You apparently can’t keep a good MC down, something that was glaringly evident after last night’s Coachella performance by Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. The rappers brought their old pal Tupac Shakur back to life via a pricey hologram projection, and, naturally, the Internet had plenty to say about the mind-blowing spectacle. 2Pac knocked out two classics — “Hail Mary” and “2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted” — before slipping away once more into the ether. Head below to catch a roundup of reactions to the performance, from noted publications to chart-topping singers.
:: MTV News remarked, “The Coachella festival is a place where minds routinely get blown, usually due to an awesome set or a killer reunion from one of your favorite bands. But on Sunday night it was thanks to the ghostly re-appearance of West Coast rap legend Tupac Shakur.”
:: The San Francisco Chronicle noted, “The ghostly apparition drew mixed reactions from those watching the set online, with one fan calling it ‘wrong on so many levels’ and others stunned by the Tupac trick, tweeting, ‘WTF!’”
:: Katy Perry tweeted, “I think I might have cried when I saw Tupac.”
:: Meanwhile, Katy’s bestie Rihanna got hashtag-happy and added, “#TupacBACK #unbelievable #IWASTHERE #STORY4myGrandKidz”
:: The Los Angeles Times‘ Pop & Hiss blog, however, was not impressed: “It’s tempting to say up front that Tupac Shakur stole the show on Sunday night when his likeness appeared alongside Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre to cap off the first weekend of Coachella, but that would just be for a cheap laugh. Making a ‘cameo’ as a hologram projected onto the stage and the jumbo screens above, the late Los Angeles rap icon was the least dynamic of the parade of rappers young and old who held the mike… The Tupac hologram? A red herring, unnecessary and ill advised.”
:: The Hollywood Reporter, however, begs to differ: “But the highlight, besides the dozen-plus mentions of marijuana (it’s California, after all), was the spirit of Shakur, who greeted the crowd with a ‘what up, Coachella!’ Bare-chested, buff and rocking what looked like a pair of acid-washed jeans circa 1995, the hologram set Twitter on fire, as hundreds of Coachella attendees along with many thousands more watching a live feed on YouTube, tweeted in awe and disbelief.”
:: Says Entertainment Weekly, “In its own way, it made sense. With more top 40 hits than the other Coachella performers combined, conjuring the dead may have been the only thing left that Dre and Snoop. et. al. have yet to accomplish. And judging from the success of Sunday night’s show, it’s inevitable that the Notorious B.I.G. hologram is already being commissioned as you read this.”
:: Finally, E! Online had this to say: “It wasn’t just Tupac, though, who was remembered, as images of Nate Dogg appeared on a screen in the background as Snoop performed ‘Ain’t No Fun.’ But not surprisingly, it was the appearance of Tupac that continues to have everyone buzzing. In fact, his hologram now even has its own Twitter account, @hologramtupac.”
What are your own thoughts on Tupac’s Coachella “resurrection”? Let us know below, or by hitting us up on Facebook and Twitter!
What really happened:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzEBJQYDRaQ&feature=plcp&context=C4b53761VDvjVQa1PpcFNLvg4eNNewXDDat1X07Ejow_R_Moybb4A%3D
So what exactly does this mean for the future of the entertainment industry. In an industry thats already known to manufacture stars and mold artists into profitable products, can we be on the verge of a technologic revolution equipt with a new breed of celebrity? One can only wonder if celebs will now be able to perform in multiple venues at once only increasing their marketability among other high-tech additions. Or how about a new breed of celebrity all together? A virtual Bread?
http://scallywagandvagabond.com/2012/04/tupac-resurrected-and-soon-available-in-your-own-home/
Yep. Thought that very thing when I first heard of this. The old might dollar is a work here again. Sad. You don’t even have to be alive to profit. Ahhhh I remember a time when folks played their instruments and singers sang. It wasn’t just about a performance but a living testimony of talent and skill. Not main stream today at all. Boooo Hisssss.
To me they have been using images of deceased artist singing with live artist for year, this is no different just going a bit further in having them perform together or solo.
Quit yo crying, this is great, it is better to be remembered than to fade away. Many people have missed the chance to see tupac live; this is the only chance to see how he was living.