June 16 was Tupac Shakur’s birthday. It was also the day the rap icon’s new biopic, All Eyez on Me, debuted in theaters across the country. I went to go see the film opening night. The theater was packed and there were hardly any white people at the show. The excitement in the room was palpable. But Tupac never showed up.

His portrayal in the film was lifeless, though actor Demetrius Shipp Jr. played Tupac admirably. Much of the narrative felt like a series of disconnected vignettes drained of continuity and heart. But each time a Tupac song played, the audience roared along, reciting the lyrics with such force that it was as if Tupac lived anew with each syllable.

Tupac’s message still resonates.