News of February 12, 2016
Director Benny Boom on “All Eyez on Me”: Seven Details About the Tupac Film
In a Billboard interview, Benny Boom discusses “All Eyez on Me”: the film covers Tupac's entire life and does not leave out the 1995 conviction.
When Benny Boom came on board in late November 2015, he was already the third director on All Eyez on Me, following Carl Franklin and John Singleton. Filming began in December, targeting a September release. In an interview for Billboard (issue of February 20, 2016), Boom discussed the project and outlined key focal points.
No Sugarcoating: A Revolutionary Rather Than East vs. West
The film tells Tupac’s life “from before he was born”: his parents were Black Panthers, and the audience sees the struggles of his youth. The story will not be sugarcoated; the 1995 sexual abuse conviction, which changed Tupac’s life, is also included.
The focus is on a revolutionary, not merely a musician, and not on taking sides in the dispute between the East and West coasts. Boom rejected John Singleton’s accusation that those involved did not respect Tupac’s legacy.
Demetrius Shipp Jr. and the Connection to “Toss It Up”
Lead actor Demetrius Shipp Jr. has known about Tupac since childhood: his father was involved as a producer on “Toss It Up”. Additional rappers were intended to contribute primarily to the soundtrack.