In 1993, a gritty and unflinching crime movie called Menace II Society was released to huge acclaim.

The debut picture from the teenage directors, Allen and Albert Hughes, provided a deep dive into the harsh realities faced by many young African Americans growing up in Los Angeles.

But behind the scenes, all was not well and the violence on-screen bled into real life.

Rap sensation, Tupac Shakur – who had originally been cast to feature in the movie – had fallen out with the directors and was sacked during production.

He promised retribution against the Hughes brothers, and his retribution would eventually land him time in jail.

More than 30 years on from the movie’s release, Allen Hughes shares his memories of that time with Matt Pintus.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Tupac Shakur pictured in 1993. Credit: Getty Images)

Why Tupac was fired from Menace II Society

Witness History