Peter Gunz has left the door open for another collaboration with Lord Tariq, though he has made the order of operations unmistakably clear: the music can wait until personal matters are addressed.
Speaking on episode 522 of Drink Champs, released November 6, Gunz said there were “family issues” and other personal events that needed to be straightened out before the longtime Bronx partners could properly move ahead together. It is a measured answer rather than a reunion announcement. There is no stated release, recording date, new song, album, or confirmed joint appearance attached to his comments.
“We got to straighten out a few family issues, a few things, personal things that happened,” Gunz said.
That distinction matters. In music coverage, an artist saying they are open to working with someone is often quickly translated into “comeback imminent.” Gunz instead described a condition that has to be met first. The takeaway is possibility, not a promise.
A partnership with one enormous calling card
Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz formed their duo in 1996, after previously working under the Gunrunners name. Both arrived with work outside the pair as well: Lord Tariq had ties to Money Boss Players, while Gunz worked on Shaquille O’Neal’s T.W.is.M. label.
They later signed with Columbia and scored their defining crossover moment with 1997’s “Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)”. Built around a Steely Dan sample, the record reached the pop Top 10. A sample is a portion of an existing recording that is incorporated into a new track; in this case, it became central to the song’s instantly recognizable musical identity. The record remains the duo’s signature hit.
Their sole album, Make It Reign, followed on June 2, 1998. Its guest list underlines the album’s place within a particular New York rap moment: “Cross Bronx Expressway” featured Fat Joe and Big Pun; “Streets To Da Stage” included Cam’ron; and “Be My Lady” featured Jermaine Paul and Jermaine Dupri.
Those details give a prospective reunion more weight than simple nostalgia. The duo is associated with a major hit, but its album also documented links to several prominent artists. Still, historical importance alone does not settle the interpersonal part of a working relationship. Gunz’s remarks suggest that the business of making a record cannot simply be separated from the history between the people expected to make it.
Brotherhood, privacy and the boundary before the booth
Gunz described Lord Tariq as a brother and named him among his favorite rappers, alongside his son Cory Gunz. That language conveys real affection, but it does not erase the dispute he referenced. In fact, it helps explain why he framed the barrier as personal and familial rather than merely logistical.
He also said Lord Tariq values his privacy and did not like Love & Hip Hop. That preference is important context because reality television became a very visible part of Gunz’s public identity, including through his relationship with Amina Buddafly. A duo reunion, then, would involve artists whose public profiles have moved in notably different directions: one associated with a major reality-TV franchise and another described as reluctant about that exposure.
Analysis: Gunz’s answer is not necessarily evidence that privacy itself caused the issues between the two artists; he did not say that. But it does establish a practical complication for any renewed partnership. Reconnecting creatively is one task. Agreeing on what, if anything, should be shared publicly is another. For veteran acts, the audience often wants an easy narrative of reconciliation, while the people involved may need a private one first.
Why the wording stops short of a reunion story
There are several things Gunz did say: he remains open to making music with Lord Tariq; he sees Tariq as family; and unresolved personal matters are standing in the way. There are also several things he did not say: that the conflict has been resolved, that the pair has entered a studio, or that a Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz project is being planned.
That makes this a story about a potential path forward rather than an announced return. The sensible reading is that any future collaboration is contingent on an off-mic repair process. Fans looking for new music have a reason to remain interested, but not a timetable to circle.
It is also a reminder that a music partnership is more than a catalog of songs. A catalog can preserve a moment indefinitely; a renewed creative relationship requires current trust. In Gunz’s telling, the latter is the priority.
Gunz also revisits his Cardi B reconciliation
The same conversation included Gunz reflecting on a separate, public conflict with Cardi B. The two clashed at a 2016 reunion over his treatment of women, and both later publicly acknowledged apologizing to each other that March.
Gunz said he had been wrong to doubt Cardi B’s musical prospects and explained that the experience changed the way he considered younger rappers. His present-day stance was direct:
“I root for Cardi B. I love Cardi B,” Gunz said.
The comments do not change the unresolved status of a possible Lord Tariq reunion, but they provide relevant context for how Gunz talks about damaged relationships. In one case, he described an apology and a reassessment that led to support. In the other, he says the personal work still needs to happen before a musical reunion can move forward. They are different relationships and should not be treated as interchangeable, yet both points emphasize that Gunz is willing to discuss conflict without presenting it as permanent.
Cardi B’s connection to Love & Hip Hop is also part of the franchise’s larger cultural footprint. The show helped introduce her to a wider audience before her rap career surged. In May, VH1 announced Love & Hip Hop: The Final Chapter, a six-part retrospective intended for fall 2026 that will look back at 15 years of cast members across the franchise’s various cities. For a separate look at current screen culture, see our review of Ramayana: Rise Of A Legend.
What listeners can reasonably expect now
For now, the most accurate status is simple: Peter Gunz has not shut down the idea of working with Lord Tariq, but he has said personal and family matters come first. Their history—from the Gunrunners period through “Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)” and Make It Reign—ensures that even a tentative opening will draw attention.
But a wish for another record is not the same as a finished reconciliation, and reconciliation is not the same as a release plan. Gunz’s comments set a boundary that is easy to understand: before the next verse, the conversation away from the microphone has to be settled.
