in ,

Afeni Shakur and Voletta Wallace, Tupac and Biggie’s moms, met for the first time at the 1999 VMAs

Share

On the night of September 9, 1999, while presenting the Best Video award at the MTV Video Awards, introduced Afeni Shakur and Voletta Wallace, Tupac and Biggie’s moms, for the first time ever. Roughly three years after the tragic deaths of their sons, the two grieving mothers hugged on the Metropolitan Opera House stage and honored the legacies of their sons.

Will Smith—also known as—the Fresh , started the introduction by incorporating the title of his 1988 hit song with “Parents Just Don’t Understand”—the first video to win Best Rap Video at the 1989 VMAs “I’d like to introduce to you two parents who definitely seem to understand.” 

Tupac's mom, Afeni Shakur, and Biggie's mom, Voletta Wallace, met for the first time at the 1999 VMAs
Photo by Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect

The 1999 Best Rap Video award went to Jay Z, and Amil for Can I Get A..

Rest in Peace to ‘s mother, Afeni Shakur, who passed away in 2016.

Purchase our 100 Hip-Hop Facts (1973-2000) Book

Read: 2Pac was the first artist to have a No. 1 album while serving a prison sentence with “Me Against the World”

Read: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince were the first rappers to win a Grammy

Read: The last verses The Notorious B.I.G. recorded were on Puff Daddy’s “Victory”

Fredro Starr used to be Rakim and Jam Master Jay's Barber

Fredro Starr used to be Rakim and Jam Master Jay’s barber

Pharrell, Timbaland and Magoo were in a group called S.B.I. which stood for “Surrounded by Idiots”

Pharrell, Timbaland and Magoo were in a group called S.B.I. which stood for “Surrounded by Idiots”