DEMETRIUS SHIPP JR.

Everybody has the Tupac that they admire. Certain people love the hip-hop person, the rapper. Strictly just the rapper. A lot of people, the newfound Tupac fans... they're into Death Row-era Tupac. But that was only nine months!

I don't have a huge acting background at all.

The one thing that I'm always gonna promote is, 'Don't look at a fellow black man as an enemy.' And it's hard. It's really hard, though, when you're coming up. It's something that you have to teach yourself and learn.

There aren't many people in the world that are as respected and loved when it comes to entertainment and as big as Pac. But the greatness that I adore the most is him as a man.

In 10th grade, I was kicking it with the seniors. I introduced myself, and they were like, 'Yeah, Demetrius is cool, but we're gonna call you Pac.' That was it! It could be worse!

Whatever I do, I just want it to be good.

I'm ready for the opportunity to speak about things. I've always dreamed about the opportunity to speak about stuff.

This is really honest: I have to remind myself not to look another black man as a threat.

If you want it, and you want to get it, then you've got to work hard for it, like Tupac was working hard for it.

I want to inspire people to do whatever they desire in life.

I will say this: Rapping-wise, there has never been anybody to match Tupac's energy when coming on a song, like when rappin'. It's unmatched. You can't duplicate it.

Black films and television are growing and getting the recognition... and the opportunities.

My fondest memory of Tupac is my father producing 'Toss It Up' for him when I was 7 years old and hearing that.

I just have to remember that everybody has their time.

There's so much black content on multiple platforms, and it's all getting great ratings. If you think about the Oscars snubbing 'Straight Outta Compton,' in a way, that kicked all of this off.

I went to school in Long Beach, and all the seniors I used to kick it with called me Pac.

Growing up, you hear Tupac's music, it's kind of like... it goes without saying that everyone likes Tupac.

I vowed to never be on camera down-talking another black man.

In high school, we would do improv. Me and my boy were, like, the stars of the class.

'Dear Mama' is my favorite song from Tupac, man. It touches you, and I think that that's the most important thing with music.

I want to impact some lives down the road, one by one, and I want people to look at my story and my life as an inspiration.

This is more in regards to celebrities. What we've got to understand is that we are the influencers of the hip-hop culture, the black culture. We are the way out, you feel what I'm sayin'? As far as who we look to and where we get stuff from - hip-hop culture is influencing the world, really, but especially the black communities.

I want to be a part of bringing people together and sharing that love.

He's a layered person, so you have to tackle all the aspects of Tupac individually.

Tupac was a person who was all about love. I feel like that's me, too; that's who I've always been.