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2Pac’s ‘All Eyez On Me’ Film Hit With Lawsuit From Former VIBE Journalist

blame it on Meka June 23, 2017

While it will easily make more than its budget the long-awaited and highly-anticipated biopic on 2Pac, All Eyez On Me, has been the subject of criticism and mixed reviews from publications (at the time of this piece, Rotten Tomatoes has given it a 22% rating) and former friends of the late rapper (Jada Pinkett Smith alleged that the film had multiple historical inaccuracies, although she praised the portrayals of herself and ‘Pac by Kat Graham and Demetrius Shipp Jr., respectively).

Now, it has come under fire in the form of a lawsuit from Kevin Powell.

The journalist and political activist has filed the lawsuit against the producers of All Eyez On Me, Morgan Creek and Lionsgate for copyright infringement. In a complaint filed on Friday (June 23rd), in a New York federal court, Powell alleges that the film transgresses on several articles he had written during his time as a senior writer for VIBE Magazine in the 90s. Powell took to his Facebook account to explain the decision.

“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,” Powell wrote. “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,” he continued. “Any questions are to be directed to my lawyers, Keith White and Ken Montgomery. I have nothing further to say at this time.”

The filed lawsuit can be read in its entirety, below.