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Jonez and Rose stop by THR In Studio to discuss portraying the famous rappers for ‘Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G.’
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00:03Hi, this is Mariah Gullow from The Hollywood Reporter, and I'm in the studio today with
00:07Wavy Jones and Mark Rose from Unsolved.
00:12Thanks for having us.
00:13Yeah, thank you for coming in guys.
00:14Okay, quick fire.
00:16Uh-oh.
00:17Your favorite Biggie song?
00:18Juicy.
00:19Your favorite Tupac song?
00:21Keep your head up.
00:23What's yours?
00:23You gotta come quick now.
00:24Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:25Snappy.
00:27Ooh, hypnotized.
00:28Ooh, that's a good one.
00:30That's a good one.
00:31Okay.
00:31That's a good one.
00:32Wow, I wasn't ready for that.
00:35So, each of you, when did you know you looked like your characters?
00:39Because you obviously look very much like the men you portray.
00:44Uh, wow, I think my first time hearing a comparison or even being compared to Tupac physically
00:51was when I was 18, I think 17 or 18.
00:56And, um, I feel like it was the universe's funny way of doing, I don't know, saying that
01:01this is what you need to be doing or this is your next level in your career or something.
01:05Uh, but that's when Hollywood was doing a lot of the documentaries and stuff and, um,
01:10yeah.
01:10And we're here now.
01:11So, 17, 18.
01:13Wait, how long after that did you get cast for Straight Outta Compton?
01:17Uh, about four years.
01:20Huh.
01:20Yeah.
01:21All right.
01:21About four years after that.
01:22Uh-huh.
01:23And Levy, when did somebody go, you look just like Biggie?
01:27Uh, when I was young.
01:29Yeah?
01:29When I was young, yeah.
01:30More so when I was young, uh, cause I was like the little fat kid in school.
01:33So, everybody used to pick on me like, do you like Biggie Smalls?
01:37Yeah.
01:38So, that's what it's all.
01:39I mean, it's not a bad person to be compared to.
01:41Well, I get to play them now.
01:43I get to play them now, so everything is good.
01:45Yeah, yeah.
01:47And, I mean, you guys are almost the same age as, uh, they were when this, when Unsolved
01:51takes place.
01:52What were your impressions of these guys growing up?
01:54Um, just growing up and just hearing their music in general.
01:57You know, um, I'm from Brooklyn, but regardless, I would still hear Pac.
02:02I mean, heavy.
02:03Sure.
02:03You know, I didn't have to just be, uh, living in Brooklyn to hear Biggie.
02:06You know?
02:07So, I would hear Pac heavy.
02:08I would hear Biggie heavy.
02:09And just the way these gentlemen just flowed and, you know, the way they carry themselves,
02:13their energy was something that I've just always been a fan of.
02:17Yeah.
02:17You know?
02:18Um.
02:19Same thing Mark said.
02:20It was just like, just, just what those brothers spoke about.
02:23It was like they were way before their time, man.
02:25And just like growing up in their music because it's like they immortal.
02:29It seemed like they'll never go anywhere, regardless, uh, how much hip hop ages.
02:33And just growing up to their music is like, man, these guys was phenomenal.
02:37And he was talking about something.
02:38Yeah.
02:39And it's hard to think, you know, I mean, when you look at like Jay Z's career and Dr.
02:43Dre's career, it's hard to think like, what could have been, you know, if they stuck around.
02:48Endless.
02:48I feel for both of them as well.
02:50You know, they were just, they were kids, man.
02:52They were just getting started, just diving in, you know?
02:54So I'm sure that it would have been endless for both of them.
02:56Yeah.
02:57Yeah.
02:57So what was it like to kind of portray like, not only, you know, the West Coast, East Coast
03:02battle that everybody hears about, but the friendship between the two of them?
03:06I think being able to shine a light on Tupac and Christopher Wallace's friendship was,
03:13is the highlight and the biggest award of this story.
03:15I think a lot of the times when, you know, people discuss a Tupac or Christopher Wallace,
03:21you, the first thing that comes to a lot of people mind is the East Coast, West Coast beef,
03:25you know?
03:25And it sucks because it was such a, such a small, you know, point of their life that got
03:30blown out of proportion.
03:31So I think once Kyle Long, who's our amazing writer of the show, when he came with the script
03:38and, you know, got a chance to read it, it was like, wow, we, this is the story we can
03:43tell.
03:44Like we get a chance to, you know, not only just show the humanity between these two,
03:48but we get to show people that there was an actual thorough investigation that was going
03:53on that really went down, you know, trying to find the answers to these two crimes, you
03:59know?
03:59And as a fan, I never knew that.
04:01I never knew, you know, I just wanted to, I just wanted whoever killed Pop to, to be
04:06put away.
04:06I wanted whoever killed Big to get put away.
04:08I didn't, I didn't know that there were cops fully trying to, um,
04:11Yeah, fighting hard for that.
04:12Indeed.
04:13Yeah.
04:14And it, I mean, you see, um, you see like the struggle between different police departments.
04:19You've got Compton, you've got LA, you've got the FBI, you've got Las Vegas involved.
04:25There's so much, it's so complicated.
04:27Um, did you, did you feel like you learned something or you have some insight now into
04:32what happened?
04:34Definitely.
04:34I, I really think that, uh, that our writer Kyle Long really went there and, and just
04:40taking the research he got from Greg Caden and, and everybody else that was so invested
04:45into this, this case, it was almost like they were very passionate about it.
04:49And I really feel like we, we got the chance to go there and to learn a lot, not only
04:54about
04:54the friendship, but like Mark said, the investigation and just how deep this was and who would affect
05:00it.
05:00It affected a lot of people's families and not only from the two artists, but it affected
05:05the, the detectives lives too, like their personal life.
05:08So it was crazy.
05:10Yeah.
05:11Like two of the people who really stand out that, that we know from real life are Biggie
05:15and Tupac's mothers.
05:16Yeah.
05:16Because they're such a strong influence on keeping the investigation going.
05:21Have you heard anything from any of the, any family members or any other people involved
05:26in the real life?
05:27Like, has anybody gone up to you?
05:29Um, you know, even prior to just this, you know, I was fortunate enough to meet Pac's
05:36mom before she passed away.
05:38Um, you know, rest in peace and just hearing her insight and giving her, you know, blessing
05:42and just, you know, conversations that we would have meant a lot.
05:46And as well, we had easy Mo B who was, uh, he was, he's in this amazing music producer
05:51who was around the time when big and Pac was just getting into the foot of music.
05:57Yeah.
05:57He had a chance to work with the both of them, you know?
05:59So his insight on set as well and coming together for us, as well as Mo Priem Shakur,
06:04Tupac's older brother, you know, he was on set in and out making shows, you know, just
06:08there and in pocket.
06:09And Anthony Hemingway, our phenomenal director, just brought gems and shaved us down to where
06:15we, you know, just felt so, so comfortable jumping into these characters.
06:19Yeah.
06:20Wonderful.
06:21Um, so let's talk about, you know, some of your, some of your scenes.
06:24I mean, okay.
06:24Okay.
06:25Oh, it's the good part.
06:26First and foremost, how does it feel to wear the height of 90s hip hop fashion for your scenes?
06:36Oh, man.
06:37Fire.
06:38Fire.
06:38I'm talking, I mean, my boy got the Coogee on.
06:41Oh, man.
06:42He goes fly.
06:43He got called Kanai.
06:44He came here with the Kango hat right here.
06:46Walk away.
06:46You know?
06:47Oh my goodness.
06:48It's cool.
06:48It's cool.
06:49It was like, around that time, it was an expression thing.
06:52Like, I felt like those artists back then was expressing where they came from.
06:57And it, it wasn't only what they were saying, but what they wore.
07:01So, so just being able to, to wear those threads and to really get into, to, to where they
07:06were mentally was like, wow, this is fascinating.
07:09Yeah.
07:09Yeah.
07:09Yeah.
07:10I'm like, I'm in the dress room.
07:11I have 20 rings on.
07:12Oh my goodness.
07:15Take a selfie.
07:17Right.
07:19And you also got to really be immersed in the music of the times.
07:22Can you tell us what it was like to work with that, with your music supervisor?
07:26Yeah.
07:27Laya LaFleur.
07:28I mean, she's so phenomenal.
07:30Just her insight.
07:31You know, she's so, so good at what she does.
07:33And she was the one who actually facilitated Easy Mo B, you know, as well as the other people
07:38who are really, really heavy in music onto our show.
07:42We even had, we got Funkmaster Flex, who was a great, great DJ.
07:50And he was heavy.
07:51Around that time.
07:52Around that time with Biggie and Pac, you know, we, Laya pulled him in.
07:55We got him on the show and you know, it's so crazy.
07:58And as you're watching the show, you really, really get a chance to see, which is one thing
08:03that I was blown away.
08:04You get a chance to be immersed in the music, not only, you know, feeling like just Big and Pac,
08:10but we take you back to that time period, you know?
08:13So like if we're in 1997, we're going to blast some 1997 music.
08:18You're going to hear the car coming down the street playing this, you know?
08:21That's 1997 music.
08:22Yeah.
08:23Yeah.
08:23So it's just that whole vibe.
08:25But she, she, she's amazing.
08:27She really, she really, really worked super.
08:29Lila Flo was, was a true blessing to me, especially because I'm, I'm an artist myself.
08:34So being able to, to get in the studio and work with the writers and everybody that they
08:38have for the show was like, wow, this is, this is really happening.
08:42You know?
08:42Yeah.
08:43Let's talk about your freestyling scene.
08:45That was like one of my favorite scenes.
08:48What was that day like?
08:50Oh, we, it was, we had just did a scene.
08:52It was like, we was first getting into it.
08:54We did a scene.
08:55It was like, oh man, this is crazy.
08:56This is a lot.
08:57But then soon we had been practicing.
08:59Like Mark was coming to the hotel and we was practicing this for like days on end.
09:04We was really going in because we wanted it to be perfect.
09:06It had to be awesome.
09:07So we were practicing it.
09:09And when we got, when it was time to do it, the first time we did it, we just killed
09:13it.
09:14And we just, everybody started clapping like everybody loved it.
09:16Like it was awesome.
09:18It was so dope.
09:19It really was.
09:19It really was.
09:19It was crazy.
09:20It really was.
09:21And the energies was just there.
09:23You know, I feel like, I believe the energies were there and, and everyone was so excited
09:27and seeing everyone just, you know, and, and even Vokeem Woodbine who plays Darren Dupree.
09:33He plays a detective on our show.
09:35You know, he was around, he was there around the time with big impact.
09:38And for him, he was just like watching it for him.
09:40It took him back, you know, which is something really, really dope to hear.
09:44Cause he's just like, I remember that.
09:45And that's, that's what it really, really felt like in that room, in that moment.
09:49And it, it shed a different light on, on these two individuals.
09:53It was like, like, like we've previously said, everything was, was so, so all East Coast,
09:59West Coast.
09:59So just to see big and Pac just in that room, just going back and forth, Biggie had his
10:04people, Pac had his, and everybody had a certain love and appreciation for each other.
10:09It was almost like Pac came, well, big came on and told his story.
10:12Like I'm from here with his verse, then Pac came back with his verse.
10:15And it was like a, a mutual, like understanding and appreciation for each other.
10:20Yeah.
10:20Yeah.
10:21Um, so tell me what your favorite scenes to film were.
10:25My favorite scenes besides all of them.
10:28Um, my favorite scene would have to be who?
10:34Okay.
10:34For sure.
10:34It'll be the pilot.
10:36Um, it'll be the freestyle scene that you guys get to see in episode one.
10:40Um, I could really just go down the list.
10:43Yeah.
10:43You know what I mean?
10:44I could go down the list.
10:45Well, can I tell you a scene that just blew me away?
10:48Uh oh.
10:49Um, Tupac getting shot in New York.
10:53Ooh.
10:53The first time he got shot.
10:55Quad Studios.
10:56What happens after, I mean, everybody knows it's historically true that he got shot.
11:01But, how he handles getting shot.
11:05Is that?
11:06Accurate.
11:07Very true.
11:08That blows my mind.
11:10It's very true.
11:11You know what I'm saying?
11:11Show him that dude.
11:13No.
11:14My God.
11:15I can't imagine.
11:16I can't imagine.
11:17I mean, that scene is so killer.
11:18I mean, I just want to high five you because it was so amazing.
11:21He killed that.
11:22He killed that.
11:22Excellent job sir.
11:23Thank you so much.
11:24You know, just shooting that scene as well as majority of the other ones.
11:28It's just really, it's shocking to believe that, wow, like these two are so young.
11:34And this is what, you know.
11:36What's happening?
11:36Yeah.
11:37This is what you guys are going through at this age?
11:39Because I'm still, like I still have a problem picking out which socks I'm like.
11:44You know what I mean?
11:45Like that's my biggest trouble.
11:46So I can't even imagine.
11:48I can't imagine.
11:49Kate, what is your hope for people when they see this series, what do you hope they come
11:55away from?
11:56I would say don't leave anything unsaid or undone.
11:59You know, I think we don't want what went down with these two gentlemen to be in vain.
12:04You know, when you watch it, we also want people to know that there's not just crooked
12:09cops.
12:10Yeah, there are crooked cops.
12:11Let me, let me.
12:12But.
12:12Especially in LA in the 90s.
12:13Especially, you know what I'm saying?
12:15But.
12:16But.
12:16On the same token.
12:18Exactly.
12:19On the same token though, there are also good cops, you know, and there are also people
12:23who really, really want to help and get things done.
12:26Yeah.
12:26And also that they were friends.
12:28Yeah.
12:28That Tupac and Biggie were actually, actually did have a relationship despite what everybody,
12:34the pitch everybody paints about these two.
12:37They, they were people.
12:38It wasn't, people would be like, oh yeah, yeah, the gangsta rappers.
12:42They were people, you know.
12:43Right.
12:44But regardless of what art form you come in, you're still a person.
12:47So, I definitely want them to take that away.
12:49And like he said, leave nothing unsaid.
12:52Right.
12:52If you love somebody, come together.
12:53Whatever it is that you have a problem with, hash it out.
12:56And, and, and we pray that nothing happens like what happened to Tupac and Biggie.
13:00Right.
13:00Yeah.
13:01Yeah.
13:01Yeah.
13:01I mean, hopefully the, you know, hip hop artists of today seem to be in a, you know,
13:06have learned, have learned a lot from the experience, you know.
13:09Yeah, absolutely.
13:09I hope this, this pushes the culture forward.
13:12Yeah.
13:12Because I, I pray that, that their families and, and, and the hip hop culture that has
13:17been impacted by this, I hope that they take away, okay, this is, this is what happened.
13:21This is, this is that.
13:23And, and we can gain some composure about what happened to them.
13:25Right.
13:26So, yeah, bring some closure to it, definitely.
13:28Yeah.
13:28Yeah.
13:28Do you think that maybe this is going to kind of shake loose some more new information
13:34for the case?
13:36Um, I'll, I'll, I mean, at this point I won't, I won't be surprised.
13:40You know, I, there's no telling with what's to come after, you know, we release these 10
13:46episodes after these 10 episodes are released.
13:48I think a lot of people, there's a lot of information we do give in the 10 episodes.
13:52Um, but I feel like it's up to, you know, whoever want to take what they would like to take
13:57from it and how it may bring some people closure.
13:59We would hope so, or, um, you know, we just hope you, regardless of anything, we just hope
14:04you're able to take away a positive message of what we said.
14:08Don't leave anything unsaid and done.
14:10Yeah.
14:10And, um, you know, just go after what you want to go after.
14:12Believe in yourself.
14:13Yeah.
14:13And there's also going to be some interesting conspiracy theories that are going to float
14:18from just the, the process of the investigation.
14:21Right.
14:21They have to check out every lead.
14:23You know?
14:23So you hear some pretty interesting things.
14:25Have you heard some crazy ones?
14:27I've heard some crazy ones.
14:29I mean, I'm hearing...
14:30Isn't Tupac in Cuba?
14:31Yeah, he's in Cuba.
14:33I'm enjoying breakfast out there in the balcony.
14:35Yeah.
14:36Um, where's Big?
14:37He's the executive producer.
14:37Yeah.
14:38Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
14:39He might be involved in this.
14:41Exactly.
14:42Exactly.
14:42Who knows, you know?
14:43So, um, yeah, the conspiracies for sure, they're going to continue to come, but we're
14:49coming really, really hard with our series and we're not, we're unapologetic with it.
14:54Um, and it's really, we're excited about it.
14:56Because this has to come out.
14:58It has to be, we need to know these things.
15:01Like I said, we need to continue to push the culture forward.
15:04And with this information, I'm sure it would do so.
15:07Yeah.
15:07Yeah.
15:08Yeah.
15:08And, you know, protect artists because they're, you know, it's important that people are protected
15:14from, you know, there's many people circulating them who are, I don't know, untrustworthy.
15:20Sharks.
15:21Sharks.
15:22They're sharks.
15:22They're sharks circling around talented people.
15:24Of course.
15:25Of course.
15:26Yeah.
15:26So you guys take care of yourselves.
15:28We do.
15:29And each other.
15:30Definitely.
15:31For sure.
15:31Yeah.
15:32Well, thank you so much for being here.
15:34Thank you for having us.
15:35February 27th, Unsolved.
15:37Yeah.
15:37That's right.
15:38And it's on USA Network.
15:39So check it out.
15:41Thanks guys.
15:43Bye bye.
15:44Bye!
15:45Bye bye!
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