Paul T. BradleySee also:
*Here Are Pictures of Dr. Dre's New $13 Million House
*Bruce Hornsby on Tupac: “The original 'Changes' was a lot dirtier, had a lot of the n-word.”
Like most folks on their 41st birthday, Tupac celebrated with his old friends. Except that Tupac is now a wax statue. On Saturday night at Madame Tussaud's terrace above Hollywood Boulevard, the work was unveiled on the day he would have been 41, prompting the assembled rap luminaries and steadfast fans to hoot, holler and throw up their W's.
“I ain't seen this man in 16 years,” DJ Quik said, smiling oddly and taking it in. It was a very real moment, as he'd realized something we all had…
Tupac impersonator Kevonne Wright; Credit: Paul T Bradley
…that the wax rendering was fucking uncanny. “They even got the bullet scars,” Quik added.
Besides Quik, one of 'Pac's former producers, also on hand were his friends from Bone Thugs, Bizzy Bone and Lazy Bone, as well as rapper Spice 1 and everyone's entourages. The only other guests were KDAY contest winners and the press.
There were custom cocktails, like the “California Love,” a saccharine mix of booze and and fruit juice (but none of Pac's favorite orange soda?). It was eight bucks a pop. There was also a Tupac impersonator — Kevonne Wright (above) — an actor who is possibly in the running to play Tupac in the possibly upcoming Antoine Fuqua-helmed biopic.
“I'm trying to capture Tupac's versatility. That's what he was about, being versatile,” he said, before heading over to the after-party next door. While not as much of a dead ringer for the late rapper as the sculpture, Wright nonetheless had Tupac's look down, from the mini goatee and the do-rag to the sagging pants. He did keep his shirt on, however.
So, the next question on everyone's mind: Is the Tupac statue better than the hologram?
Wax-pac and DJ Quik onstage; Credit: Paul T Bradley
Well, it certainly is more realistic looking. Everything from his chains to his tats to his pecs seems quite lifelike. And yeah, there are those rendered bullet scars from his November 1994 shooting, a whiff of head stubble and, like, veins. All of it, minus an actual human pulse.
Still, accuracy or no, we'll take the hologram. Sorry. There's just something creepy about rendering a dead man in wax — and getting it too lifelike — especially the uncanny eyes and thousand yard stare. “Man, those eyes follow you. For real. It's like some Disney shit,” remarked a fan. “Oh, that's 'The Look',” said DJ Quik.
In any case, while Tupac himself chills in that thugz mansion in the sky, Tupac the sculpture will hang out forever with the diverse group immortalized at Madame Tussaud's — including Justin Bieber, Beyonce and Betty White. No doubt he and wax White will become fast friends.
The Rolling Stone Lounge after-party, meanwhile, saw freestyle performances by Spice, Bone Thugs and DJ Quik himself, in front of Snoop's wax statue, borrowed from Madame Toussaud's.
All told, we'd all be so lucky to have such a party at 41. Happy birthday, Tupac. We'll mourn ya till we join ya, just not by visiting your creepy wax statue — probably just by blasting “All Eyez on Me” into some headphones after we put our kids to bed.
Tupac's wax figure will be on public display at Madame Tussaud's Hollywood throughout the summer.
See also:
*Here Are Pictures of Dr. Dre's New $13 Million House
*Bruce Hornsby on Tupac: “The original 'Changes' was a lot dirtier, had a lot of the n-word.”
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