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All Eyez on Me, opened to $27 million this past weekend. The movie was so popular in my city (Baltimore) that we had to leave the first movie theater we went to because all showings were sold out.

I won’t be nearly as critical as some are about the film. I’m just happy a decent movie got made about him, with the exception of Jada Pinkett- Smith’s role. Sorry, but young Jada had a real edge to her. She had charisma and boldness, and in the 3 or 4 scenes that included her, it wasn’t portrayed.

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After watching the Tupac movie, it’s obvious that his talent made him a target. It’s because he was a bright light, he DIDN’T get a chance to burn. Someone was always trying to blow him out. Whether it was a record label, movie studio, lawyers, groupies, a club promoter, or jealous ones, Tupac had no choice to become a slave to his talent. Kind of a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation.

While we all know the end of his story ends tragically, it’s still hard to believe all he accomplished by the age of 25. It’s also hard to believe how much of a threat your success can be to the people around you. If they can’t control you or keep you in servitude, they no longer are willing to let your light shine.

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If I could speak to a young Tupac, I would encourage him to discover how to manage his passion for justice and his desire to be heard, instead of being managed by it. Without a doubt, I’m grateful for his impact and influence on music, but I would have reminded him that slow and steady moves with the right people is far better than fast moves with the wrong ones. I would also tell him that while he might be a musical genius, he’s still only human. A little spiritual guidance would have gone a long way.

Rachel Bryant Lundy