Odd but true, every time the date has been spoken any day in March, my mind involuntarily echoes “March 9th. Is it March 9th?” There are times when I’m disinterested in other “significant” dates/deaths in Hip-Hop’s history but not March 9th. It will forever resonate. Perhaps it was the Canibus’ line that helped give weight to it. Or, it could be the somber realization that we really lost another one. While Pac seemed to embrace an early date with death, Biggie seemed to reference death for art’s sake once he started to see success. When he died, rap was momentarily left without a voice and it took time for the music to redefine itself. Whatever the case, this year the date seems to loom larger in my mind for reasons I can’t quite place.

On today March 8th, I believe the universe stepped in to apply order to my thoughts (electronically of course). Of the many emails I receive daily, the most common question is “will you post this for us?” While we accommodate as many requests as we can, I like to think we’re still selective and true to what we believe in, which is to post material we find interesting on a personal level. Today, this one seemed most fitting and useful for the right now. It’s a stream of Nick Bloomfield’s 2002 documentary, “Biggie and Tupac.” Obviously, we’re fans of the different sides of the entertainment industry catching up with technology so that was one of the reasons for posting this. The good thing is the film is licensed and streaming, courtesy of Snag Films.

The actual documentary is one you may have seen offline, but it’s good to find it available in a quality form online for those who haven’t seen it or for the young yardie trying to gain perspective. The “tu-pack” mispronunciation can be annoying at first, but easy to overlook once the film draws you in with the backstories of both artists, the beef, the inclusion of Russell Poole, the alleged cover up and possible FBI involvement.

As time passes, it takes innovation and commitment to help keep the past relevant. And as time passes, watching Bloomfield’s doc reminds viewers that these two murders that affected our culture greatly, yet remain unsolved years later.

Thanks to Mike @ SnagFilms