By: Youeal Abera
To simply call the late Tupac Shakur a ‘rapper’ would be horrendously incorrect and would fail to honour his legacy. Tupac was an artist, an intellectual, and a revolutionary. By the time of his death, at just 25 years old, Tupac had become one of the most prolific musical artists of all time.
One can imagine how difficult it must have been for Benny “Boom” Douglas to accurately depict the array of colours Tupac truly comprised in the new film, All Eyez On Me. There are so many factors that made Tupac who he was, and fans of him are anything but passive when it comes to any portrayal of their hero.
On June 15, the reviews of All Eyez On Me started rolling in after viewers experienced preview screenings of the flick. Some had issues with casting. Others expressed distaste over the accuracy and authenticity of the infamous events Tupac underwent in his celebrated career. Nevertheless, for the real fans of both Tupac and the culture of hip hop, Benny Boom’s directorial was a glorious treat long overdue.
Particularly for the hip-hop fans of today, Tupac has always been a sacred name. Granted, many of us kids were too young to remember the era and impact of Shakur’s fourth album All Eyez On Me, or that devastating night in Las Vegas when he was shot right after a Mike Tyson fight. We know of Tupac, and we respect him for paving the way for our current hip-hop superstars. Yet, to a large number of people, his greatness can only be appreciated through records, video, and photographs. For many young individuals, the legend of Tupac appears as an urban myth because we weren’t there to see the real story.
Therefore, Benny Boom’s take on the life and career of Tupac serves as a great opportunity for the new generation of hip-hop fans to come to know and appreciate Tupac. From his mother’s involvement with the Black Panther Party, his friendship with Jada Pinkett Smith, rivalry with The Notorious B.I.G, and the many controversies he sparked within his career, All Eyez On Me is an all-encompassing look into the impact Tupac really made in the rap game.
Many rumours and legends continue to exist of Tupac’s whereabouts, claiming that he hasn’t died and may still be alive and well. Judging from the audience rapping and singing along to the film’s iconic soundtrack, this may very well be true.
