While Clinch's dream was to do a Rolling Stone cover, "the assignment was just a quarter of a page," so he formed it to leave space just like a cover and create a "very simple, elegant, strong portrait." Upon 2Pac changing shirts, he noticed the tattoos, and wanted some photos without the shirt on. When 2Pac passed away, the photo was displayed on the magazine's cover.Clinch recalled at the end, "I always get my subjects to sign one of the Polaroids and on his Tupac wrote: 'If a photograph is worth 1,000 words then photographers are worth a billion.' It was touching."

Clinch was hired by American magazine Rolling Stone to photograph Tupac in 1993, and admitted, "I knew Tupac had been in trouble recently, but I grew up not judging people until I met them." He continued, "He showed up with just one other guy. He was on time and very cordial, he came in and shook my hand. He had a couple of different changes of clothes with him—he was very prepared. I think he knew that at the time Rolling Stone was not putting a lot of hip-hop in the magazine, so saw a great opportunity for himself and his music." For the beginning of the session, Clinch explained, "This is exactly how Tupac showed up for the shoot. Wearing this Thug Life coat and Timberlands."

DANNY CLINCH