By JOSHUA THOMAS

C-S-E Editor

Well, I guess it had to happen sometime. After years of speculation regarding whether his death was a put-on or a carefully orchestrated plan, Tupac Shakur has officially risen from the dead. Or, so thought about 100,000 festivalgoers attending a late Saturday performance by famed West Coast rappers Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg at California’s Coachella festival this weekend. The crowd, I’ve read, was alternately thrilled and horrified to see slain rapper Tupac Shakur suddenly appear onstage to introduce the set and perform a song, then disappearing in a burst of white light, presumably returning from whence he came.

The incident has been all over the news, and twitter feeds and blogs haven’t yet stopped blowing up with reports of how people in the audience felt to briefly see a digital ghost. The image of Shakur is currently being referred to as a “hologram”, although that’s not entirely accurate. The method used to bring Shakur temporarily back to life is a method of projection used as far back as magicians utilized parlor tricks (with a life-size image being projected onto a thin sheet of mylar), although the act of resurrecting the star undoubtedly stirred up a lot of conversation for a reason. People wonder if it crossed a line.

Shakur’s mother, in charge of a large portion of his estate, issued her approval, calling the technology that brought her son back for the already-legendary one-night-engagement “amazing”. I can’t disagree with that assessment, but none of the reports I’ve read address whether those closest to Shakur in life, including Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, think Shakur himself might have approved of this. Whether or not it’s all legal, is this something he would’ve wanted to happen?

It’s not as if the image used was culled from pre-recorded footage. The image was a brand new, state-of-the-art CGI creation. Shakur, from head to toe, even his voice, was a brand new fabrication.

I can understand the willingness of Shakur’s mother to participate. Having lost her son way too young, she was obviously faced with an unusual opportunity when approached about the prospect of bringing him back to life. At a cost of between $100,000-$400,000 for a few minute performance, the bill footed by Coachella organizers, I can imagine it was hard not to at least take the offer and see how it all panned out. Not many, at this point, have had the opportunity to bring a loved one back from the dead in three-dimensions.

Now though, the question has been raised - is this a trend that will continue? Now that we’re able, will those lines be crossed more frequently, and if this is something that’s been made possible and accessible to those with cash, is it even crossing a line?

It’s now been announced that a full tour is being planned around the spectral performer, with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg planning a series of dates where they perform alongside Shakur. The cost of touring the creation is cheap, as once the digital Shakur and his performance are created, only minimal maintenance is required. Digital Tupac needs few crew members, and has no demands, so after the initial creation cost, everything is profit. This news makes me wonder if my previous question, regarding whether this is what Shakur would’ve wanted, is even being asked by anybody in his camp. Is that even a concern or part of the conversation?

Also, does this mean we’ll be seeing deceased artists touring the globe for years to come? Will we be witness to the resurrection of the Michael Jackson tour that was hampered by his death, and will Amy Winehouse open with new material? Unfortunately, if there’s a buck to be made, and people are willing to support their interest in the macabre by shelling out the money, these are, oddly enough, realistic ideas in today’s day and age. Personally, I think I’ll stick to seeing flesh and blood entertainers capable of deciding for themselves whether or not they want to perform.