Tupac Hologram Concert Tour This is a project that was unveiled by Snoop Dogg in collaboration with Dr. Dre in the wake of the annual Grammy Awards social event it was held in the year 2012 where they produced the Tupac hologram in what was viewed as a sensational performance.
Tupac Shakur was one of the most important rap artists who ever existed in the music industry. He was murdered in 1996 while he was only 25 years old, but he produced many hit albums in his short career. Even today he is a popular personality and his music continues to be liked and enjoyed by people of all ages. In 2012, a hologram of the rapper Tupac was brought to life on stage by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg at the Coachella music festival. The hologram of Tupac looked real and was able to perform and speak much to the fans’ amusement. They talked about the opportunities of having a Tupac hologram concert tour. But several years later, this potential tour has still not materialized. Well, what is the current state of the Tupac hologram tour? But what are the difficulties in achieving it?
One of the most unforgettable performances was the Tupac Hologram Performance in 2012. The short appearance of Tupac at the Coachella festival was an example of an optical illusion known as Pepper’s ghost. This is where people use a screen that is transparent to display an image and make it seem three-dimensional on stage. The Tupac effect was created by the Digital Domain Media Group and it took months to build a realistic hologram of the rapper using performances and photograph images. Tupac footage amounting to hundreds of hours was analyzed to generate a digital replica that is as accurate as possible even down to the body sway and the creativity of his eyes. The hologram was very carefully coordinated to coincide with Snoop and Dre’s live performance.
The impact felt very realistic and was rather convincing in the sense that Tupac seemed to be alive and performing on the stage with all his friends. The crowd reception was immensely enthusiastic, they could barely believe their eyes and were touched by feeling Tupac alive again. This exciting illusion made one ponder about the possibility of a full-scale Tupac hologram tour.
Early Schemes for a Tour
After Tupac’s guest appearance at Coachella, other hologram concerts were discussed. A tour that was talked of involved the use of a hologram of Tupac where he would perform some of his popular songs with accompaniment from live musicians and singers. As a legendary artist with such a long discography of hit songs, the show opportunities appeared to be virtually limitless. Each performance could be dedicated to various periods of Tupac’s creative work, as well as the albums he released during his short life.
Dr Dre later stated that he intended to go on tour with the Tupac hologram after this went down well at Coachella. However, these tour plans never really took off the ground. Dr Dre is reported to have declined to participate in a hologram tour by early 2013. Lacking his engagement, the idea remained stagnant and there were no bookings. A single performance was one thing, but the tour which was a series of performances, brought other issues.
Obstacles to the performance of a full tour
However, several major issues are bound to arise whenever one intends to organize a realistic Tupac hologram tour. The first one is that the technology of holograms in 2012 was not yet fully developed. As for the Coachella effect, it is good for a short guest appearance where a visually convincing Tupac is just needed for a few minutes, while to stage a full-length show with the holographic Tupac, some more problems arise. More development and refinement were still necessary to perform the solidity needed for a major tour.
They also come at a very big cost in terms of finances since one would need to design an elaborate hologram concert that would crisscross the country. For the production to depict clear visuals and guarantee performance, it would involve the use of costly machines and highly skilled operators. Someone who knew that a live 2Pac show was possible, or ‘real’, promoters had to be assured that a posthumous 2Pac tour could generate sufficient ticket and merchandise revenues to justify the enormous initial investments.
Legal concerns are also a hindrance to its success. While Tupac’s mother Afeni Shakur granted permission for the Coachella hologram, licensing rights for an entire tour is a different ball game. Particular agreements have to be negotiated with the record labels and music publishers owning the rights to 2Pac songs. Obtaining these licensing rights usually involves protracted negotiations between lawyers for both parties. Until actual business contracts are made, no promoter will be willing to commit the type of money necessary to stage a major tour.
Looking Ahead While there have been talks about a Tupac hologram concert tour since 2013, there has not been much progress in the idea. Nonetheless, technology is being developed each year. Lasers, three-dimensional displays, and video mapping are increasingly being incorporated into home theaters and other commercial applications. When these visual effects are made relatively cheap and easy to create, the idea of a feasible Tupac tour draws nearer.
There are no dates set for any tours, but it can also be expected that a promoter may bring back the idea in the future years. Main estate handlers stipulate that were they to be faced with licensing propositions, they would consider them if the propositions were accompanied by sound, legal recommendations. There is always demand for the nostalgic market. We’ll have to wait until the right company is signed to bring a full Tupac hologram concert to audiences across arenas. To viewers, the idea of having another chance to witness the resurrection of 2Pac continues to be an entailing idea. High-quality holograms could enable a new generation of fans to see him perform his songs live at least in a virtual manner.
