8 Most Famous Beefs In Hip Hop Music History

The most well-known beef in all of hip-hop history that had huge ramifications both musically and otherwise, Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur came to embody the rivalry between the east and west coast music scenes in the US in the 1990s.

Going from being two of the highest-selling artists for the decade as a whole, to both killed in still unsolved murders just six months apart, has only added to the mystique of the legendary feud. However, what makes between the artists so personal was how close they had once been, with the Notorious B.I.G even reportedly wanting Tupac to be his manager during the early portion of his career.

Things went sour as the years passed, however. In 1995 Biggie released the song "Who Shot Ya," a b-side to his hit single "Big Poppa." The track contained several lines that appeared to be referencing an attack on Shakur that had taken place just months earlier.

Though Smalls denied the association, the damage had been done and the feud only devolved from that point on. Shakur replied with the iconic "Hit 'Em Up," in which he directly insulted his former friend which only served to fan the flames further.

Less than two years after the release of "Hit 'Em Up," both rappers would be killed in drive-by shootings, with theories persisting that people involved with both men were responsible for the murders.