Allen Hughes reflects on making Tupac Shakur’s biography after being assaulted by him

Allen Hughes, who was once Tupac Shakur’s music video director, is reflecting on his journey with the late rapper. He has finally opened up on why he chose to make Tupac’s biographic docuseries after once being beaten up by him.

The director and biographer has made a five-part docuseries Dear Mama, which centers on Tupac’s life and is available for streaming on Hulu in the US.

Hughes co-directed three music videos for Tupac Shakur: Trapped, If My Homie Calls, and Brenda’s Got a Baby

Recalling the incident, Hughes told The Guardian that it was born of a misunderstanding between the two when they were working on his film Menace II Society.

Three years before his passing, Tupac had been cast in the film and had a disagreement with the director regarding his character’s backstory, ultimately walking off the production. Some months later, the iconic rapper’s entourage beat Hughes up and Tupac was sentenced to 15 days in jail.

Reflecting on the incident, Hughes said: “Before I would’ve said [it was] just Tupac, but now I’d say both sides … But with my own brother, I have that problem!”

He also thinks that their age was a factor in the incident: “We saw a lot of the same things in the same way … We were all 20 years old, y’know?”