Cynthia Erivo To Play Tupac's Mother Afeni Shakur In Snoop Dogg Biopic

When you set out to tell the story of West Coast hip-hop royalty, you need actors who can carry the weight of real history. For Universal Pictures' eagerly awaited biopic Snoop, that bar was just raised to the stratosphere. Grammy, Tony, and Emmy winner and Wicked star Cynthia Erivo has officially joined the cast to portray Afeni Shakur — the revered political activist, Black Panther Party member, and beloved mother of rap immortal Tupac Shakur.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Erivo will channel the fierce intellect, devotion, and revolutionary spirit that defined Afeni's life and forever shaped her son — the very foundation that inspired Tupac's timeless 1995 masterpiece "Dear Mama." Afeni, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, remains one of the most culturally revered matriarchs in hip-hop folklore.

Directed by Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) and produced directly by Snoop Dogg himself, the film traces Snoop's meteoric rise from the sun-drenched streets of Long Beach to global superstardom. Erivo steps into an already star-studded ensemble: Outer Banks standout Jonathan Daviss leads as Snoop, Camron Jones steps into the bandana as Tupac Shakur, Lauren London plays Snoop's late mother Beverly Tate, Myles Bullock takes on Dr. Dre, Algee Smith portrays Warren G, and Tre Hale commands the frame as Suge Knight.

In another fascinating cross-generational twist, SwayvoTwain — the son of neo-soul royalty D'Angelo and Angie Stone — has been cast to portray The Notorious B.I.G. With Universal slating the blockbuster biopic for theaters on August 6, 2027, the golden era of nineties rap is being resurrected with undeniable reverence and prestige.

Keep your dial locked to Vena Soul — Arizona's Hottest R&B — as we celebrate hip-hop legacy, spun daily on CentralCityRadio.com and the Central City Radio mobile app.