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Holograms in Concert: Why Tupac's Coachella Resurrection Means Big Bucks for the Music Business

Christopher Polk, Getty Images

Short of working some "Jurassic Park" magic and actually resurrecting dead artists, the music industry has a new way to cash in on deceased superstars, thanks to Tupac Shakur's "performance" at Coachella.

Just two days after a projected image of the rapper appeared at the festival alongside Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, there are rumors that the stunt may lead to a full-fledged tour.

In case you haven't seen the impressive yet creepy footage, the Tupac projection's two-song performance wasn't limited to appearing on a screen behind the stage -- it actually looked as if the rapper was there alongside his former Death Row label mates. According to Ed Ulbrich, the chief creative officer of Digital Domain, the company behind the performance, this wasn't just some old Tupac concert film redesigned to look new. "This is not found footage," he told the Wall Street Journal. "This is not archival footage. This is an illusion."

Indeed, the projection could seemingly interact with Snoop Dogg and say things like, "What the f--- is up, Coachella?" Shakur never uttered the festival's name in his lifetime, because Coachella didn't exist until three years after his 1996 murder. Digital Domain won't reveal how they got the projection, which reportedly cost between $100,00 and $400,000, to say new words. They did admit, however, that the stunt was the "vision" of Dre, who donated a large sum of money to the late rappers's charity as a thank-you for getting the approval of Tupac's mother, Afeni Shakur. (Dre is also the one reportedly behind the tour, meaning we're not any closer to hearing his Detox album.)

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Nick Smith, president of AV Concepts, which handled the live projecting, shed a little more light on the possibilities but wouldn't reveal how the company was able to get the projection to say things Tupac had never said before his death. He did, however, say that they could do that with any artist.

"You can take their likenesses and voice and ... take people that haven't done concerts before or perform music they haven't sung and digitally recreate it," he told MTV News. It's not enough that we already live in a world where Celine Dion can have Elvis Presley, and not one of the thousands of talentless impersonators, join her onstage for an "American Idol" duet (in my opinion, an indignity, even for a man whose bloated corpse was found in a bathroom). Now anyone with the cash and the proper rights can do it, and make them say, do and/or sing whatever comes to mind.

Watch Tupac "Perform" at Coachella

Given Afeni Shakur's blessing, I don't have too much of a problem with Dre and Snoop honoring their dead friend at such a big event. What scares me is that when something like this happens, music executives see the opportunity to make big money. Labels and the estates of deceased musicians are always scouring the vaults for previously unreleased material, and plenty of bands will find replacements for their fallen -- or fired/retired -- comrades (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Journey and Sublime With Rome, to name a few). And, lest we forget, we live in a world where Forbes annually ranks the top-earning dead musicians: Michael Jackson made $170 million in 2010, Elvis raked in $55 million and John Lennon earned $12 million. Imagine if fans of those three could see them "live" in concert.

The possibilities there are endless. I wasn't alive to see Woodstock, but what if it could all be recreated without the traffic jams and the muddy hippies? If I drink enough of the $9.50 beers they'll be selling, maybe it'll seem real. I'd also never have to worry about getting tickets to a show -- the technology should allow for these type of concerts to happen all the time, in multiple locations. And I'd know that they'll show up on time and give the best possible performance, not go on late or half-ass it.

I'll admit that I'm curious to see what happens with this technology, but I know that it's only a matter of time before the potential millions in revenue lead to a George Lucas-like, legacy-destroying alternative to history. Even though it would be incredible to see a Beatles reunion or Nirvana performing their Unplugged album I'm not buying into it. Let the dead artists go, and leave the watered-down performances to cover bands and "American Idol," where fans who really care can ignore them in peace. Keep live music for the living.

Would You See a Dead Artist's Hologram Concert? Vote and Leave a Comment!
Absolutely. The Technology Is Amazing.1157 (38.2%)
No Way. They're Gone.1194 (39.4%)
Depends on the Band.680 (22.4%)


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nick schembre

If we are bring rapper back to life how about B.I.G and Proof now the B.I.G and Tupac can go on tour and d12 can be reunited

May 04 2012 at 1:41 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
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April 24 2012 at 1:41 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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April 22 2012 at 8:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chris

So now there will be no limit to the artist who has passed away - it will be determined by the animator. Michael Jackson could do the moonwalk upside-down! You could have an entire band of Jimi Hendrixes! I kinda hope this will be a short lived trend.

April 22 2012 at 10:28 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bill

Elvis did not for race relations than anyone ever, even MLK.. Then Obama, comes alone and drags us back to the 60's. We got the change alright, I counted mine last night after I went to the gas station. Not enough left for milk. But Elvis was glimps of what the world was like , when it could be trusted. And as a nation, we were admired, now we have a corrupt congress, a corrupt White house, and a suspect Supreme Court. Give me Hillary, I'd even take Bill Clinton back, ABO. not again, I was fooled once, it will not happen again.

April 22 2012 at 8:20 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Bill's comment
Albert33d

Really, all Elvis did was STEAL music from black people. Why do you people keep forgetting that president gw bush and his cronnies DESTROYED, this country's financial stability while in office. The lies, the war, 911. WAKE UP, Bill. Everything is not Obama. This is bigger than Obama.

April 22 2012 at 9:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jebutler

Just another first for Elvis. Before anyone did anything, Elvis did it, even in death ;-)

April 22 2012 at 8:09 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to jebutler's comment
Albert33d

No he did not. He stole music that was not his own. Learn your history.

April 22 2012 at 9:50 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
The Wise One

That clown Tupac looks like a damn freak, dead or alive.

April 22 2012 at 7:52 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to The Wise One's comment
Albert33d

Mr. Tupac Shakur, to you sir, was one of the most talented poets and actors known. If you are not familar with his art, poems or movies, then don't comment. Learn about a person beyond their looks. You sound backward and ignorant..

April 22 2012 at 9:49 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Robert Clark

ELVIS WAS THE BEST WITH SELIN ON AI

April 22 2012 at 6:34 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
bomshelly6971

I'd do anything to see my lost child again, even if I knew it was only an illusion. It would comfort me to say a proper and final goodbye that I don't feel like I got the chance to do. If the mother was ok with this, while not the norm. yes..I think it was up to Tupac's family including her really, not anybody else. It was cleared with the family, so I'm sure it didn't turn off fans of his. What's wrong? This will likely happen a lot in the future.

April 22 2012 at 6:32 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
wgennise61

As a parent who has lost a child I think that this is immoral. It would open up a wound that is still fresh in our hearts a wound that we are still trying to cope with. I don't care how long a person has been dead a parent still misses their child and this is like giving them a false sense that their child never left. Let GOD's child rest in peace and love them from afar.

April 22 2012 at 6:07 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply