Jada Pinkett-Smith Reflects On Relationship With Tupac: 'There Was No Physical Chemistry At All"
Saying Jada loves Tupac is one big, fat understatement since she's as passionate about Pac as your man is about his favorite sports team.
It's been more than 20 years since his death, and the 45-year-old actress will still correct you when it comes to her friendship with fallen friend Pac, coming to tears at times.
With the release of the much anticipated Tupac biopic All Eyez on Me, she wasn't too satisfied with the way her character was portrayed in the movie.
The day the movie hit theaters on June 16th, which is also Pac's birthday, the mom-of-two took to Twitter to reveal that she saw the film and details about her relationship with Pac weren't exactly accurate. The tea is hot, so sip carefully!
&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fentertainment%2Fla-et-entertainm...Although she critiqued the events in the movie, she did have positive words for Kat Graham and Demetrius Shipp, who played the role of Jada & Tupac in the biopic.
Related Post: Kat Graham On Playing Jada Pinkett in Tupac Biopic"All Eyez On Me"
Although Jada married Will Smith, she and Tupac had a very loving and indescribable friendship, with Pac calling her his "heart in human form." With powerful words like that, you would think their friendship would've evolved into something romantic, but as we know it never did.
While they regarded each other as soulmates, the sexual chemistry just wasn't there. In her lengthy interview with Howard Stern in 2015 , Jada confessed that she and Pac did try to take it there one time, but the both of them were completely grossed out when they shared a kiss. Jada's thankful it never got to that point though since she felt like they were both too passionate to romantically be together.
That passion and stubbornness are what was partly to blame for their friendship souring. Unfortunately, Jada and Tupac never really made up before he was murdered in 1996. However, the experience did make her appreciate time as she learned that life's too short for disagreements with people you love.
Here are a few other things we learned about her relationship with Tupac from that emotional interview:
1. Jada says her relationship with Tupac was strictly platonic and there was no chemistry. (They tried to kiss once and it was gross!)
Jada: "I met Tupac at Baltimore School For The Arts. We went to high school together. He was a revolutionary without a revolution if that makes any kind of sense. And that kind of energy just transferred to a whole other thing.
[...]
It's so funny, because now being older, I have more of an understanding of what that was between us because, you know when you have two young people who have very strong feelings, but there's NO physical chemistry between us at all. And it wasn't even just for me! It was him too. There was a time when I was like, 'Just kiss me, Let's just see how this goes.' And when I tell you, it had to be the most disgusting kiss for us both.
The only way I can put it is, the higher power just did not want that. Because I feel as though, if Pac and I had any kind of sexual chemistry, we might've killed each other because we were both so passionate. And you know, we love deeply. It was hard enough just with us being friends. We had a very volatile relationship."
2. Even though Pac was poor when Jada met him, she was not shocked when he eventually became a huge star.
Jada: "It was his poetry; it was his personality. I had never in my life met a person like Pac. He had so much charisma! And he was poor! When I met Pac, he owned two pairs of pants and two sweaters. And that's it.
I absolutely was not shocked [when he reached the level of fame he did.] I knew that was going to happen.
It's crazy. And he used to tell me all the time, 'Jada, you're a superstar. You're a superstar.' He didn't say it about himself, but he used to say it about me. And he went to Oakland, up North, and things started jumping off for him. It really happened for us both at the same time.."
3. Their friendship began to change after Pac went to jail.
Jada: "There were a lot of things that transpired once he went to jail. It was really once he came out that he changed quite a bit, which is understandable. Jail was a very difficult experience for him. And, of course, we were on two sides of the spectrum. Pac and I have always had very intense conversations, arguments. And if we disagree with each other, we disagree hardcore. And we had a very hardcore disagreement.
I just wasn't in agreement with the direction he was taking. And I just told him that it was a destructive direction, a very scary direction. And he felt as though I had changed, I got Hollywood, I had gone soft. And looking back now, I totally understand where Pac was because, at that particular point in time, that mentality was part of his survival for that moment. And it was actually a mentality he started to come out of before he was murdered."
4. Jada is still feeling sadness for not telling Pac she loved him before he died.
Jada: "You know, I don't think I was guilty as much as I felt, just sadness, for not having the opportunity to tell him that I loved him. But I know he knew that because it wasn't the first time that we had had a bad argument and had stopped speaking and all that. That was kind of a constant in our relationship. So I didn't really look at it as a reason to feel guilty. But it definitely taught me a lesson, which is, life is too short. Do not let disagreements stand in between you and people that you love and care about."
Howard Stern: I can tell you're really emotional about him, I mean, you're crying. When you think of him, you have tears in your eyes.
Jada: "Yeah, you know, I love him."
Not making amends and not getting any closure must be why she still gets teary-eyed two decades later. Sure, she knows Pac knew she loved him, but when you and your friend are fighting, that's not always at the forefront of your/their brain. And 20 years later, that lack of closure is still painful.
Watch a clip from the film below:
- Did Jada Pinkett Smith Date Tupac Shakur? | POPSUGAR Celebrity ›
- Jada Pinkett Smith Admits She Thinks About Tupac "Every Single Day" ›
- Jada Pinkett Smith Says She Thinks About 2Pac Every Day | Complex ›
- Jada Pinkett Smith and Tupac Shakur: All About Their Friendship ... ›
- Jada Pinkett Smith thinks about Tupac Shakur 'every single day ... ›
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
Courtesy
I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
Courtesy
That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
Courtesy
So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
Courtesy
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy