Nipsey Hussle was being lined up to play Snoop Dogg in 2017 Tupac biopic All Eyez On Me, according to the film’s director.
Benny Boom said he desperately wanted the late rapper for the part, but due to his own music and touring schedule, Nip couldn't make the time to fly out from L.A. to the film's set in Atlanta. Boom also said that the slain rapper wouldn't let anything interfere with his commitment to his work in the community.
“Nipsey was supposed to play Snoop… we wanted him to play Snoop in All Eyez On Me,” Boom told toofab. “We didn’t have any other person that we wanted to play him.
“It’s crazy because, as much as I knew Nipsey, I didn’t realise how much he was driving things in his community. And to take him out of LA for that amount of time that we needed to come to Atlanta where we shot, it would’ve just thrown him off his square a little bit. Just the timing didn’t work out.”
Newcomer Jarrett Ellis ended up playing Snoop in the biopic.
“I’m definitely upset, ’cause Nipsey was my guy,” Boom added. “I am upset that we didn’t get an opportunity to have him in the movie.”
Hussle was shot and killed in March outside his Los Angeles clothing store.
Boom also mentioned that before his death Nip was set to play a major role on the CW TV series All American.
The CW TV series All American will feature storylines inspired by the rapper’s life and career. “From what I’m hearing from the writers, this season, there’s going to be a lot of Nipsey stuff in there,” Boom said.