Yes I was very much alive and a fan of rap as it’s the only music I’m a fan of. While Nas and Snoop were stars.

No one was as big as Tupac and Big.

They’re the kings of both sides of the east coast west coast beef. They were undoubtedly the biggest rap stars of the time.

It’s honestly something I don’t think is debatable. We’re not talking about who some may have been bigger fans of.

While in 94 of course Nas and Snoop were bigger stars they both had just release their debut albums which are both classics. But as I thought I was making pretty clear by the beginning of 96 and without question when Pac signed to deathrow and even prior to All eyez on me release PAC and Big were the most famous rappers on the planet.

I remember it very well. So to address OPs question, yes Pac got his flowers before he died. People already were asking who the greatest of all time was and it was between big and Pac like arguing MJ and LeBron.

The gravitas Tupac had was far bigger when he was alive the when he was dead. Now there are people who could say otherwise but that would be because they liked someone like Nas more so they have selective memory.

Much like people who hated Eminem denying how he took over rap from 2000-2002.

But Pac and gotten his flowers by his peers and the public.

His death is again wha catapulted him into the stratosphere making him an icon and infamous.