The reviews are bad so far but I noticed they were mostly Australian reviewers. I'll hold out for some USA reviews. Since rap is not everybody's forte I can see why another country dislikes it or finds it offensive. The only problem I have had from watching the previews is the acting looks a little hammy and they used an unknown director. The reason straight outta compton worked is because they were able to put together a great cast and they used a well known director that was good friends with Ice Cube and Dr. Dre. F Gary Grey I believe has directed music videos for both of them. If the acting is bad and the story is choppy I might wait for a blu ray rental for all eyes on me. The current reviews don't really tell me anything at the moment.

Ya, I don't generally love this movies but I did really like Straight Outta Compton. Something about it stuck with me well after unwatched it. I really enjoyed that film.

@alltimemarr said:

Like an advanced screening? I'm wondering if I should go to the Unlimited Night, just because I can. The trailer really doesn't tell me much about the film. I'm kind of hesitating, because rap music is really not my thing, and I don't know...

The great thing is Kat Graham is in it though! <3

Basically the movie is a biopic based upon the late rapper/songwriter Tupac Shakur's (a.k.a 2Pac) life right up until his death. He was an extremely popular rapper in the 90s for his lyricism and thug life. He popularized the thug culture. So the movie really isn't about rap music in general. What you see in the trailers are scenes from the movie.

@Satch_the_man said:

However, the thug identity was a bit of a put-on, as Tupac was very politically minded, with connections in his own family to the black struggle. This is something I think some folks miss. Tupac used the "Thug Life" thing as a hook to draw people into his music, which was at times more complex than just thuggin'.

No he was a straight thug. There was no acting on his part. If you've ever listened to him talk you would know. The movie certainly wants to portray Tupac as political. He wasn't. He was just a thug who was extremely musically talented. He used his music to communicate what he saw happening in the black community and to himself like all song writers do. But Pac didn't try to change anything or make a positive difference in the community. I always considered Tupac as complainer. Lol His thug mentality did start a genre though with many rappers pretending to be harder than they were just to profit off that image.

Yeah, you're probably right.

@Satch_the_man said:

Yeah, you're probably right.

Well it's basically the gist of it. There are people who have actually studied Tupac's life and music and how he influenced the industry in greater detail. I just remember because I was very much into rap at the time Pac was making music. I experienced history as it unfolded. Lol There was even a heavy debate among the black community about the difference between rap music and hip hop music around that time too.

A lot of the more poetry and political songs were released after his death. It seems when he was at Death Throw he was clearly influenced by Suge Knight and the younger rappers such as the Outlaws to actually be a gang banger.

That would be exciting. Usually biopic turn out well. Tup was popular and had many fans. I say it will do well.

@nolesjs17 said:

A lot of the more poetry and political songs were released after his death. It seems when he was at Death Throw he was clearly influenced by Suge Knight and the younger rappers such as the Outlaws to actually be a gang banger.

Whatever Pac was already a thug before he ever met Suge Knight. Pac writing poetry didn't make him any less of a thug. But I'm not going to spend a lot of time debating with you on this. The man had been dead for so long. It really doesn't matter anymore.

What's interesting is that it's first night's take was higher than Cars 3. Hollywood has figured out that there is an enormous black audience that will show up to theaters, while white moviegoers are opting for other forms of entertainment. Just look at the Madea films and other films featuring black casts. Even if the critical reviews so far are really poor, some subjects like Tupac Shakur are critic-proof.

@Strannger18 said:

That would be exciting. Usually biopic turn out well. Tup was popular and had many fans. I say it will do well.

I hope it does. I've always loved 2Pac's music. I think he was an amazing rapper.

Update: I saw the movie. I really don't get why they always need to be so violent though, and be so vengeful, an eye for an eye and such. (Everyone though, also the cops toward the "black people".)

I had hoped to see more of Kat Graham :-(

I enjoyed it.

[@alltimemarr I just saw it, it wasn't very good, lot's of over acting particularly by "afeni" and "jada". Tupac's character was well acted but overall it felt like a made for TV movie, very contrived, and not much art in it as far as a movie, perhaps if a better director got a hold of the story. The ending was very forced, and poor soundtrack.

no, satch_the_man is closer with his comments, maybe a meeting half-way of both your views may be closer to reality

@rarebreed said:

@Satch_the_man said:

However, the thug identity was a bit of a put-on, as Tupac was very politically minded, with connections in his own family to the black struggle. This is something I think some folks miss. Tupac used the "Thug Life" thing as a hook to draw people into his music, which was at times more complex than just thuggin'.

No he was a straight thug. There was no acting on his part. If you've ever listened to him talk you would know. The movie certainly wants to portray Tupac as political. He wasn't. He was just a thug who was extremely musically talented. He used his music to communicate what he saw happening in the black community and to himself like all song writers do. But Pac didn't try to change anything or make a positive difference in the community. I always considered Tupac as complainer. Lol His thug mentality did start a genre though with many rappers pretending to be harder than they were just to profit off that image.