was. Tupac wanted the Chicago Bulls legend to be part of the community he grew up in. This could help elevate the younger kids who looked up to him. Jordan was seen as a role model by many because of his status as an icon.
But Jordan revealed in his Last Dance documentary that he never wanted to be an icon. He said that if he could go back in time, that is the one thing that he would have changed about himself. Jordan considered being a role model to someone a burden that puts a lot of pressure on yourself.
Tupac saw Jordan and Magic in 1996
Magic Johnson returned to the NBA in 1996. This was his last season in the league. So a match between Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan was heavily looked forward to by fans. Tupac, who had never been to an NBA match before, made his appearance with Suge Knight to see the two teams go up against each other.
Tupac was killed a few months later. Tupac’s words for Jordan have always held a negative tone. He basically called out Jordan for not giving much attention to the black community. Jordan did everything in his power over the years to give back to the community.
He donated his whole year’s salary to the victims and families of the 9/11 tragedy. He has also spent millions with the Air Jordan brand to fight against racial injustice in America. So Jordan has definitely done his part in making things better for the people without himself going out in an inner city to hoop with the kids.
