A TikTok parody of Yesterday imagines a scenario where a white man is the only one who remembers Tupac. Yesterday stars Himesh Patel as a struggling musician who, after a massive global blackout, suddenly finds he's the only person who remembers the Beatles' music. He shoots to stardom by taking credit for the Fab Four's songs but finds himself struggling to balance his newfound fame with pursuing his love interest, Ellie (Lily James). Released in 2019, the movie received mixed reviews upon release and was only a minor box office success. Still, many found its central concept particularly interesting, and clever TikTokkers have been offering their own spin on the idea.
TikTok duo pax and pearce skewed Yesterday's premise by showing what it would be like if a white guy was the only person who remembered the famous songs of Tupac Shakur. The video humorously shows how unlucky the man is for knowing the gangster rap icon's influential yet often graphic songs despite being "the whitest guy in the world." It shows him attempting to sing Tupac's successful single "California Love" and struggling to ask his friend to sing his rap songs. Check out pax and pearce's TikTok parody here.
The popular social media platform has long been a fertile ground for funny takes on movies and TV shows, many of which boast impressive special effects. Parodies that have achieved the most exposure typically involve the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including a recent spin on WandaVision's show-within-a-show conceit. College student Julian Bass even earned former Disney chief Bob Iger's attention when he made a tribute to his most beloved heroes. Though Yesterday has been somewhat forgotten since its release, pax and pearce's TikTok proves how the creative playground of the Internet can revive any piece of pop culture.
Source: pax and pearce/TikTok