Rosie Perez: Rosie Perez has finally shared the behind-the-scenes story of how she played matchmaker for two of the biggest icons of the ’90s: Tupac Shakur and Madonna. During a candid chat on The Drew Barrymore Show, the Do the Right Thing actress opened up about how a last-minute change of plans at the 1993 Soul Train Music Awards led to a historic celebrity hookup.
Perez, 60, recounted how Tupac stepped in as her date after her original companion bailed on her. “My date called me 30 minutes before I was supposed to leave and said, ‘I can’t go with you because my girlfriend will see me,’” Perez told Barrymore. Disheartened and frustrated, she didn’t have to stay down for long. A call from Tupac, who was a close friend, lifted her spirits. “He said, ‘You know what? I’m going to go with you. We’re going to walk up in there like we’re on a date, and he’s going to die,’” Perez humorously recalled.
At the event, things took an unexpected turn. Madonna approached Perez and asked if she and Tupac were a couple. When Perez clarified they were just friends, Madonna immediately saw an opportunity. “She asked me, ‘Hook me up,’ and I said, ‘You got it,’” Perez said. The connection sparked a whirlwind romance between the Queen of Pop and the legendary rapper, which remained mostly private but captivated the world years later.
Madonna and Tupac’s relationship lasted from 1993 to early 1995. Although the two kept their romance under wraps, it was confirmed by Madonna herself in a 2015 interview with Howard Stern. Their connection even had a musical element. Madonna revealed in 2018 that she and Tupac had recorded an unreleased song for her Bedtime Stories album. A demo with Tupac’s verse from “I’d Rather Be Your Lover” surfaced years later, but his part was eventually replaced due to controversy surrounding a sexual assault case he faced.
Despite their split, Tupac and Madonna’s bond left a lasting mark. A heartfelt letter from Tupac to Madonna, written while he was in prison in 1995, surfaced in 2019, reflecting on their breakup and the challenges they faced. Unfortunately, Tupac was released from prison later that year, only to be fatally shot in September 1996 at the age of 25.
This revelation by Rosie Perez adds a new layer to one of pop culture’s most intriguing romances, highlighting how a spontaneous decision at the Soul Train Awards set the stage for a love story that continues to fascinate fans decades later.
