Tupac frequently found himself in beef, even in situations that didn’t call for it. He was paranoid that the world was against him, from the police and the prison systems to the rappers in his orbit. It’s a big reason why he barbed back and forth with Biggie— ‘Pac figured he was behind him getting shot in 1994. As a result, there were feuds with artists you would never assume would ever indulge in beef. One of which was Wyclef Jean and The Fugees, which spiraled out of control due to a simple misunderstanding.
In a February 2026 conversation with Genius, the Haitian multidisciplinary artist reflected on the 30-year anniversary of The Score. The Fugees album came out the same day as Tupac’s classic All Eyez On Me. On the song “Cowboys”, Wyclef rapped a set of lyrics ‘Pac didn’t appreciate. “Rappers want to be actors / So they play the Jesse James call-up card / And get they bones fractured / You ain’t got no guns, you off to the precinct / Inside tough guys are feminine like Sheena Easton,” Wyclef Jean rapped.
Tupac eventually clapped back via the unreleased song “When We Ride On Our Enemies”. “Heard The Fugees was tryna to do me / Look b*tch, I’ll cut your face, this ain’t no muthaf*ckin’ movie / Then, we watch the other two die slow / Castrated entertainin’ at my muthaf*ckin’ sideshow,” Pac snarled.
However, Wyclef insists that it had nothing to do with Tupac specifically.
Wyclef Jean Says He Didn’t Intend To Offend Tupac on Fugees Record
“There ain’t no issues. We never did nothing to disrespect ‘Pac,” before explaining that they were just a byproduct of Tupac’s wrath at the time. “We wasn’t gonna go there. I’m saying, like, ‘Go ahead. You can have that. We good.’”
This isn’t the only time ‘Pac engaged in an incredibly one-sided beef. When De La Soul spoke with Ambrosia For Heads in 2025, Posdnuos recalled how a silly parody sparked issues. “Tupac we had an issue with because when we did the ‘Ego Trippin’ video, he unfortunately thought we were mimicking and trying to make fun of the ‘I Get Around’ video,” Posdnuos explained. “He was very disappointed. He reached out to his manager and the people at Tommy Boy at the time and was like, ‘Yo, man, I love those dudes. I didn’t know they had an issue.’”
De La Soul continuously attempted to ease any tension. However, when the group continued to critique gangsta rap, Tupac took offense. Ultimately, though, the group never did find the right time to resolve matters. He died before they could ever explain to him that it was a simple miscommunication.
The post Wyclef Jean Recalls Feuding With Tupac Over Misunderstood Lyrics: ‘We Never Did Nothing To Disrespect ’Pac’ appeared first on VICE.
