On the 20th anniversary of the release of his solo album The Diary, Houston, Texas rapper Scarface chopped it up with XXLMag.com about his 1994 studio release.
While addressing The Diary, the Geto Boys lyricist recalled a quote the late Tupac Shakur shared with him in regards to music, and later detailed his decision to create an album that touched on death and other grim topics.
According to Scarface, his choice to speak on death on his LP left people with no choice but to think.
“We rapped for the neighborhoods,” Scarface said. “I didn’t give a fuck about rap, being a rapper. I just wanted to impress the guys in the neighborhood that I grew up with. I just give a fuck about how many numbers of people in my neighborhood loved my shit, how many cars drive by bangin’ my shit. I think when a person touches on death, and when you further touch on death and touched it in the way that I touched it, you can’t do nothing but think. And ’Pac used to always say, ‘You gonna make a muthafucka think, or you gonna make a muthafucka dance’ That’s ’Pac’s words. He’s saying, ‘The niggas want what the bitches want.’ I wanted to make a muthafucka think.”
Scarface later spoke on being compared to the likes of the Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, and other Hip Hop greats. He also revealed that being “one of the best rappers” the people have heard will go down as his legacy.
“In order to be a great, you gotta be among the greats,” he said. “For a muthafucka to even put me in the company of the likes of a [Notorious] B.I.G. or a fuckin’ Nas or a fuckin’ Rakim or a Slick Rick or a Doug E. Fresh or a Big Daddy Kane or a [Kool] G Rap or a Jay Z or a Beanie Sigel or a fuckin’ Q-Tip. Whoever they put me [with]. Or a 2Pac. If my name surfaces in that shit, I know I did something. Out of all of the muthafuckas that could have been, I was one of the best rappers that they ever heard. That’s my legacy.”
Released on October 18, 1994, Scarface’s The Diary featured guest appearances from Ice Cube and Devin The Dude and was one of a select number of albums to receive a perfect rating (five mics) in The Source.
RELATED: Scarface Says Rap Is “Sounding Stupider And Stupider”
Did Pac tell him not to pay his child support?
There’s always gotta be someone ruining good articles with gossip that’s irrelevant to the story.
Gossip? You think they sent him to prison over some gossip? Nah son he really aint supporting his kids.
naw niggas are born knowing that
aww snap!
This nigga put Beanie Sigel among the “greats” lmao
Coming from a legend like Face and actually spending time and actually being in the studio with beans he probably knows beanie talented then the average mutha luva like u and I.
^^ that some real talk patna
But you do know that he’s right though… right? Sig is definitely one of the greatest rappers to ever pick up a mic. If you don’t think so, you may have to re evaluate what you got going on with your knowledge of hip-hop, bro.
lyrically beans is between jadakiss and dmx
You niggas really fuck with Beans like that? I mean I don’t really think he’s wack but damn…
on actual microphone skills he surpassed jay z.
debatable.
Face is one of the top 5mcs ever!
AMEN
That’s a stretch, more like top 10.
reach much??
Agreed. Top 10.
6. Kool g rap
7. 2pac
8. ll cool j
9. Scarface
10. Big daddy Kane
11. Ice cube
12. masta ace
13. AZ
14. The GZA
15.
niggas really need to stop making they greatest of all time list..cause basically its your opinion…opinions are like assholes everybody has one..niggas be having vanilla ice in they top ten and shit.
Cool list but no top 5?
This dude is one of the goats for sure, always kept it real and spit some hard truthful shit
i love face and all dat…..but he aint even know Pac like that. come on nigga, u dont need to try and make up fake quotes and shit. let the dead rest mah nigga.
but you knew pac right nigga lol
“but you knew pac right nigga lol”
exactly
face & pac did know eachother..they made a coulple of songs together..also it was the souhtern rappers who opened up for pac & snoop..i remember master p telling a story how pac laughed at him backstage once
Face use to visit Pac in cali so what the fuck talking bout. Do your research before speaking on the man.
Early-Mid 90’s West Coast and the South kicked it together, especially the Bay Area artists, Rap-A-Lot and Suave House. Songs together, shows etc. WTF are you talking about bruh?!?! lol
Stop feeding the troll….idiots.
you sound hella stupid little homie!!!
This dude has multiple classics.