Rosie Perez recalls Madonna once wanted her help to ‘hook up’ with a major singer in the ‘90s
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Actress Rosie Perez shared a fascinating anecdote about Tupac Shakur stepping in as her date for the 1993 Soul Train Music Awards after her original date canceled at the last minute.
Perez revealed on the 'Drew Barrymore Show' on Wednesday, November 6, that during the event, the pair crossed paths with Madonna, who quickly felt a connection with the rapper, as reported by The Daily Mail.
Rosie Perez reveals how Tupac ended up being Madonna's boyfriend
Rosie Perez recalled the moment, saying Madonna approached them and asked, “Yo, what’s up? Y’all are together?” And I said, ‘No', she goes, ‘Really?’ I go, ‘Yeah', she goes, ‘Hook me up. I said, ‘You got it'," Perez obliged, and the two icons soon began a year-long romance.
Madonna and Tupac had a brief secret relationship from 1993 to 1994, which the pop icon later confirmed during a 2015 interview with Howard Stern.
In a 2018 interview with Howard Stern, Snoop Dogg shared an anecdote about seeing Tupac and Madonna together during a visit he had to 'Saturday Night Live'. Snoop recalled that Tupac, who was his close friend, dropped off some weed for him, with Madonna accompanying him. Snoop jokingly described Madonna as "just riding along for the ride" during the encounter.
Madonna, speaking in the same year, also reflected on her relationship with Tupac, revealing that their connection wasn’t just romantic but also professional. They had recorded a song together for her 1994 'Bedtime Stories' album, though it was never officially released. Madonna teased that she might one day release the track
A few years later, a demo of the song 'I’d Rather Be Your Lover' from 'Bedtime Stories' leaked, revealing Tupac's verse on it. However, following Tupac's legal issues, Madonna reportedly decided to remove his verse from the final version of the song. Instead, she replaced it with a verse from Meshell Ndegeocello, an artist signed to Madonna's Maverick Records at the time.
Tupac’s heartfelt letter to Madonna reveals the pain behind their breakup
In 2017, a letter penned by Tupac Shakur during his time in prison surfaced, shedding light on the reasons behind his breakup with Madonna. The letter, dated January 15, 1995, revealed his inner conflict regarding their relationship, particularly how his image as a prominent Black rapper affected his decisions, as reported by ABC News.
Tupac confessed, “For you to be seen with a Black man wouldn't in any way jeopardize your career, if anything it would make you seem that much more open and exciting. But for me, at least in my previous perception, I felt due to my 'image', I would be letting down half of the people who made me what I thought I was."
He went on to express his regret, writing, "I never meant to hurt you."
In the three-page letter, Tupac also took issue with an interview Madonna gave, where she mentioned wanting to "rehabilitate all the rappers & basketball players." He admitted that hearing this comment "cut me deep," explaining that he had never known her to be involved with any rapper other than himself.
Tupac concluded the letter by apologizing for not being the kind of friend he felt capable of being and expressed a desire to meet Madonna face-to-face, asking, “If you could find it in your heart, I would love to speak face to face with you.” At the time of their relationship, Madonna was 34, and Tupac was just 21.
