Nas Blown Away By Tupac Hologram, "He's One Of The Greatest Hip-Hop Artists Who Ever Lived"

Rap veteran Nas recently offered his reaction to one-time hip-hop nemesis Tupac Shakur digitally coming back to life last weekend during a holographic Coachella performance.

In Nasty Nas' opinion, the Pac hologram is proof hip-hop shows are only raising the bar for better performances.

"It's a historic thing that they did it, but I think that technology will get better and we'll find new ways of doing it," he says. "I think someone had to do it first, and who better than Dre to make a hologram of Tupac? Hip-hop shows are becoming bigger and bigger by the day, and I think as times goes on, it can be done in a way where everyone's happy -- where it's not just creepy, where you don't know how you feel about it. The first time it's done, it's the first time, so that's the experience we're having. Some people don't like it, some are gonna be creeped out by it, but all of those reactions are great." (Billboard)

He also gave his take on former Death Row Records, artists Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, being behind Pac's reemergence.

For Nas, the hologram was a reminder of the fallen rapper's cultural significance. And who better than West Coast legends Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg -- who are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Dre's "The Chronic" later this year -- to herald that message? "It makes sense that Dre and Snoop would bring him out -- they are kings in the hip-hop business, and they prove it time and time again," says Nas. "That's what it's all about. We love Tupac, the world loves Tupac, and he's one of the greatest hip-hop artists who ever lived. He deserves that, to be celebrated like that and remembered like that." (Billboard)

Since the performance has sparked so much attention, there are already talks of a Pac hologram tour.

Representatives for Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg plan to discuss logistics for a tour involving the two performers and the virtual Tupac, according to a person familiar with the discussions. One option would be a tour in stadiums, involving other hip-hop stars, including Eminem, 50 Cent and Wiz Khalifa. Alternately, they could stage a more limited tour, featuring only Dre, Snoop Dogg and the virtual Tupac, in smaller arenas. (Wall Street Journal)

While appearing in 3D, the digitalized Pac's set was done in 2D.

Though the virtual Tupac has been widely described as a hologram, it is in fact a 2D image projected to appear as a 3D effect. To achieve this, a digital image of the Tupac animation was projected onto a reflective surface on the floor of the stage, which then bounced on to a piece of Mylar that reflects the image while appearing otherwise clear. When Snoop Dogg appeared to be rapping along with Tupac, he was standing behind the Mylar screen. (Rolling Stone)

Check out the performance footage below: