Tupac Shakur – Live at the House of Blues DVD Review


Link: Official 2Pac Site

The Inside Pulse:
It’s been just over nine years since Tupac Shakur succumbed to gunshot wounds, cutting short a career that could’ve been many things (rapper, actor, activist), instead of ending it before he became something. His spirit has since been shredded to death, re-packaged and manufactured into an essence that underscores the intentions of others and not the man, himself. So, it should come as no surprise that the very same vultures who continue to make money off of the man’s remains have dug deep into the vaults for footage of the infamous July 4, 1996 House of Blues concert, where Death Row Records’ artist reigned over an entire city”¦hell, an entire coastline”¦for the very last time. The funny thing is none of them knew it. And, that’s what makes Live at the House of Blues a project that should’ve seen the light much earlier. Like, Tupac, himself, the show is an ode to revisionist history, what might’ve been”¦and what really was.

Positives:
Contrary to their own press releases, Death Row Records has never really been known for their big-budget production values. Their videos usually had a cheap, cut-all-corners feel and their live shows were often sonically suspect. However, Eagle Rock Entertainment gives this nearly decade-old live show a new spit shine, with sound that’s almost album quality. The bass line from Ambitionz Az a Ridah still thumps your walls. Tupac’s set opens things up and his Outlawz posse go into nine of their cuts with gusto. Hit ‘Em Up will never lose its poisonous shock value and everyone takes time to go after their enemies at the time (Bad Boy Records, Nas, etc.) Snoop and the Dogg Pound are out next and just kill their set with a raucous crowd and over a dozen classics (Gin & Juice, Murder Was the Case, Tha Shiznit) mixed in.

Negatives:
Don’t be fooled”¦this is a Snoop Dogg concert. Fans of Tupac might be disappointed to know that it was Snoop, not Pac, who ruled the West Coast at the time. Pac’s tracks are mostly truncated cuts, so that Snoop has more time to shine. There are a few production hiccups during breaks in the show where the right music isn’t cued up and the camera stays on to capture every elongated lull. Under the “unintentional comedy” banner is the crowd reaction to the new material Pac and Snoop tried to debut. Everyone sits on their hands during Doggfather and Tattoo Tears just waiting to hear something they once again recognize.

Cross-Breed:
An entire record label at the top of its game, a crazy crowd and an era none of us will ever see again.

Reason to Buy:
This DVD is better than it has any right to be. Surprisingly great audio under a relatively clean widescreen picture makes this feel like an event. There are five Tupac videos included as extras, as well. This is, quite simply, a slice of time when everything seemed right on the west coast and the eventual, almost immediate, end seemed like it would never arrive.