No matter how timid I may come across in these reviews, I
know that talking about ideas and concepts in relation to films is still less
risky than statements concerning other forms of media. Like, for instance, rap
music. I will always consider myself a hip-hop head first and foremost when it
comes to music, but the amount of outrage that gets generated in those circles
over the most minor shit really doesn’t make me all that willing to admit to
such things in public. I bring this up to help cushion the blow of what may be
one of the more inflammatory statements I could make within that context: I’m
not that massive on Tupac. I have respect for the guy’s place in the industry,
and I certainly like some of his music, but in oh-so-popular discussions over
who is the greatest MC of all time, I’m far more likely to suggest The
Notorious B.I.G. than Tupac.
However, with that in mind, Straight Outta Compton showed that biographical cinema and rap music intersecting could lead to great
results (possibly less great than I initially thought when first watching it,
but that’s a discussion for another time) so, even without absolutely loving
the subject, hopefully we’ll get something similar here. Key word being “hopefully”.
