When I came home from work Monday afternoon Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube were alight with news of some hologram of Tupac playing at the Coachella music festival. With social media buzzing, let’s paint the scene for you: you took a second to watch it; you pressed play on the Facebook post you just happened to see from a friend of yours. You sat back, full screened that mother, and gazed at the spectacle that is the fake representation of Tupac. You shared it on your social media of choice, raved and cheered for it. Are you fucking insane?

Tupac Shakur was one of the most influential Hip-Hop/Rap artists to emerge from the genre. And while his music still lives on through his CDs and digital downloads, there is this want for the larger musical community to experience the past in new and what should be perceived as exciting ways. Granted, this generation, and many before it, never got to see Tupac in the flesh, doing his thing and making a difference.

Flash forward to today, or more specifically the eve of Sunday, April 15th. In what can only be described as an abomination, a programmed likeness of Tupac Shakur took the stage at the Coachella music festival. A likeness that seemed devoid of authenticity. He uttered words that the real Tupac never uttered, he did things that were similar to what Tupac did, but really, what are we teaching the youth of a generation. Are we teaching them that greatness can be replicated? Are we putting forth a fair representation of what the artist would have done himself?

This “performance” was far from authentic, and in fact was more about money than it was about continuing Tupac’s legacy. To think that a person’s actions can be replicated or copied in any way is insulting. Does Tupac live on? Yes, he does, and it’s through his records, his music videos, his films, his performances, his fans, and most importantly his peers, who apparently didn’t have good sense to realize something detrimental when they saw it.

What’s even worse is that this hologram Tupac has a fucking Twitter account! Seriously?!?!?! And there is talk of taking this hologram on tour, along with other holograms coming into the works, like Michael Jackson. With tours in the works, what ends will the music industry not go to to make a few extra bucks. If it means tarnishing someone’s legacy, I guess it means doing whatever the fuck you can to make some dough. If there is any good to come out of this, I hope it’s that people purchased or fucking downloaded, at least, some Tupac music, listened to it, and appreciated it for the beautiful art that it is.

Finally, my message to the new generation of Tupac listeners. Don’t be fooled by some stupid image on a stage, watch his music videos, listen to his music, and learn what you can about the man. Don’t let a hologram of all things be your only exposure to such an influential musician and human being.