Demetrius Shipp, Jr.

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

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

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.

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.

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

When I go places, I'm very much spotted, but I'm definitely ready for it and the opportunities it's going to bring.

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.

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

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

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.

Being on television is a little constraining. You spend six to eight months filming, and you get stuck in that gear. I feel like doing movies is a lot more my style.

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.