November 2009: A slightly different version of Tupac Shakur, which was featured on the cover of RESPECT.’s Premiere Issue. He later explained the creation of the now-iconic photo (source):

“We did the shoot in my studio on Reade Street in 1993. At the time, I kept a book of Polaroids that were all signed by the people I had shot. Tupac had signed his: ‘If a photograph is worth a thousand words, then a photographer is worth a million.'”

Indeed. Happy birthday, ‘Pac.

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According to HipHopDX via Consumerist,  Clinch snapped photos of the rapper which ultimately landed on a 1996 cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

In addition to the retailers being sued for these unauthorized images on these jerseys, Clinch is also coming after Amaru Merchandising, Tupac’s official merchandise licensing company. Other parties involved in the lawsuit include Planet Productions licensing company and manufacturing company Bioworld. Check out the full lawsuit claim here.

Despite the photos in question being from 1996, it wasn’t until 2oo2 that Clinch finally copyrighted his photos.

Photo of Tupac Shakur posing on a 1996 cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Photo by Danny Clinch.

Clinch is asking to compensated  for his photos and for the remaining inventory featuring his images be destroyed.

Forever 21 has been in trouble before over several music-related products, including a T-shirt featuring Ice Cube. Within the past year, they have faced controversy for seemingly ripping off Rihanna’s Fenty Puma line and Kanye West’s Pablo merchandise.

Although this is Urban Outfitters first time in the spotlight for copyright infringement, Forever 21, however has faced this issue in the past. Previously, Forever 21 used Ice Cube’s likeness on a t-shirt while practically copying Rihanna Fenty Puma line and Kanye’s Saint Pablo tour merchandise.

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The post Forever 21, Urban Outfitters In Trouble Over Copyright Infringement of Tupac Photos appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo credit: Getty/WireImage/Kevin Kane/Dimitrios Kambouris

This past Friday, legendary artist Tupac Shakur was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a honor handled by none other than friend and Death Row collaborator Snoop Dogg. During his heartfelt speech, Snoop spoke on making music with the late West Coast icon, even revealing a Pac post-jail story involving Dr. Dre and the currently-incarcerated Suge Knight:

I told Suge Knight, I said, ‘Suge get Pac out of prison and have him come join our team at Death Row Records… He never had a team before. It was always just him. Now, with us it was like he joined the Lakers. Dre was the coach and me and Pac were the stars on the court making history every which side. We were young, rich, and rock stars but we were also young men black men with targets on our back. We were catching cases simultaneously. That’s why when we got together we really were two of America’s most wanted. He had just gotten out of jail. I had just beat my case. I get a white Rolls Royce with that creamy white interior and Pac, he went out and bought a black one with the same thing.

Snoop also recognized Tupac’s character and leader for social change, speaking of his former labelmate as “courageous” and “revolutionary”…homage was paid to Pac’s mother Afeni Shakur (who tragically passed away last year) as well:

Memories of Ms. Shakur are embedded in my mind… Right after I heard Tupac got shot I immediately flew to Vegas. I was so weak I damn near fell over and his mom came over to me and she grabbed me and she held up and she said, ‘Baby, you to to be strong.’ I went and sat next to him and I whispered to him telling him I love him and to hold on and he was going to be OK and even in that moment his mom was thinking more about me than herself and showed me how to love strongly. I mean it was amazing that his momma was so strong and loved so hard.

Snoop wasn’t alone in his tribute, either: YG, T.I., Treach and Alicia Keys performed some of Pac’s most notable cuts. Check out some recap clips from the big moment below.

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Tupac “2Pac” Shakur was announced on Tuesday (December 20) as an inductee into the 2017 class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The late rapper was nominated for this prominent honor this past October and is the sixth Hip-Hop artist and the first solo act to be named for this honor. Tupac joins Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy and N.W.A as the hip-hop ambassadors. The rapper was a trail blazer who wrote lyrics that sparked conversations about rap, race relations, and young black men in America today.

For the second year in a row, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame voters have passed on Janet Jackson, despite a strong social media push from her fans. Tupac and Janet both played leading roles in the 1993 John Singleton film, Poetic Justice. 

Tupac will be officially inducted April 7 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, joining other music legends such as Journey, Niles Rogers, Pearl Jam, and Joan Baez. For artists to be considered for induction, they must pass a vote after a career of 25 years. The late artist’s debut album 2Pacalypse Now was released in November 1991.

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Chi Modu trapped people and their essence in their most vulnerable places. Many would argue that the best photos taken are the ones where the subjects don’t even know they’re being shot. It’s in these pictures that there’s no mask being worn for the camera, no poses and no attentive mindset- there’s a defenseless nature that’s very organic being captured.

Chi Modu and Pintrill collaborated and produced a set of pins that stay true to the interests of the two parties involved- pins and Tupac Shakur.

Chi is releasing a 200 page book celebrating the life of Tupac, titled Uncategorized, filled with a multitude of photos- candid, just like the one at the top of the page- that have never been seen before. To coincide with the book release, Pintrill is coming out with three pins modeled after Chi and Tupac. One is pictured above, another says “Thug Life’ on it, written in a way that mimics the tattoo Tupac had across his stomach, and one featuring Chi Modu’s signature.  The pins are selling for $15 each, and $40 as a set. Chi Modu’s signature only comes in the set, however.

Chi got his beginning at The Source, and sauntered around artists when they were in their natural habitat. He built up companionships with the likes of The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, and LL Cool J. During his stint there, Chi developed his signature style of photography, which featured catching artists when they didn’t know their photos were being taken.

To commemorate the book and the pin, Pintrill is hosting an event at their flagship store on 231 Street in Brooklyn, NY. There, Chi will talk about his book, showcase different images of Tupac, and discuss his time capturing shots around artists. Afterwards, he’ll be signing books.

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The post Pintrill & Chi Modu Release Tupac Inspired Collaboration appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Ripp Flamez is an up and coming artist from Cleveland. He is extremely down to earth and has a vibe that will be sure to catch on in his hometown and beyond. I am looking forward to seeing what’s next for this young star and you should be too. This conversation took place just after the Cavaliers had won the championship.

RESPECT.: Hey, Mr. LeBron Flamez! First off congrats on the victory in Cleveland. Long awaited!

Yeah man, (laughs) thank you!

RESPECT.: Did you think the boys were gonna come back when they were down 3 -1 in the finals?

The reality part of me didn’t, but in the city we have this sense of false hope. Well it’s not falsity, but we always just have that. Even if we’re down. Like even with the Browns. People know the Browns aren’t gonna win, but people still go to every single game, every year, until the last game. Even when they know they aren’t going to the playoffs.

RESPECT.: Do you think Johnny Manziel can ever make a comeback? (laughs)

I dunno at this point (laughs).

RESPECT.: (Laughs) The guy likes to party!

Man yes he does bro. But you try living somewhere in Cleveland… That’s the truth.

RESPECT.: So what was it like growing up in the city?

There are so many ways to describe how it is growing up here, you know?

RESPECT.: What did you learn that you took with you from the beginning?

Help is just not coming. If you waiting on somebody to come help you, it is not coming. I learned that at an early age.

RESPECT.: Rely on yourself?

Yeah the city is tough. Even just getting to other cities, I didn’t realize how much homeless people are overlooked here.

RESPECT.: Everybody probably feels like, “no one’s helping me out, I’m not gonna help anybody else out.”

Yourself first. Yourself first. Except for when it comes to sports. That’s when everyone comes together.

RESPECT.: It unifies. So when did you start rapping?

At like 8 years-old.

RESPECT.: Just rapping in your bedroom, like writing raps?

Nah, so thing is I’ve never actually wrote a rap down. Maybe my first one ever. And I wrote it down after I recorded it (laughs). But I just could never write it down.

RESPECT.: Do you write now?

Nah I still don’t.

RESPECT.: Wow. That’s crazy. So it’s all just based on a feeling?

Just like pre-thoughts. I could just be one the phone or interviewing and think of something dope to talk about.

RESPECT.: So how would you describe your style of music and what do you want people to take from it?

I wanna be almost like an activist like a “Pac,” but like an entertainer like Chris Brown. I want those mixed together. That’s what I want people to get from me. I want you to know that I come from a hard place and I’m definitely woke with society and everything that’s going on, but at the same time, I’m able to turn that negative into something positive and make you feel good and have hope. Just to give the silver lining in a grey cloud.

RESPECT.: That’s a hell of a mixture too. Chris Brown and Tupac, I like that. What kind of artists inspired you when you first started out and who inspires you now?

When I first started, I can’t really pinpoint the point that I actually started cause I never didn’t take music seriously, I just didn’t take it as serious as I do at this part of my life. So it came with the levels. I think when I started actually investing like, “this is me. We not getting no jobs.” You know what I’m saying? We were listening to Wiz, we were listening to Machine Gun Kelly, Big Sean. Those were the people that we watched make videos and we just lit up like, “yo f**k that! We want THIS!” This is what we tryna do. I remember when Big Sean dropped, what was that song? (hums “My Last”)

RESPECT.: With Chris Brown right? Off Finally Famous? “My Last”

Yeah, yeah! Around that time I was on him. You know, Wiz had just started off. Cudi. We listened to Cudi definitely.

RESPECT.: So like that internet age where the mixtapes just started becoming big? Cudi, Drake, Wiz, Sean, all those guys. That really kinda showed you that it was “real” to make it off the internet?

Yup, yup. And you know, every single one of them came with a story. You had Wiz, and I know how he came up. I was talking about Sean, and I know how he came up in interviews and stuff. It was so much of them just explaining it and it was just so much. Like how vividly they painted it in the music. They definitely helped me get to the point that I’m at.

RESPECT.: Word. So if you could work with any of those guys, or actually anyone, what would be your dream collaboration? So you can choose someone on the hook, someone on the verses and you get a verse, what would be your dream collaboration?

Out of anyone in general? Oh man! I would get Owl City on the hook. I would wanna do the backs. Let Owl City do like the lead and I’ll do the backs. I’d probably put Cudi on the verse and I’d do a verse. That would probably be my dream collab. I don’t care if it’s a single or anything. You know that Wu-Tang album they made for one person? That’s something I want to do. I don’t care if I never release it, if anybody heard it, that dream collab is something I wanna do. Owl City, Cudi and me.

RESPECT.: What’s crazy about Cudi is, yes he is from your city but even for me, I’m from Canada and I think it’s the story that relates to everyone. He is just so different and he is so unapologetically himself. He didn’t worry about a flow or a rhyme scheme and he just did himself, is that what kind of drew you to him? Just how comfortable he was with himself?

Yeah definitely. And just that he didn’t vibe with shit. The first thing that really drew me was that he acknowledged other artists in the streets. And I hadn’t even met him. At the time, I wasn’t big enough, but the people that I was looking up to, he acknowledged them and man I listened to his music and I related to him. I was the weird kid from the projects. Where he was from, him being weird didn’t matter. Where I was at, I was like, I understand his “Solo Dolo” all of that. “Heaven at Night.”

RESPECT.: Yeah! Man on the Moon. Pillow Talk. That album was crazy. It’s still my favorite album of all time. Did you ever meet him?

Never. Never. And I want to.

RESPECT.: You will one day. I feel it. And it’ll be a big moment. Who has been one person, other than him, it could be him I guess, but who has been the one person in your life who has influenced you the most?

My grandmother man. I used to call her anytime, anything. That’s how I kind of make my music. Like my grandmother, it wouldn’t matter how bad things were, because she would always tell me to look up and make it look good for my brothers and cousins.

RESPECT.: What’s the best piece of advice she ever gave you?

Ah man, so many quotes. I think she just taught me to thank God at a young age. Something bad happening, something good was happening. She said to thank God. During the day time, at night time. Thank God. Just be grateful.

RESPECT.: Word. What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve ever given or that you would give if someone asked you for one piece of life advice based on your experience?

Do what you do even if you never got paid for it.

RESPECT.: So you would be making music even if you weren’t getting paid for it?

Regardless, regardless. And LeBron would be playing basketball.

RESPECT.: I definitely think that. I think at the end of the day if you end up doing things for ulterior motives, or even for other people, you’re only cheating yourself. And that’s when you lose the heart of what you do and the passion for it.

Yup!

RESPECT.: So when did you start using auto-tune? was that always something in your music or did you kind of pick up on the trend that was going on and think, “oh that would sound good!?”

I always wanted to sing. Like I could never actually sing but I could kind of train my own vocals. But when I was rapping I was trying to harmonize. At the time when I wanted to start using auto-tune it wasn’t as popular so even when I didn’t really know how to use it, my engineer just knew what he was doing. He was just so good at what he did that I had a song that I had never shown anybody. So he just put some auto-tune on it. And it sounded really good. And from there I was like, “I’m gonna make songs that sound like this!”

RESPECT.: Yeah, it’s dope! It’s also just fun when you first start playing around with it and you’re like, “Oh s**t I can hit that note now!” Because especially if you have the melody in your head and you’re like, “all I need is to be able to hit it!”

Yeah!

RESPECT.: What would you say is one trend in hip-hop that you would want to stop?

One trend? The f*****g lean drinking man. I hate that s**t. It’s like a necessity. You’ve gotta have a big wad of money, a big gun, and some lean with some double cups. A backwood and some styrofoam. Like aight.

RESPECT.: Yeah I dunno, I agree with you man. It just looks corny. Especially when you see the effects it actually has and you see people dying off of that s**t. I dunno.

Yeah, like I know I’m not a saint, but kids look up to me. And kids wanna do what I do. You know what I’m saying? And I know I got videos riding round with the 40, but I’ve got a license. 

RESPECT.: Yeah cause you do have videos with guns and stuff. What are your thoughts on that and how do you feel it influences people looking up to you?

I look at that and I don’t like that. I know that’s not a good look. I know what’s good so I’m able to come out here and do stuff like go to schools and talk to them about what I do in my videos. You know, I pull up to the hood and they want to ride around with the 40. I just let ‘em know the real. This is real. It’s not like the kids these days don’t know what’s going on with guns. I wish I had never seen a gun you know? I’m from the projects and I was always around it you know? I just don’t put too much into it now because it’s just so common.

RESPECT.: Do you think the world is kind of just numb to all of it?

Thing is, I think it just is the Internet. It made everything desensitized for real.

RESPECT.: Last couple questions, these are just gonna be rapid fire so answer whatever. Favorite kid’s cartoon?

It has to be between Hey Arnold and SpongeBob.

RESPECT.: Favorite movie growing up?

Oh my god. I’m a movie head. So it’s going to be tough. Give me a minute or two to go through my movie files!

RESPECT.: You can go through the top 5  (laughs).

Alright, top 5, top 5, top 5

Growing up, I watched Temptations back to back to back to back . Temptations is definitely one of them, Set It Off, The Butterfly Effect, House Party 1.. or 2…one of them.

RESPECT.: What about favorite album of all time?

Nellyville, Ja Rule album, The Black Album – the first album I had full knowledge to analyze every song and Carter 3.

RESPECT.: Where did you get your name from by the way?

I was little Rippa, then I got a little older and they called me Young Ripp. Then I got a little older and I dropped the Young. And then I thought Flamez sounds ill. Nobody’s name is Flamez. And I stuck with it.

If you want to follow Ripp’s journey you can connect with him on Twitter here.

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The post RESPECT. Interview: Ripp Flamez on Cleveland and Dream Collab with Cudi and Owl City appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Johnny Depp will be starring in a brand new upcoming thriller as an investigative detective on the murder of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. According to Entertainment Weekly, the upcoming film titled, Labyrinth has now been acquired by Open Road Films for the North American distribution rights. The script was written by Christian Contreras, adapting Randall Sullivan’s in-depth book LAbyrinth: A Detective Investigates the Murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G., the Implication of Death Row Records’ Suge Knight, and the Origins of the Los Angeles Police Scandal. In an announcement made on Monday, Open Road’s CEO Tom Ortenberg called the project “an edgy and timely investigative thriller.”

The film will be directed by Brad Furman, with production set to begin in November of this year. Miriam Segal, who’s collaborated with Furman in the past on The Infiltrator, will be the producer of the film. Labyrinth is centered on Russell Poole (Depp), a shunned LAPD detective whose failed to solve the murder cases of the iconic, rival hip-hop artists for ten years. He eventually partners up with a reporter as a desperate attempt to salvage his reputation and to finally revel the truth behind the slaying of Tupac and Biggie.

It’s clear that the legendary artists continue to have an immense impact and contribution to today’s culture. With the upcoming Tupac biopic All Eyez On Me premiering in November and the late-great moving story of Biggie in Notorious (2009), the public will continue to pay tribute and recognition to these timeless artists and their work. Stay tuned to for future updates!

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