MC Eiht: 2Pac Went Backwards By Affiliating Himself with Gangs

MC Eiht opens up about celebrities and their gang affiliation during this interview with DJ Vlad. The Compton native and Crip member talks about knowing Tupac and explains how his connection with gangs led to his demise. The rapper says that Tupac began stamping himself with the Mob Piru in hopes to show loyalty, but says the star didn't have to prove anything.

"It's certain things that you don't do just to want to belong." He explained that it was always Pac's choice, but nonetheless, he didn't have to pursue that lifestyle, "They shouldn't like you no better if you were a rapper or if—hey, now you got to put this rag in your back pocket."

Nearly 20 years after Tupac's death, singer Chris Brown is now in a similar position for his affiliation with Bloods. The Tappahannock, VA. native was thrown into immediate stardom as a teen, and now at 26, he's a multimillionaire, with many accolades, linked to one of the biggest gangs. Although Brown is scrutinized, MC Eight says gangbanging has changed since his young days.

"It's not a life and death situation. When I gangbanged it was a life and death situation. I didn't get to go to Grammy parties when I was gangbanging and even when I started rapping, I was still affiliating myself. So it was more for me being accepted going back to the block as to getting invited to some body's party."