Rapper E.D.I. Mean was a member of Tupac Shakur’s Outlawz, and he appeared on the latest episode of Byron Scott’s Fast Break podcast. E.D.I. Mean and Byron Scott spoke at length about Kobe Bryant during the episode, and the rapper revealed that Afeni Shakur, Tupac’s mother, saw similarities between her son and the NBA icon.
“I’mma say this real quick and rest in peace to Tupac’s mother,” E.D.I. Mean said. “One day we was sitting down watching the Lakers. I think it was during the playoffs, and Kobe was doing what he do, going off. And she sat back there, and I never forget this. She said, ‘That boy reminds me of my son.'”
E.D.I. Mean is a big Los Angeles Lakers fan, and Bryant is his favorite player. He couldn’t figure out what led to Afeni saying that at the time, though.
“I just thought Kobe and Pac were very different,” E.D.I. Mean stated. “Their backgrounds were like night and day… But as time goes on and continues to go on, she was so spot on. No, they were very alike. And Pac demanded the best out of you. He wanted the best out of us.
“You’ve heard Snoop Dogg talk about it, corrupt other people that was at Death Row,” E.D.I. Mean continued. “He brought the best out of the people around him, too, because of his work ethic. He big homied us, but he didn’t do that to other people. He just led by example. Like, I’m going to be the hardest-working person in there. So if y’all not working as hard as me, y’all going to pale in comparison.”
That does remind you of Bryant, as he worked harder than anyone else. Scott got to witness that first-hand. He once stated he knew Bryant was going to be special after watching his work ethic as a rookie.
Bryant was skilled, but what led to him going down as one of the greatest players of all time was that work ethic. He demanded the very best out of those around him as well, but developed a reputation for being a bad teammate in the process.
Bryant was chasing perfection, and while he didn’t achieve it, he ended up having a great career. He won five titles, two Finals MVPs, one MVP, and two scoring titles in his career. Bryant found success post-retirement, too, winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2018 for Dear Basketball.
All was seemingly going well, but then on Jan. 26, 2020, Bryant tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash. His daughter Gianna, six family friends, and the pilot all passed away in the accident too.
Bryant’s death shocked the world, as had Tupac’s back on Sept. 13, 1996. He was shot by an assailant who remains unidentified even today. Afeni would pass away nearly 20 years after her son on May 2, 2016, due to a cardiac arrest. While there’s no one who can replace one’s own child, she at least got to see someone who reminded her of him.
