Mini-Series on Tupac in the works
The life of Tupac Shakur will soon makes its way onto the small screen thanks to a television mini-series created by friend of the rapper and producer/filmmaker Quincy Jones III.
Jones revealed that the mini-series will include six parts with each part focusing on a certain aspect of the late rappers life. One part of the mini-series will take a look at Tupac’s relationship with fellow rapper Notorious B.I.G.
“If you look at Tupac’s life, he was a politician, he was musician, and then he was a guy who empowered women,” Jones explained to XXL Magazine. “We’re gonna do a six-part series documenting six different areas of his life.”
Since Jones was able to bring on Tupac’s mother Afeni Shakur for the project, the mini-series will likely include more in-depth information about the rapper’s personal life.
“It’s a real blessing because for the first time we’ll have access to the family, information and items that only she would have,” said Jones. “There’s a lot of things that he left behind like notebooks, audio tapes of his meetings, and all kinds of stuff so it’ll be a totally different look of Tupac because we actually have that access now.”
Jones did not reveal what television network will be picking up the series and instead stated that he didn’t want to share that particular news until it was locked in. Prior to working on the Tupac mini-series, Jones had previously worked on the Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel documentaries.
Discuss.
Read MoreMini-Series on Tupac in the works
The life of Tupac Shakur will soon makes its way onto the small screen thanks to a television mini-series created by friend of the rapper and producer/filmmaker Quincy Jones III.
Jones revealed that the mini-series will include six parts with each part focusing on a certain aspect of the late rappers life. One part of the mini-series will take a look at Tupac’s relationship with fellow rapper Notorious B.I.G.
“If you look at Tupac’s life, he was a politician, he was musician, and then he was a guy who empowered women,” Jones explained to XXL Magazine. “We’re gonna do a six-part series documenting six different areas of his life.”
Since Jones was able to bring on Tupac’s mother Afeni Shakur for the project, the mini-series will likely include more in-depth information about the rapper’s personal life.
“It’s a real blessing because for the first time we’ll have access to the family, information and items that only she would have,” said Jones. “There’s a lot of things that he left behind like notebooks, audio tapes of his meetings, and all kinds of stuff so it’ll be a totally different look of Tupac because we actually have that access now.”
Jones did not reveal what television network will be picking up the series and instead stated that he didn’t want to share that particular news until it was locked in. Prior to working on the Tupac mini-series, Jones had previously worked on the Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel documentaries.
Discuss.
Read MoreMini-Series on Tupac in the works
The life of Tupac Shakur will soon makes its way onto the small screen thanks to a television mini-series created by friend of the rapper and producer/filmmaker Quincy Jones III.
Jones revealed that the mini-series will include six parts with each part focusing on a certain aspect of the late rappers life. One part of the mini-series will take a look at Tupac’s relationship with fellow rapper Notorious B.I.G.
“If you look at Tupac’s life, he was a politician, he was musician, and then he was a guy who empowered women,” Jones explained to XXL Magazine. “We’re gonna do a six-part series documenting six different areas of his life.”
Since Jones was able to bring on Tupac’s mother Afeni Shakur for the project, the mini-series will likely include more in-depth information about the rapper’s personal life.
“It’s a real blessing because for the first time we’ll have access to the family, information and items that only she would have,” said Jones. “There’s a lot of things that he left behind like notebooks, audio tapes of his meetings, and all kinds of stuff so it’ll be a totally different look of Tupac because we actually have that access now.”
Jones did not reveal what television network will be picking up the series and instead stated that he didn’t want to share that particular news until it was locked in. Prior to working on the Tupac mini-series, Jones had previously worked on the Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel documentaries.
Discuss.
Read MoreNatalia Kills talks about work withQuentin Tarantino, Lady Gaga comparisons and more with W Magazine
The Lady Gaga comparisons are all but inevitable when Perez Hilton blows up your demo, you perform under an ass-kicking stage name, and your videos are high-glam memoirs about dead relationships (“Zombie”), sex games (“Mirrors”), or fairy-tale love (“Wonderland”). Such is the case for British pop singer Natalia Kills and her impressive debut, Perfectionist, out August 16. Fresh off a summer tour with the Black Eyed Peas, the 25-year-old Bradford native—whom will.i.am signed immediately after meeting her—certainly isn’t fretting about Gaga. “Is Coke bothered about being compared to Pepsi? I’m pretty sure not,” she says.
What’s up with Natalia Kills? You’d performed under the names Verbz and Verbalicious before, right?
It’s funny, I don’t know how that even made it to the internet originally, but basically when I was a kid my mother used to nickname me “Verbal” because I used to speak a lot — run around singing and talking and dressing up since I was a little girl — and I suppose that’s how the nickname stayed with me for a very long time and took on all these editions and elaborations: Verbz, Verbalicious, Verse, Verbal. But now it’s Kills. It’s the first time I was ever asked to name myself. I would’ve liked to use my real name [Natalia Noemi Cappuccini] but they say it’s a bit unpronounceable, and I’ve kind of learned that from checking in to airports and hotels; it is a bit unpronounceable. I was asked what’s the best description, or closest adjective, to describe you and it was Kills.
Why’s that?
For example, the phrase, “You killed it.” Michael Jackson was the best singer of all time, he “Killed it onstage.” Or Naomi Campbell was “dressed to kill” at Fashion Week, she was wearing “killer heels.” When we say kill, we usually mean someone giving 100 percent of their passion and energy to something that defines them. So, me being a perfectionist, my passion is always there 100 percent. I guess that’s why Kills was the most beautiful and appropriate thing to call myself.
It seems like your personal style has evolved as well.
You know when I was Verbz I was 15 and I’m going to be 25 this year so that kind of explains itself. I looked like Fergie in “Fergalicious” before it existed. It was hoop earrings and a chola ponytail.
Like a Fly Girl…
Yeah, like a Fly Girl. Don’t get me wrong, I had swagger for days. I looked fresh as fuck back in the day, like Missy Elliott had a child with Fergie, but that’s nothing to be proud of. I still have big gold earrings, they still exist in my wardrobe, I just mix them more with black and leather now.
So how did will.i.am find you?
I put a demo on Myspace in 2008, and Perez Hilton found it and blogged about it. Then suddenly I had 2 million plays and got to number 1 on Myspace’s unsigned artist charts. So I decided to go out to LA and while I was there I met a DJ when I was out shopping… This man came into the store and said, “Oh, you have a really interesting look.” I gave him my website and he sent me a message almost an hour later saying, “You’ve got a lot of plays and your music is good, let me introduce you to a DJ who might spin your song.” And when he introduced me to the DJ, he was like, “You don’t even have a deal? That’s crazy. My friend is going to love you, he makes music.” So we drive to this house in the Hollywood Hills, it’s this massive crib and it’s beautiful and I’ve never actually seen anything quite like it, and when we get there, there’s Will at the table. I was like, “What the hell is this guy doing here?” And he’s like, “Yeah, that’s my friend I wanted you to meet. He’s going to love you.” And I was quite fortunate, because he did.
Does your acting background provide the impulse to direct?
Yeah, you know what’s so funny was that when I was acting I was desperate not to play a character. I really loved it at first, but I was always doing things like wanting to change the script and the lines and thinking my character would do something else. It’s really a naughty thing to do as an actress. I wanted do all the other stuff: be the director, the writer, I wanted to create something. That’s what I was saying about Love Kills. It’s not acted, even though it’s me using things I’ve learned to bring true expression onto the screen. It’s me being me. It’s literally me showing my fans and my audience my brain: this is what I think about when I lie awake at night, these are my regrets, these are my fantasies, these are things I wish I did.
But that’s interesting, because in the fight scenes you’re killing guys and being abducted by gangs. You’re like an action star.
I wish. It sounds so much interesting when you say it like that.
Do you ever think of going back to TV?
No, but my dream collaboration would be me and Tarantino, and I have a funny story about it… I was in the cinema a few weeks ago in West Hollywood, watching a really bad movie. It’s a really tiny cinema that seats about 50 people, but there were only six of us in there at about two in the morning, and this man at the front of the theater he’s laughing his head off, cackling, and the film is really sad, so it’s totally inappropriate. He keeps laughing the whole film and it’s totally driving me bonkers and then the lights go up at the end, he walks out with his date, and who is it? Tarantino. It was so funny. I’ve always had this dream of working with him and he’s just right there.
Video Preview: Red Hot Chili Peppers, ‘The Adventures Of Rain Dance Maggie’
"The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" recently rocketed to the top of Billboard’s Alternative Radio chart, giving the band their 12th #1 on Modern Rock radio (which, just in case you’re keeping score at home, is a record no one can even come close to matching). I’m With You, their 10th studio album (and first with new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer), is due in stores on August 30.
Tune in for the premiere of "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" on Wednesday, August 17, at 7:53 p.m. ET/PT on MTV and MTV2. Then stick around immediately after for our exclusive interview with the band, streaming live on MTV.com. Fans can submit their questions for RHCP via Twitter, using the hashtag #AskRHCP.
Get More: Red Hot Chili Peppers, MTV Shows
Video Preview: Red Hot Chili Peppers, ‘The Adventures Of Rain Dance Maggie’
"The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" recently rocketed to the top of Billboard’s Alternative Radio chart, giving the band their 12th #1 on Modern Rock radio (which, just in case you’re keeping score at home, is a record no one can even come close to matching). I’m With You, their 10th studio album (and first with new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer), is due in stores on August 30.
Tune in for the premiere of "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" on Wednesday, August 17, at 7:53 p.m. ET/PT on MTV and MTV2. Then stick around immediately after for our exclusive interview with the band, streaming live on MTV.com. Fans can submit their questions for RHCP via Twitter, using the hashtag #AskRHCP.
Get More: Red Hot Chili Peppers, MTV Shows