If Big and Pac had lived?

What would rap, music and the world be like if these two titans had survived their fatal shootings?

I for one think rap would have more meaning thanks to Pac and better lyrical content thanks to Big.

I think Rap would also be viewed in a better light around the world, not just as entertainment but as a tool for addressing the ills of society, but with more media coverage.

I think a lot of the people who rap now would not be rapping and I think Rock music would still be big because Pac and Big wouldn't let their work get too commercial, so it wouldn't pander and become poppy.

Who knows..to be honest, I don't really like either of their music. Ice Cube was a better West Coast rapper than Pac, Jay-Z is a better East Coast rapper than B.I.G.

Rap wouldn't be rubbish because of their influence.

Ice Cube was awesome but I wouldn't say he was better than Tupac. Tupac had more heart and Ice Cube was the definition of aggressive. I do personally prefer Ice Cube though. Best disser in hip hop to date IMO.

Jay-Z is good but I always did like B.I.G. exponentially more than him.

Okay, I shouldn't say ''better'' more like, I enjoy Cube's music more, especially his work with NWA. As for Jay-Z, I DO think he's a better rapper, his verses are more clever, his flows are sick and he knows how to make unique beats.

I always loved the idea of Notorious BIG and Big L living and possibly forming a team together... they really don't need Jay-Z as Notorious BIG is just a better Jay-Z lyrically anyways... though the idea of a track with Notorious BIG, Big L and DMX ( circa 1998 ) sounds absolutely awesome.

@the_stegman said:

N.W.A was probably one of the best rap groups of all time. My favorite in my opinion. Ice Cube and Eazy-E were sick. Dr.Dre wasn't too shabby, and MC Ren was highly underrated.

I don't know why but I never could get into Jay-Z. Probably because I listened to Nas more and when Nas wrecked Jay-Z in "Ether", I lost interest.

They would sell out and act in movies.......... I don't know?

Hologram technology wouldn't be as popular.

@yourneighborhoodcomicgeek: I'll admit, when I heard Brooklyn's Finest, I thought they worked well together

Yeah Jay-Z was pretty good with collaboration.

I would agree in some regards. The garbage that is YMCMB wouldn't exist.

Yeah and there'd be no 2 CHAINZZZ!!!

Idk. I'd like to think a lot of the stuff i perceive as garbage rap and fashion and all that sh-t might not exist.

I agree with Hov being better then B.I.G.; his wordplay and cleverness with his rhymes are above B.I.G.

As far as for Cube and Pac it's pretty close imo.

You mean, lived and their lives no longer in danger? Because surviving wouldn't have stopped the bad blood.

Either way, I think had they lived and things settled, there would a different scene altogether and rap would have been taken seriously more quickly, as in mainstream.

They actually didn't have as bad of blood as everyone thought. On an interview with Sway, Pac was asked about his , at the time, encounters with Big and he said that I'm not angry all the time, sometimes I just want there to be peace. Big was no where near as vehement as Pac was on the beef front.

Honestly a lot of mc's would not have been able to shine like they are now.

They unfortunately needed to die so that rap/hip hop can be where it is today in terms of popularity.

This seems to be true.

@nelomaxwell:

I believe that, actually. Makes it even more sad.

This is true, but messed up at the same time...................

I honestly do not know the difference between west and east coast rapping.

Their wouldn't be any wack rappers like 2 chainz, Lil Wayne would cease to exist, Jay Z wouldn't have stole lyrics from Big.

I think it is a big what if... almost too difficult to truly guess.

Would anyone guess NWA Ice Cube would be making a kid friendly movie, "Are We There Yet."

Would anyone guess that Snoop Doggy Dogg would be making reggae music?

I think it would definitely be totally different if Tupac and Biggie survived. Whats to say if they both survived that there wouldn't be more "retaliations."

I'd like to think Tupac would have been an activist like Immortal Technique, respected like NaS or eM, and making movies like Will or LL.

I think Biggie would have been respected as Jay-Z, Rakim, or Big Daddy Kane. I see him as honestly sticking with Hip Hop.

I think a lot of doodes would be out of a job.

( + )

If they were still alive alot of mc's would not be where they are today trust me Kendrick Lamar would not even be a thing

Never really cared for Big or Tupac.