Let them rest: The overwhelming content on Tupac and Biggie
In a culture where content is produced and consumed in a matter of minutes, society has done an incredible job at keeping the legacies of Tupac Amaru Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. alive. On the contrary, I think the matter in which the lives of these two legends are discussed can be overkill, in terms of how many productions are made to capitalize on the names of two of the most impactful Hip-Hop artists of all time. Coming from someone who can create an entire curriculum on Tupac’s life, let me just say, enough is enough, stop making rundown documentaries that do nothing to give justice to their lives.
I am from a town 45 minutes outside of Toronto, Canada and in 2017, my sister and I decided to drive to New York City to watch the premiere of “All Eyez on Me,” a movie based on the life of Tupac. Between my sister and I, accommodations, transportation and miscellaneous added up to cost us over $1000! With a project that took 4 years to make, there was buzz everywhere about the movie and the so-called Tupac look alike chosen to play him, Demetrius Shipp Jr. Now picture this, a room full of die-hard Tupac fans, some with bandanas on, others with Tupac graphic tees, rapping along to every word of “Hail Mary.” That was magical to be a part of, and I will always cherish that moment.
The task of recounting Tupac’s complex ideologies and controversial life can put a lot of pressure on one production team, yet people continuously claim that they’ll get it right. In a way, the film was a mockery to Tupac’s legacy because his work had heart, which is something the movie lacked. Tupac dedicated his life to his passions; making music, acting and being a role model for his community. He truly meant, “If you can’t find something to live for, you best find something to die for” and he made sure he put all of himself in his craft. Films like ‘All Eyes on Me’ are money-grabbing tactics to misuse a person’s real-life and bank on it. However, for my sister and I, we were honored to be in a room full of so many Tupac admirers that we didn’t fully take time to soak in what we had just watched.
Truthfully, the movie serves as a great example of how the hard work of Hip-Hop artists can be taken by big corporations in an effort to make a buck, or two out of it for themselves. Large corporations are trying to get some fast cash off the recycled content, knowing we will pay to watch it simply because of our love and loyalty to Pac and Big. All this comes with the harsh reality that little of this money sees the light of Pac and Biggie’s estate. For years, producers and directors use Tupac and Biggie as a framework to attract their fans. They’re not concerned about doing justice to the works left behind, they’re concerned about how they can utilize a controversial storyline for profit. They tweak a few things, find some old interviews, a narrator, give it a new name and present it all as new.
Don’t get me wrong, some of these films like “Notorious” in 2009, accounted for Biggie’s life in a way that did justice to him but still managed to get a 6.7/10 on IMDb. Canadian Netflix alone has three documentaries on Biggie and Tupac, one literally titled ‘Biggie and Tupac’ released in 2002. IMDb has its own list of “The best Tupac documentaries”, clearly because there are so many poorly executed films/ documentaries about these two men to last a lifetime.
In 2017, A&E released two docuseries titled “Biggie: The Life of Notorious B.I.G.” and “Who Killed Tupac?”, which sounds great simply because, the bigger the production, the bigger the audience, right? However, the bigger the production, the bigger the profit too. Tupac and Biggie productions have essentially become their own genre, as so many people are creating films with similar titles, displaying the same content to relay the same conclusion.
Now, this article isn’t about “All Eyes on Me,” however, the film is a perfect example of how Tupac and Biggie’s lives are often either romanticized or a subject of “mystery.” How many documentaries do we need about the unsolved murders of these two rap icons, when none of them get closer to actually solving the murders? With there being over seven docuseries created in the last decade, I think the issue is broader than keeping their legacies alive. It’s frustrating to hear cops recall the murder scenes when they have no new leads to find the murderers. So, what’s the point?
As a spectator, I think the solution is simply holding people accountable for the content they choose to create, especially if they're using someone else's name to generate buzz. I think critics do a great job with holding creators accountable but it’s only going to be effective if the industry itself realizes this is an issue. It’s no secret that I love Tupac, but I admire and respect both his and Biggie’s work and I think it’s crucial that as fans, admirers and content creators, we set higher standards.
Both Pac and Biggie aren't in need of assistance to stay relevant; they were the greatest and will continue to challenge and inspire those to come. Stop banking on their legacies, stop being selfish. If you’re going to create content about them, make sure it’s something that will not only do justice to their lives but also something they would stand for. Their lives are beyond just stories, they’re lessons and examples for the world to witness. Let them rest in peace if you can’t create content that will serve justice to them, their families and the people that have loved them for over 20 years.
