This week, the 1995 letter Tupac wrote to Madonna about their relationship has made the rounds online. As TMZ reports, the letter is slated to go up for auction at Gotta Have Rock and Roll between July 19 and 28. So as Tupac’s words to Madonna spread across the internet, many have chimed in about the reason he broke up with the pop star. As the partially blurred letter reads,”For you to be seen with a black man wouldn’t in any way jeopardize your career. If anything if would make you seem that much more open and exciting.”
And while these conversations take shape, an article on The Root reminded us that Rosie Perez played a role in how the former couple came to be. In a 2015 interview with Howard Stern, Madonna confirmed she dated Tupac and revealed that Perez introduced them to each other. Naturally, we had a ton of questions, like where did Madonna and Tupac initially meet? Did Rosie play matchmaker?
After a quick Google search, we learned Rosie already answered these questions for us a few years ago. She told the story on The Wendy Williams Show in 2014. But also, a day after Madonna’s Howard Stern Show interview aired, Perez explained how it went down on The View.
In 1993, Perez’s date stood her up for the Soul Train Music Awards. Tupac, who called her and heard her crying, told her he’d come pick her up, so the two ended up attending the show together. The entire time, Perez said other women stared her down. “There were two girls, who shall remain nameless, who wanted to beat me up,” Perez said. “And I was telling Tupac, ‘Will you tell them I ain’t sleeping with you? We’re just friends.’ And he goes, ‘You can take ’em.’”
Eventually, Madonna approached Rosie and asked the Nuyorican actress to introduce her to Tupac. When Perez told the rapper that Madonna wanted to meet, he said, “hook that up.” So she did. “I hooked it up, and I was very happy about it,” she added.
Check out Rosie tell the story in her own words below: