By Raphael Dunn |Staff Writer|
Oscar-nominated director John Singleton has chosen to drop out of the new upcoming Tupac Shakur biopic.
After previously leaving the project and then returning after a two-year hiatus, he has finalized his decision to abandon the project claiming there is a lack of respect between the legacy of Shakur and with the Morgan Creek Production company according to a personal Instagram he posted one week ago.
“The reason I am not making this picture is because the people involved aren’t really respectful of the legacy of Tupac Amaru Shakur,” stated Singleton.
Singleton, who has gained notoriety for films such as Boyz in the Hood, Baby Boy, and Higher Learning, is considered to be a strong advocate for the African-American community.
Singleton presents the harsh realities of inner city violence and opinions on African-American struggles in his films much like Shakur in his music.
To this date, Shakur has sold over 70 million albums worldwide, making him one of the most successful artists of all time.
Singleton has not completely abandoned a Tupac Shakur biopic, rather he wants to make his own version independently.
“They have no true love 4 Pac so this movie will not be made with love! And that’s why my ass isn’t involved!” said Singleton.
Shakur and Singleton developed a close relationship during the 90s while working together on films such as “Poetic Justice”, directed by Singleton.
“Tupac was much more than a hip hop artist … He was a black man guided by his passions,” Singleton added.
Shakur was a rapper, songwriter, and actor from the Harlem borough of New York City.
While in Las Vegas in 1996 Shakur was involved in a drive-by shooting and died of internal bleeding at the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada six days later.
There have been many speculations involving who killed him which I believe further adds to his legacy.
“Tupac is a part of the culture here in Southern California. People everywhere still bump his music on a daily basis,” said student Mathew Deer.
Many of Shakur’s albums have received critical acclaim and are revered as classics in the music industry.
“Tupac is a hip hop legend!” said student Dawnika Lopez, “if NWA and Biggie Smalls can have a biopic then Tupac should too.”
The new biopic by Morgan Creek Productions was set to start development this coming June, but it seems to have been pushed back once more.
The Huffington Post released a statement saying director Carl Franklin, whose works include Devil in a Blue Dress, has been hired to replace Singleton.
The #1 Independent Movie & TV News Website stated that Franklin will receive input from Shakur’s mother, Afeni Shakur, who is the film’s executive producer, adding that the studio is looking into Michael B. Jordan, “Fruitvale Station”, for the lead.
The film will focus on the rapper’s rise to fame, career, and the influence he had on society and I too can say I am excited to see how the development will unfold in the coming months.
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