The Tupac biopic All Eyez On Me is in danger of being yanked from theaters after highly respected journalist Kevin Powell filed a copyright infringement lawsuit claiming the movie took information from his articles.
In the 1990’s journalist Kevin Powell was known mostly for two things, being a cast member on the first ever season of MTV’s The Real World and interviewing Tupac Shakur for VIBE Magazine. His articles on Tupac are considered Hip-Hop history scrolls. Much of the drama in Tupac’s life can be linked directly to Powell’s interviews with him. Powell wrote the “Is Tupac Crazy?” article, the infamous jailhouse interview piece where he accused Sean “Diddy” Combs and The Notorious B.I.G. in playing a role in him being shot and robbed at Quad Studios, as well as the iconic “Live From Death Row” story that also featured Suge Knight, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. VIBE even celebrated the release of the All Eyez On Me movie by recreating the covers for two Powell’s interviews.
But it also looks like the film’s creators celebrated All Eyez On Me by using information from Powell’s articles without his permission, and he isn’t cool with that. Earlier this week, Powell filed a federal copyright infringement lawsuit against the movie’s writers and producers. He also made a statement via his Facebook page.
His statement reads:
“After a great deal of thought and consultation with many, including my attorneys, I have filed a federal lawsuit against the producers and writers of ALL EYEZ ON ME, the new Tupac Shakur biopic, for copyright infringement. After viewing the movie twice in the past few days, it is clear that my exclusive Vibe cover stories on Tupac Shakur (when he was alive), were lifted, without proper credit or compensation of any kind to me, and used in ALL EYEZ ON ME. As the owner of the copyright to these articles, ALL EYEZ ON ME infringed on my rights by using content and narrative that was exclusive to my writings. I am seeking justice and a resolution in this matter that is fully fair to me and all the work I’ve done throughout the years, as an author and protector of the Tupac Shakur narrative.”
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