Derek Keith Barbosa, born April 8, 1974, in the Bronx and raised in East Orange, New Jersey, was admired and feared as Chino XL for his wordplay. Rick Rubin signed him to American Recordings at 16, and in 1996 he released his acclaimed debut Here to Save You All, with the singles Riiiot! and Kreep. But he was also remembered as one of the rappers Tupac clashed with, the Los Angeles Times said as much in its obituary.
The trigger
The trigger was a line on Riiiot!, the debut album’s best-known single, in which Chino XL alluded to rumours that Tupac had been sexually abused in prison. Insinuations about Tupac’s prison time were common in New York in 1995-96, and Tupac was especially sensitive to them. On Hit ‘Em Up (June 1996) he named Chino XL among those he wished dead. A college radio show on which Chino XL supposedly made similar claims is also cited as a trigger; that could not be verified.
“Just lyrics”
According to a longer quote that circulates among fans, Chino XL later said there was no real beef. He called Tupac to tell him it was just lyrics to him, and he never released the song he had made about him. When Tupac died, he cried. He said he had talked at length with the Outlawz and considered himself a fan who owned every Tupac album. There was also a link through their road managers: Chino’s road manager was the brother of Tupac’s.
It is also said that after Tupac’s death Chino XL joked in a song called Jesus that “Makaveli” sounded like “Macarena.” Both claims come from sources that can no longer be checked; they appear here only as reported accounts, not as established fact.
Death
Chino XL died on July 28, 2024, aged 50. Obituaries hailed him as one of the most technically gifted rappers of his generation. The feud with Tupac was a footnote, and, it seems, one he regretted.