Kevin Powell Sues the Makers of 'All Eyez on Me'

Hardly had All Eyez on Me hit theaters before the film landed in court. On June 23, 2017, one week after its theatrical release, journalist and activist Kevin Powell filed a lawsuit in federal court in New York against Lionsgate, Morgan Creek, and other parties involved. He accuses the film of drawing on his 1990s Vibe cover stories, including his conversations with Tupac at the Clinton Correctional Facility in 1995, without credit or compensation (see also Interviews).

Powell Invented “Nigel,” the Film Adopted Him

A concession in the complaint is explosive: parts of the articles were “altered or embellished” by the author. As an example, the lawsuit cites the character “Nigel,” whom Powell himself had invented to condense a real person. In the film, he now appears in the same role. Billboard subsequently asked whether a journalist can rely on copyright when the film depicts the same historical events.

The sources reviewed do not state an outcome of the proceedings. For the film, see All Eyez on Me (feature film, 2017).