Biggie and Tupac (2002)

Documentary on the deaths of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls and the East Coast/West Coast, hip-hop/rap rivalry that culminated in late 1996 and early 1997.

Director:

Nick Broomfield

Stars:

The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, Nick Broomfield

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
The Notorious B.I.G.	...	Self (archive footage)
Tupac Shakur	...	Self (archive footage)
Nick Broomfield	...	Self - Filmmaker
Russell Poole	...	Self - LAPD Detective
Donald Hicken	...	Self - Tupac's Teacher
Billy Garland	...	Self - Tupac's Biological Father
Chico Del Vec	...	Self - Rapper
Voletta Wallace	...	Self - Biggie's Mother
Mopreme Shakur	...	Self - Tupac's Stepbrother
Kevin Hackie	...	Self - Tupac's Bodyguard
Reggie Wright Sr.	...	Self - Chief Gangs Officer
Frank Alexander	...	Self - Tupac's Bodyguard
Sonia Flores	...	Self - Officer Perez's Girlfriend
Marshall Bigtower	...	Self - Sonia's Lawyer
Don Seabold	...	Self - Mark's Lawyer

Storyline

In 1997, rap superstars Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace (aka Biggie Smalls, The Notorious B.I.G.) were gunned down in separate incidents, the apparent victims of hip hop's infamous east-west rivalry. Nick Broomfield's film introduces Russell Poole, an ex-cop with damning evidence that suggests the LAPD deliberately fumbled the case to conceal connections between the police, LA gangs and Death Row Records, the label run by feared rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight.

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Plot Keywords:

character names as title | reference to the notorious b.i.g. | reference to tupac shakur | rap | hip hop | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography | Crime | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Did You Know?

Quotes

Russell Poole - LAPD Detective: I almost took my life, but it was my kids that actually saved me. Okay? And, uh... it hurt. I was betrayed by my own department, because of the core values that the Los Angeles police department preached from day one. Honesty. Integrity, okay? Tell the truth, swear to tell the truth; nothing but the truth - so help you God. Do a good job, do a thorough job, work for the community. I believed in the oath of office. I believed in protect and serving the people. I really did, but on the inside and...

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Connections

References The Godfather (1972)

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Soundtracks

Miss U
Composed by The Notorious B.I.G., DJ Kay Gee, Lionel Richie
Performed by The Notorious B.I.G.

User Reviews

Suge Knight is guilty of setting up both murders!

Having read numerous books on Tupac, from Kathy Scott's first book, to the Vibe Hardback interviews and Frank Alexander's accounts, I thought there wouldn't be much more this docu-film could tell me about the murders of Christopher Wallace (aka The Notorious B.I.G.) and Tupac Shakur. I was wrong. Nick Broomfield is endlessly persistent in his attempts to interview all the leading figures to do with the case. The main coups are the two former cops who he interviews. One, a former member of the FBI undoubtadely puts his own life at risk as he talks about Documents that could prove the guilt of certain members of the LAPD involved in the Biggie murder, as well as the inevitable storm it would cause and the demand from the public for a full internal investigation. Not to mention completely stripping the LAPD, Las Vegas Inforcement and FBI of their credibility. He mentions being offered $250,000 for the documents, but as Broomfield cleverly fires the questions in, each recepient keeps their cards close to their chest and each take care in their answers. None more so than the guy in the Prison (forgot his name!) who is incarcerated for impersonating a Lawyer, and was involved in transferring funds from Phoenix for Suge Knight and various members of LAPD who worked "off duty" for the Death Row Records CEO. He is interview in his cell, with his lawyer present and is constantly reminded that he only has constitutional immunity, but not state. Even still he admits to carrying the "blood money". Both murders were well planned hits, orchestrated by Suge Knight. The motive? Money. Suge owed Tupac $10 million in record sales. Suge was a gangster in real terms, not just his media persona (drug trafficking, crooked cops and FBI, you name it). He panicked when he found out Tupac wanted to Audit Death Row for the money, and that Tupac wanted out of Death Row and had other offers. Cops killed Tupac in Las Vegas on Sept 7th 1996 in a smooth professional style hit organised by Knight. To take the heat off, he then organised the Biggie hit 6 months later. It was simply a smokescreen, and capitalised on a feud orchestrated by Knight some 12 months prior at a Music Awards Ceremony. Tupac had been convinced (wrongly) in Jail that Biggie had set up the hit in 1994 on Tupac. In fact, Tupac, while in Jail after the first attempt on his life, had been set up by undercover FBI agents in Jail, who filled his head with nonsense about Bad Boy. Biggie, in contrast was mild mannered. As was Puffy. They are not gangsters. They never will be, they never have been. Biggie's rapping about hardship when growing up was his media image, in fact it was rather more middle class, as described by his mother Valetta Wallace, who was interviewed on numerous occasions during the film. I really could go on, but if you watch the film then you'll find out. There is some good rare footage of Pac in his prime. He still remains to me one of the all time talented people ever to walk the planet (actor, rapper, poet), and Biggie was just a good guy who made some excellent music. If you know Pac's lyrics, you'll know they are quite brilliant even when "riding on his enemies". His public image was of a ghetto thug, and his upbringing certainly should have moulded him that way. But in actual fact he was articulate, hugely talented and sensitive. Something you just don't see. So go see the film, and the very interesting visit to Yule Creek Pen to see Suge (how they managed it I'll never know!) Nick Broomfield is excellent, although you wonder how he gets so much info for a little white British guy doing his own film, particularly when lives could be at stake. One other good moment is when he visits Biggie's bodyguard (who is about 6ft 7) and he identifies the murderer. And yes I will stop now. GO SEE!

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 May 2002 (UK)

Also Known As:

LA Story

Filming Locations:

Baltimore School of the Arts, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,728, 22 September 2002

Gross USA:

$94,874

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$146,419

Company Credits

Production Co:

FilmFour, Lafayette Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby (2.0)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1