Tupac Shakur Broadway musical in development

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A new musical inspired by the music of rapper Tupac Shakur is currently in development in New York City, and is being targeted for the 2013-2014 Broadway season, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Holler If Ya Hear Me, a new musical inspired by the work of Tupac Shakur, will be directed by Kenny Leon, best known for his Broadway work on plays such as the Sean Combs-starring A Raisin in the Sun, and the Denzel Washington and Viola Davis-starring version of August Wilson's Fences. In addition, Leon directed Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett onstage in The Mountaintop.

The production will feature an original story set in the present day, inner-city streets of a Midwestern city. The non-biographical tale will chronicle "the challenges faced by two childhood friends and their extended families."

Tupac Shakur was killed in a Las Vegas shooting in 1996, and the influential rapper's legend only grew after his death. In total, Shakur has sold more than 75 million albums worldwide, a considerable number of which were posthumous releases.

The musical touts a book by Todd Kriedler and choreography by Tony Award winner Wayne Cilento (Wicked, The Who's Tommy). The show also features sets by David Gallo, costumes by Reggie Ray, lighting by Mike Baldassari and music supervision by Daryl Waters, a veteran of a diverse array of musicals such as Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk, The Color Purple and Memphis.

Afeni Shakur, Tupac's late mother, will serve as a producer on the project alongside Eric L. Gold, Chunsoo Shin and Jessica Green.