Mike Miller takes us back to 1994 and tells the tale of the iconic FU shot he snapped of Tupac in East Lost Angeles.

Tupac’s glimmering face piercings, knotted bandana, and unmistakable charisma make him one of the most recognisable figures in music history. But one flagship accessory completes the Tupac image — the raised middle finger.

Tupac’s ’fuck you’ mentality was omnipresent in both art and personality. When the first Las Vegas police officer arrived to the scene of Tupac’s 1996 drive-by murder, he reached into the passenger side to ask the wounded rapper what had happened. Tupac replied ’fuck you’. His last words.

We speak to photographer Mike Miller about the photo artwork ’FU’, currently on show as part of exhibition America’s Most Wanted at Picture This Gallery.

Tupac "FU" 1994

WHERE WAS THIS PICTURE TAKEN AND WHAT WAS THE OCCASION?
”It happened during the cover shoot for Thug Life’s [an American hip hop group that consisted of 2Pac, Big Syke, Mopreme, Macadoshis, and The Rated R] Volume 1 in 1994. I was doing individual portraits at a train yard of the Thug Life crew in East Los Angeles. This contact sheet had only one frame of Tupac. The detail of his hands was in perfect focus. This was photographed on a Pentax 6x7 medium format with 320 TXP Kodak film.”

When the first Las Vegas police officer arrived to the scene of Tupac’s 1996 drive-by murder, he reached into the passenger side to ask the wounded rapper what had happened. Tupac replied ’fuck you’. His last words.

DID YOU HAVE ANY EXTRA LIGHTS, ASSISTANTS, STYLISTS ET CETERA?
”It was an orchestrated shoot, and every shot was set up by me. My wife Shannon Miller did the styling and put him in that infamous white track suit and the Jordan 9’s. My wife also styled the rest of the crew. I can’t remember exactly but there was an art director from New York, and my assistant Rodger. Tupac was a trooper and shot at multiple locations around LA, he sat shotgun in my production van.”

WAS THE POSE USED A NATURAL POSE FOR HIM, OR SOMETHING YOU RECOMMENDED?
”That was all him. But then again I set up all my shots and directed him.”

Tupac "Craps" 1994

YOU’VE PHOTOGRAPHED TUPAC ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. HOW WAS HE TO PHOTOGRAPH?
”He was one of the easier going people I photographed. He was down for whatever I suggested.”

LASTLY, DO YOU HAVE MEMORABLE STORY OF PHOTOGRAPHING TUPAC? PERHAPS A SPONTANEOUS EXCURSION, A JOKE HE SHARED, OR A CREATIVE EXCUSE TO WHY HE OR HIS CREW WERE LATE?
”No. It was a long time ago.”

Tupac "Thuglife" 1994