2Pac's Alive?!?

I only word I can use to describe the hologram of Tupac Shakur at Coachella is bizarre. It looks like Tupac has risen from the dead (if he's even dead in the first place- there are a lot of conspiracists out there who will tell you he isn't) to perform with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. MTV News reported that the hologram was Dr. Dre's vision.

I had no idea that holograms were capable of bringing being so life like, so I decided to do some more research on holograms. Through this, I learned that Dre and Snoop worked with the company AV Concepts to resurrect Tupac. According to their website, AV Concepts is "a national, full- service supplier of audio-visual, staging and technical support for meetings, conventions and trade shows. The company provides the latest in video, audio, and lighting services for corporate, convention, staging and 3D holographic events." I looked at their online portfolio and they have done some amazing things. Besides their work for Coachella, some of my other favorites include: Hard Rock Pinktober and Chris Brown's performance at the American Music Awards.

The hologram itself was created by the Hollywood special effects studio Digital Domain. This CGI company was behind the lifelike creations of Brad Pitt in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Jeff Bridges in "TRON: Legacy," Kevin Bacon in "X-Men: First Class," and Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."

Snoop Dogg performing with 2Pac's hologram

I'm sure that I'm not the only person who saw this video and wondered, "How the eff did they do that?" because AV Concepts is closely guarding their technology. Nick Smith, the president of AV Concepts, told MTV News that he could not discuss the creative particulars behind the Tupac hologram, "including how the hologram was able to seemingly perform the set in sync with Snoop and whether all the vocals were 'Pac's."

I'm still not sure how I feel about this. I think that the technology behind this is fascinating, but also kind of creepy. Who will be hologrammed next? Will artists start hologramming concerts instead of actually performing live? I've always been leery of some technology and I think that this might be too much for me. 

For more about hologram 2Pac, check out his Twitter. Not only is 'Pac back but he's tweeting up a storm!