“Felt Like a Completely Unwarranted Attack”

Rashida Jones recently opened up about her past conflict with the late rapper Tupac Shakur, recalling the intense emotions she experienced as a teenager.

In an interview with The New Yorker, Jones discussed the incident that sparked the feud. It all began in 1993 when she was just 17 years old. Tupac had made harsh comments about her father, Quincy Jones, during an interview with The Source. He remarked, “All he does is stick his dick in white bitches and make fucked up kids,” which immediately struck a nerve with young Rashida.

Furious and taken aback, Rashida penned a passionate open letter to Tupac. “Because I am the youngest of Quincy Jones’ six daughters, I cannot view this article or this man without bias,” she wrote. “But I do think that anyone who reads this article would be shocked by his ignorance and lack of respect for his people.” She claimed Tupac’s comments were a setback to African American progress, adding that her father had paved the way for artists like Tupac to express themselves through music.

Reflecting on the incident years later, Jones shared how her perspective has evolved. “I was so mad. It was a new perspective to me,” she recounted. “I kind of understand the nuance more now that I’m older. It just felt like a completely unwarranted attack. My dad doesn’t work for the government. He’s a music producer. How he chooses to live his life and who he loves is just his own business, and I’ve always felt that way.”

Jones revealed that she sent her open letter to The Source while interning at Warner Bros. Records. The situation took a surprising turn when Tupac decided to reach out. “My sister was out somewhere in New York, and Tupac came up to apologize to her because he thought it was me,” she said. “It resolved itself really nicely because when I met him, he immediately apologized to me, immediately apologized to my dad. We sat down and had a really good conversation about it, and then he was family.”

The feud not only ended on a positive note but also led to a budding friendship. Tupac even began dating Rashida’s older sister, Kidada. This twist of fate helped bridge the gap and mend the hurt feelings on both sides.

In her discussion with The New Yorker, Jones also touched on her upcoming Apple TV+ sci-fi series, Sunny, which is set to premiere this week. Besides her professional endeavors, Rashida spoke about her father’s illustrious career, her star-studded upbringing, and her relationship with Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig, with whom she shares a son.

Commenting on her relationship with Koenig, Jones said, “I’m sure we’ll get married at some point, but we basically are. He takes a very long time to make his albums, which is so lucky for me because it means he’s home a lot of the time. This is our second tour cycle really, so we’ll see how far I go with rock wife.”

Despite the clash with Tupac in her youth, Rashida Jones has grown to understand and appreciate the complexity of human emotions and relationships. Her reflection on this incident offers an intriguing glimpse into the personal growth she has achieved over the years. It also highlights how misunderstandings, no matter how intense, can sometimes lead to meaningful connections and resolutions.

Source: Consequence, The New Yorker