Casting Call: Tupac
In which we suggest who would star in the next big adaptation, remake, or historical film.
Tupac Shakur, aka 2Pac, may be living it up in the thugz mansion in the sky, but here on planet Earth his legacy is still very much alive. What better way to honor that legacy than with a biopic? With production and financing finally in place from Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films and Morgan Creek Productions, the long awaited film about the hip-hop hero’s life may see the light of day sooner than we dreamed.
Born and raised in East Harlem, Tupac’s parents were vocal members of the Black Panthers. He got his start performing in the hip-hop crew Digital Underground, but it wasn’t until he released his first solo record, 2Pacalypse Now, that his rise to fame began. Influenced by ideals instilled in him by his parents, Tupac dared to rap about gang violence, racism, politics, and other hot-button issues. The rapper even enjoyed a lucrative acting career, starring in such classics as Poetic Justice opposite Janet Jackson. Tupac was an aggressive instigator and participant in the infamous East Coast vs. West Coast hip-hop feud of the ’90s, his chief rival being The Notorious B.I.G. This rivalry is believed to be why Tupac was the target of a drive-by shooting in Nevada in 1996. He died six days later at the age of 25, though many conspiracy theorists believe otherwise.
With Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur, set to produce and all of the music rights in place, this biopic might not be half-bad. Sure, the Biggie movie was sort of a disaster, but mostly because our favorite rap game icons (Diddy, Lil’ Kim) were horrendously casted. Here’s who we think ought to be casted in the Tupac biopic to ensure it does the legend justice.
Casting Call runs every Friday. For more, click here.
