List Of Rappers Who Correctly Predicted Their Own Deaths

An overlooked facet of rap is how it magically predicts the future at times. Jay Z foretold his own rise on the New York Times bestseller list with his ‘Decoded’ autobiography when he released 1998′s ‘Money, Cash, Hoes.’ Years later, Jeezy predicted Barack Obama’s inauguration on ‘My President.’

Some predictions — far too many — fall in line with tragedy. The live-fast-and-die-young mentality sounds cool to many of hip-hop’s young demographic, but there’s nothing glorious about the unfulfilled potential of an artist’s life cut short.

Part of the legacy of artists like Tupac Shakur and Big L is how they chillingly and almost accurately predicted their own demise. Death isn’t too far from some of these artists with their inner city beginnings, but when it caught them, the aftermath left fans shocked despite their premonitions. Check out Rappers Who Correctly Predicted Their Own Death.

2Pac Shakur

Lyrics: “I been shot and murdered, can tell you how it happened word for word /
But best believe n—-s gon’ get what they deserve,” raps Tupac on Richie Rich’s ‘N—-s Done Changed.’

This song was released two months before Tupac Shakur was gunned down in a drive-by shooting on that Las Vegas strip in 1996. His murder is still unsolved.

By his last album, ‘The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory,’ Shakur went by the name Makaveli, a reference to the famed Italian philosopher who advocated faking one’s own death, which some fans believe Pac did.

The West Coast MC also predicted his end in a recently released PBS interview. After he was asked where he saw himself in the next few years, he said, “Best case, in a cemetery. Not in a cemetery, sprinkled in ashes smoked up by my homies. I mean, that’s the worst case.”

Listen Below to Richie Rich’s ‘N—-s Done Changed’ Feat. Tupac

Notorious B.I.G

Lyrics: “I swear to God I feel like death is f—ing calling me,” raps the Notorious B.I.G. on ‘Suicidal Thoughts.’

Biggie Smalls has always told tales of excess with a distinctive frankness that was sometimes tongue-in-cheek. Death was still at the underbelly of most of his work though.

His debut album, ‘Ready to Die,’ featured many songs that touched on death — ‘Big Poppa,’ ‘Juicy,’ the self-titled track and the album-closing ‘Suicidal Thoughts.’ The latter was particularly eerie considering the way his life story happened.

Of course the Brooklyn, N.Y.-bred MC didn’t commit suicide, but death did find him when he was killed during a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles in 1997. His posthumous album title: ‘Life After Death.’

Listen [Below] to Notorious B.I.G.’s ‘Suicidal Thoughts’

Proof

Lyrics: “I’m in the club to beef, you gotta murder me there,” raps Proof on ’40 Oz.’

The crazy part about these lyrics from D12‘s ’40 Oz.’ is how they’re an accurate representation of how Proof passed away. There isn’t a definitive account of what exactly happened at that billiards table at the CCC Club on 8 Mile Rd., on April 11, 2006, but what’s known is the situation escalated between the intoxicated rapper (whose blood alcohol content read .32 at the autopsy — three times the legal limit) and Keith Bender.

Bouncer Mario Etheridge, Bender’s cousin, fired a warning shot into the air to stop the fight. Proof apparently fired shots in retaliation, killing Bender. He died from two shots in his back and another one to the back of his head.

The tragedy was also foretold in Eminem’s ‘Like Toy Soldiers’ video — a song that warned against the kind of activity that actually killed Em’s best friend. Proof played the rapper who’s gunned down in the video.

Listen [Below] to D12′s ’40 Oz.’

Big L

Lyrics: “I watched all of them, run for they share / And all I can do was stare / I got weak and fell on my rear / Now I can hear the sirens, that means here comes the Jakes / But it’s too late, I’m knockin’ on the pearly gates,” raps Big L on ‘Casualties of a Dice Game.’

Big L’s murder was related to conflict, albeit it’s not the type rapped about on this track, ‘Casualties of a Dice Game,’ off his posthumous LP, ‘The Big Picture’ — the lyrics detail a dice game that ends in his death.

The NYPD believed the Harlem rapper was shot to death in response to something one of his two brothers did (they were in prison at the time).

The rapper is considered a legend, but had his life cut short at 24, when he was murdered in a 1999 drive-by shooting.