Tupac Shakur is still considered one of hip hop's greatest artists. Now a new production opening June 19 on Broadway will transform his words and music into a musical starring singer/poet Saul Williams. " Holler If Ya Hear Me" is the name of the production and it tells an original story about friendship, family, revenge, change and hope through the music of the late Tupac Shakur. "Holla If Ya Hear Me" brings 21 of Tupac's songs to life on the stage including two of his poems. To be clear, this musical is not about the life of Tupac Shakur.
Holler If Ya Hear Me is directed by Kenny Leon, who also directed the Tony-nominated Raisin in The Sun starring Denzel Washington. Leon see this production as opportunity to bring more minorities to bring their work to Broadway.
"America is for all of us. It doesn't belong to any particular group," says Leon when reflecting on his journey from poverty to fame and acclaim, which includes eight Broadway productions and his most recent, Holler If Ya Hear Me. "If this goes up and does well, it will send a message to African-American, Latino and other artists of color to bring their work to Broadway" (via BET)
A couple of days ago, Holla If Ya Hear Me share three of the songs from the show via Soundcloud. The preview includes the songs "Holler If Ya Hear Me," "California Love," and "Unconditional Love." Stream it below.
The video below shows some of the recording sessions of "Holler If Ya Hear Me."
