Year 201630 items
News 2016
30 news items from 2016, in chronological order, each with a source.
January 2016
- Danai Gurira Plays Afeni Shakur in Tupac BiopicFresh from 'The Walking Dead' to Atlanta: Danai Gurira takes on the role of Tupac's mother Afeni Shakur in the biopic 'All Eyez on Me'.
- Cast of “All Eyez on Me” Grows: From Jada Pinkett to Suge KnightIn early 2016, the cast for “All Eyez on Me” filled out: new roles for Jada Pinkett, Mutulu Shakur, Faith Evans, Suge Knight, and Angie Martinez.
- Documentary Murder Rap: Kading's Allegations Against Sean CombsKading claims Sean Combs placed a bounty on Tupac. Combs denies any involvement and was not charged in the murder case.
February 2016
- Director Benny Boom on “All Eyez on Me”: Seven Details About the Tupac FilmIn 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.
- "Too Tight": Tupac's Song for MC Hammer SurfacesIn February 2016, "Too Tight" surfaced in CD quality: an unreleased song that Tupac had written and produced for MC Hammer in 1996.
March 2016
April 2016
- Filming of "All Eyez on Me" Wraps in Las VegasReporters mistook blanks on the Strip for real gunfire: how filming for the biopic 'All Eyez on Me' wrapped in Las Vegas in April 2016.
- 1992 MTV Clip: Tupac on Donald TrumpOn the day of the 2016 New York primary, MTV aired a 1992 interview: Tupac on Donald Trump as a symbol of greed and the divide between rich and poor.
- Mutulu Shakur: Parole Denied After 30 YearsAfter 30 years behind bars, Tupac's stepfather Mutulu Shakur hoped for release in 2016. But authorities denied the request without giving a reason.
May 2016
- Afeni Shakur Dies at 69On the evening of May 2, 2016, Afeni Shakur died in Sausalito. The former Black Panther and mother of Tupac was 69. The estate honored her strength.
- Tupac's estate after Afeni's death: trust and trustee Tom WhalleyAfeni Shakur had made provisions: how Tom Whalley continues to manage Tupac's estate and the "California Love Trust" secures the work.
- "Dear Mama": Early Version with Yo-Yo SurfacesAfter Afeni's death, an early version of "Dear Mama" surfaced: featuring Yo-Yo on the chorus, which had to be removed due to a denied clearance.
June 2016
- “Obey Your Verse”: Sprite Prints Tupac Lines on CansIn June 2016, Sprite brought back its “Obey Your Verse” campaign. On limited cans and bottles: image and verses of Tupac, Missy Elliott, and J. Cole.
- Oakland Declares June 16 Annual "Tupac Shakur Day"Not born in Oakland, but at home there: For Tupac's 45th birthday, the California city declared June 16 an annual "Tupac Shakur Day".
- First Trailer for “All Eyez on Me” on Tupac's 45th BirthdayAn FBI raid, Danai Gurira as Afeni, and a release date that did not hold: The first teaser for “All Eyez on Me” arrived on Tupac's 45th birthday.
July 2016
- Gucci Mane Samples Tupac on “On Me”Fresh out of prison, Gucci Mane compares himself to Tupac: on “On Me” he samples “F*** 'Em All” from the posthumous album Better Dayz.
- What Happened to the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts?Four million dollars invested, sold for $1.2 million: How Afeni Shakur's arts center in Stone Mountain quietly came to an end.
- Music rights dispute threatens release of "All Eyez on Me"Rights dispute over "Ambitionz Az a Ridah": TMZ reported a delay of the biopic, but producer Daz Dillinger pushed back on Instagram.
September 2016
- Justin Bieber Covers 'Thugz Mansion' on BBC Radio 1In early September 2016, Justin Bieber sang a stripped-down version of Tupac's 'Thugz Mansion' on BBC Radio 1, weeks before the 20th anniversary of his death.
- Johnny Depp to Play Investigator Russell Poole in LabyrinthJohnny Depp is set to play police officer Russell Poole, who investigated the murders of Tupac and Notorious B.I.G., in Brad Furman's thriller.
- Tupac's "Powamekka Café": Pop-up in Fresno for the 20th Anniversary of His DeathA restaurant with its own recipes: How Take 3 in Fresno picked up Tupac's unrealized "Powamekka Café" concept for the 20th anniversary of his death.
- 20th Anniversary of His Death: How Collaborators and Magazines Looked BackOn the 20th anniversary in 2016, Billboard, Rolling Stone and Vibe took stock: with collaborators, Kevin Powell and the background to the project One Nation.
- Second Trailer for "All Eyez on Me" on the 20th Anniversary of His DeathOn the 20th anniversary of his death, a new trailer shows the dispute with Dan Quayle and the 1994 ambush. The release follows on Tupac's 46th birthday.
October 2016
- On the First Ballot: Tupac Nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of FameAn artist can enter the Hall of Fame 25 years after their first record. In 2016, Tupac was on the ballot for the first time-and faced pushback from Chuck D.
- Prison letter "Is Thug Life Dead?" fetches more than $172,000In October 2016, Goldin Auctions sold Tupac's 1995 prison letter for more than $172,000, well below the $225,000 asking price.
November 2016
- Outlawz release "So Much Pain" with Hussein Fatal for the Makaveli anniversaryOne of Hussein Fatal's last recordings: For the 20th anniversary of The Don Killuminati, Young Noble and E.D.I. Mean release "So Much Pain".
- USA Network orders pilot Unsolved about the murders of Tupac and BiggieUSA Network orders a pilot for Unsolved: The series about Tupac and Biggie is based on Greg Kading's investigations. Anthony Hemingway directs.
- "All Eyez on Me": Theatrical release on June 16, 2017Lead actor Shipp revealed it in the video, a film spokesperson confirmed the date: The biopic "All Eyez on Me" opens on Tupac's 46th birthday.
December 2016
- Big Syke, Tupac's Companion, Dies at 48On December 5, 2016, Big Syke died at 48 in Hawthorne. The rapper accompanied Tupac since 1992 and was heard on songs like "All Eyez on Me".
- Tupac enters the Rock and Roll Hall of FameFive groups came before him, but no solo artist: in 2017, Tupac Shakur enters the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Pearl Jam and Joan Baez.