Song Licensing Issue Delays Upcoming Tupac Biopic
The film’s release date has now been pushed back by three months.
After the success of last year's NWA biopic, Straight Outta Compton, Hollywood is doubling down on hip-hop films, following up with this year's long-awaited Tupac Shakur biopic, All Eyez On Me.
But now it looks like the film's production team has hit a snag. According to TMZ, filmmakers are having trouble clearing the rights for "Ambitionz Az A Ridah,"a key track from Pac's fourth studio album, All Eyez On Me. The reason for the hold up? Rapper Daz Dillinger, one half of Tha Dogg Pound and a producer on the song, has claimed rights to the track while executives at publishing company BMG say they're the sole owners of the song. Dillinger also claims that BMG currently owes him $75,000.
With all three parties unable to come to an agreement, the film's release has now been pushed back from September to November, so the issue can be resolved.
All Eyez On Me will star newcomer Demetrius Shipp, Jr. in the role of Tupac with music video maven Benny Boom directing. Watch the trailer, which dropped on what would have been Shakur's 45th birthday, above.