True 2Pac fans know that his artistry extended much further than the rhymes that he spit over bouncy beats; he was a budding actor who channeled his energy into a number of memorable roles. His first starring role was in 1992's Juice, which has gone down in history as one of the best hip-hop movies of all time. While the film technically turned 25 back in January of 2017, the official 25th Anniversary Blu-Ray/DVD release of Juice will be available on June 6, just in time for your annual 'Pac celebrations.
In an effort to reflect on 'Pac's legacy in this film, we have an exclusive clip that highlights not just 'Pac on the set, but the cast and crew of Juice remembering their time with 'Pac. First up is behind-the-scenes footage of 2Pac and Juice director Ernest Dickerson bigging each other up while 'Pac sips on a carton of orange juice (which 'Pac has to make sure people realize isn't mixed with any liquor).
Khalil Khan, who played Raheem in Juice, shared some of his thoughts on 'Pac, saying that "it's always been difficult to digest" 'Pac being lost. Jermaine Hopkins, who played Steel, sums it up best: "What we didn't realize is what we were really, really blessed to be around at the time." Hopkins also remembers 'Pac showing love to people on the street, even in the middle of a scene, just to instill some hope in the people in the community. Dickerson, who called 'Pac "wonderful," also wondered how much of the material 'Pac was writing during his time on Juice set became the memorable music he produced in the years following.
Check out the full clip up above, and be sure to cop Juice when it hits Blu-Ray and DVD on June 6 (with a digital HD release on June 13).