The Up In Smoke Tour in 2000 was a West Coast hip-hop juggernaut, and one of its most unforgettable moments came when Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre paid tribute to their fallen brother, Tupac Shakur, during a live show in Boston. This heartfelt homage, captured at the FleetCenter (now TD Garden) on July 20, 2000, is a raw, emotional highlight of the tour, showcasing the duo’s love for 2Pac and their ability to command a stage. Available through fan uploads on platforms like 2PacLegacy.net, it’s a piece of rap history that still hits hard in 2025. Let’s break it down in a way that’s easy to vibe with and dive into why this moment is legendary!
What Was the Up In Smoke Tour?
The Up In Smoke Tour was a 44-city spectacle headlined by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, featuring heavyweights like Ice Cube, Eminem, Nate Dogg, Kurupt, Xzibit, and Warren G. Kicking off June 15, 2000, in San Diego, it was a celebration of West Coast rap’s dominance, riding the wave of Dre’s 2001 album and Snoop’s enduring star power. The Boston stop, part of the tour’s East Coast leg, was electric—over 15,000 fans packed the arena, buzzing for a lineup that felt like a hip-hop Avengers team. But the 2Pac tribute stole the show, turning a party into a moment of reflection.
The 2Pac Tribute: What Went Down?
During their set, Dre and Snoop paused to honor Tupac, who’d been gunned down four years earlier in September 1996. The tribute wasn’t just a speech—it was a full-on performance, weaving 2Pac’s spirit into their show. They kicked it off with a nod to Pac’s hits, including California Love (Dre’s 1995 classic with 2Pac) and elements of 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted (from All Eyez on Me), where Pac’s verse was sampled to let his voice echo through the arena. Snoop led the crowd in chants of “2Pac! 2Pac!” while Dre hyped his legacy, calling him “our homie” and a game-changer. The stage visuals—clips of Pac’s videos—added weight, and the Boston crowd roared, feeling the loss and love. Fan uploads on YouTube, like one from 2PacLegacy.net posted April 1, 2011, capture the raw vibe, with grainy but gripping footage.
Why It Hit So Hard
This wasn’t just a tribute—it was personal. Dre produced 2Pac’s biggest Death Row hits, from California Love to I Ain’t Mad at Cha, and Snoop was tight with him, recording collabs like If There’s a Cure (unreleased, 1996). By 2000, Pac’s absence loomed large, especially amid the East Coast-West Coast feud’s scars. Performing in Boston—Bad Boy’s backyard—was bold, but the crowd’s love showed 2Pac’s universal pull. The set mixed joy and grief: Snoop’s smooth flow, Dre’s booming beats, and Pac’s sampled voice made it feel like he was there. X posts from 2011, when the clip hit YouTube, called it “chills every time,” and fans in 2025 still share it, proving its staying power.
The Boston Context
Boston was a key stop, one of 10 filmed for the Up In Smoke Tour DVD (released December 2000). The FleetCenter was rocking—fans got Dre and Snoop’s The Next Episode, Ice Cube’s We Be Clubbin’, and Eminem’s Stan, but the 2Pac tribute cut through the chaos. It wasn’t just nostalgia; it was a statement that Pac’s legacy outlived the beef. The tour itself was a beast, grossing over $22 million across 44 dates, but moments like this gave it soul. Dre later faced heat in Michigan for tour visuals, but Boston’s show was all about music and respect.
Where to Watch It
Why It Still Matters
This tribute is Snoop and Dre at their realest—honoring a friend while keeping his music alive. In 2000, 2Pac’s death still stung, and doing this in Boston, far from their Compton roots, showed rap’s power to unite. The Up In Smoke Tour was about excess—lowriders, big crowds—but the 2Pac moment was pure heart. In 2025, with hip-hop evolving, it’s a reminder of the ’90s grit that shaped the game. Whether you’re a Pac stan or new to his story, this performance hits like a classic track—timeless, heavy, and full of love.
